Birds of a ...

[rick barclay]

A fisherman and a seagull take no notice of each other as they head opposite ways
recently near Island Beach State Park in New Jersey. But it is likely they had the same
subject on their respective minds. What do you think (of the picture, that is).

http://flashdaddee.com/bird_b.jpg

[Overbeyond]

Well I like this so much. A very good and not often scene composition There is nothing really pin sharp in this but it gets away with it nonetheless. Taking from a distance with a longish lens at a quess?

[rick barclay]

Right you are, Overbeyond. Shot at 400mm. My only regret is not stopping down the aperture in order to get the human fisher in focus, but I've been told on another forum that the slight bokeh simply puts the emphasis on the bird and makes it the subject, which is allowable and even preferable. Glad you like it. I like it. The bird has a certain look about it. Its face and eyes seem to be in good enough focus and the human fisher is wearing a grin. Kind of makes you wonder...

[rick barclay]

What makes a photograph like this funny, bloo? The answer is simple.
Show off your animal subject's human attributes or show your animal subject interacting
with a human being. Either will do the trick.
You can also elicit other emotions depending on the way you depict your subject.
Did you ever see the footage of the thrree-year old boy who fell into the gorilla pit at an Illinois
zoo? I've been looking for it, but I can't find it. But that picture or video is famous for its rendering
of a gorilla mother's very human act of picking the boy up and carrying him to where attendents could could retrieve him.
Of course the funniest human-like photos are the chimp pictures.
I didn't take this picture because I thought it was humorous. I just took it because it was there for the taking. Until your comment, I didn't even look at it in that light, but I knew there was something unusual enough about it to consider it a keeper. Frankly, now as I look at it, it does look a little cartoonish to me. "Y'know, it's almost like that seagull is about to offer a, "G'day" or, "'Sup?" to his human counterpart.
Thanks for showing me that.
I agree with your comment about the irony, too.

[rick barclay]

I'm in love with photojournalism. I think living things, especialy people, make the best subjects. And yeah, we're always on the lookout for irony.

[seu24]

I am a middles school Computer Art teacher. I want to do a unit on visual irony. May I use your photograph and some of this discussion as an example?

[rick barclay]

Hi. I substituted a copyrighted version of the photo, which you have my permission to use
for classroom discussion only. I'm honored you think it's so worthy. Good luck with it. If you have
any further questions about the image, feel free to ask.