Squirrel is surprise star of holiday photo

The Telegraph ^ | 12 Aug 2009 | Our Foreign Staff

[Daffynition]

Melissa Brandts and her husband were surprised to find a squirrel posing with them in a photo taken on holiday.

The couple had set the timer on their camera while posing at a lakeside in a national park in Canada.

Just as they were about to be captured on camera the cheeky squirrel popped up in the foreground and stole the show.

The picture was taken at the side of the stunning Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park, Canada.

Mrs Brandts said: "We had our camera set up on some rocks and were getting ready to take the picture when this curious little ground squirrel appeared, became intrigued with the sound of the focusing camera and popped right into our shot."

The picture was submitted to the website of America's National Geographic magazine.

[snip]

[Daffynition]

[Bullish]

It looks photo-shopped.

[Daffynition]

It could be .... still wins for cuteness factor ....I believe it could happen though.

[BigCinBigD]

Maybe but I doubt it. The camera focused on the squirrel and the people in the back ground are out of focus. That said It's obviously a plot with the bears and raccoons from the other thread to take over the world!

[windsorknot]

"Say, have you seen Bullwinkle around?"

[Tainan]

Auto-focus camera...whatever the sensor sees first get focused on. Most cameras are auto-focus now a days.

Cute picture. I suspect it will make many appearances on the intraweb.

[Daffynition]

Actually most new cameras have autofocus capabilities ....there would be no reason to have focus lock on, if the couple were unaware of the squirrel's surprise pose. I say it's a real possibility.

[Daffynition]

LOL ...........

[Daffynition]

You beat me by a minute!

[wastedyears]

[BigCinBigD]

Yup. I would also bet it had face detect mode. I nominate this for photo of the year so far.

[Tainan]

Now thats funny!

[will of the people]

If you remove the squirrel from the photo, the composition of the picture does not look like a planned picture. The people are off-centered and distant. Not typical for a greeting card photo IMHO.

[Tainan]

Careful with that “Squirrel Nuts” thing...there is a very famous pic lurking on the intarweb about that....

[Daffynition]

[BigCinBigD]

One of the first things you learn about photographic composition is to use the rule of thirds. The photo with the couple to one side would have been a very good picture. Especially given the scenic location.

[meyer]

The squirrel is such a surprise that it’s right in the plane of focus.

[t1b8zs]

I have felt photog is like gardening......If you got it you got it if you dont you dont

[Daffynition]

I think the photo has been cropped and therefor the comp would be just fine. Remember that’s one BIG lake they are sitting in front of for the pose.

[Daffynition]

[BigCinBigD]

The squirrel needs to work on his aperture settings. :o)

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

[duckworth]

Chuck Schumer strikes again!

[Daffynition]

Sorry, post #3 was for you! I goofed.

Photo of the Day - NatGeo

[Daffynition]

Meow-ping.

[paulycy]

You noticed that picture was taken at Lake Minne-wanka?

[Daffynition]

I did ...ROFLOL ...just didn't want to be the first one to say it! Alohahahaha! ;-P

[Daffynition]

Pauly said, "Minne-wanka"!

[cripplecreek]

My Canon doesn’t focus like that with the timer. Remote shutter release yes, Timer no.

Could be that they were going to get a crappy out of focus picture and they got a lucky shot of a rodent.

[paulycy]

just didn't want to be the first one to say it!

It's too early for my sense of shame to kick in.... ;0)

[Daffynition]

Shame? What shame?

[Locomotive Breath]

Forrest Gump the squirrel.

[Daffynition]

All auto focus cameras - both digital and film models - focus before the photo is actually taken. Generally, the focusing takes place when you press your camera’s shutter release button halfway down. That causes the camera’s lens to focus on whatever is in the center of the frame when you begin to press the button.

So here’s how you use focus lock. Before you actually take the photograph, place your subject dead center in your viewfinder. Press halfway down on the shutter button, but just halfway down, so the shutter doesn’t go off.

By pressing halfway down, you’ve locked the focal distance on your subject even if you move the camera, as long as your finger continues to hold the shutter button halfway down. As long as you continue to press the shutter button, the focus stays set at the distance you’ve “locked in,” which is the correct distance to your intended subject. So now, with your finger still holding the button halfway down, reframe the picture in your viewfinder the way that you want it, with the subject placed off center. When you have the composition set the way you like, you take the picture by pressing the rest of the way down on the button.

Presto! Your subject is fully in focus even though you placed it off center in your picture.

Works that way on my Nikon ... yours could be different.

[BigCinBigD]

“My Canon doesn’t focus like that with the timer”

This is my theory...

One of out couple set the focus on the other while they were sitting their. he/she then set the timer. This persons body coming back in to frame set the auto focus off all over again. The sound attracted the aforementioned rodent who insinuated it's self in the foreground again messing with the cameras mind. The camera then focused on the nearest “face” and SNAP! A star is born.

[Daffynition]

He's EVERYwhere!

[paulycy]

Maybe the shame is in who you associate with...

[tanknetter]

He's EVERYwhere!

Not yet. Still waiting on the pics of him with WTC/Tourist Guy and NOLA/Looter Guy ...

[Daffynition]

Perfect! I love the smirk! ;D

[paulycy]

LOL!

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

[ican'tbelieveit]

In Canada/UK, holiday = vacation. I have a Canadian gal I work with right now and she says I am on “holiday” this week (I have taken a week of vacation time from work).

[paulycy]

[djf]

Yup.

[Daffynition]

HAHAHA! That's worth $64K at least!!!

[Daffynition]

You shouldn't be skeptical! Honest!! ;)

[misharu]

Big, as an amateur photographer, I agree. The photo would have been pretty good, but now its even better with Rocky in the pic!

[petercooper]

bttt for funny thread!

[Saundra Duffy]

Thanks for a good morning laugh!