@flipthorn...Thanks.

In case you don't know, the person with the camera is Mark Kitaoka (pursang). Mark is talking on the phone with Tracy Martin while taking my photo.

He didn't know there was a guy standing next to him, shooting the finger.

I paid the guy to do that.

That was very kind of you. I'm sure he appreciated the money and of course, you got an excellent photograph out of the whole. I'd say it was worth the trade : )

@stolenlife...not pasted in. Just an inadequate job of masking in order to make the background a little less in focus.

Thanks for your comment.

So it is!
King,your story of the (composition)is great.
Pre-processing,huh?

Folks,
Thanks for your appreciative remarks.

FYI, I don't think this will make it to the home page because of low "Quality" ratings. I should have done a better job of masking. But who knows.

..on second thought, the ratings aren't high enough in any category to get this featured. Doesn't matter. I'm here for the laughs.

ah.. i thought you might have been taking a photo of your reflection there.

great photo :)

@ChriZ...thanks, my friend, but straight 5's are not enough to move this into the Featured category.

Closer though. For those ratings aficionados out there, with 17 ratings:

* Relevance: 3.76
* Impact: 3.71
* Composition: 3.59
* Technique: 3.53
* Quality: 3.41
* Overall: 3.6

Hah, I should have guessed King was behind this one. And recognized pursang, for that matter... *hides in shame*

Ha! I was really surprised when you said you didn't think this would get featured. Congrats!

King, you're sick. I'll nail you myself this weekend.

There has got to be something about the "every day activities" and "Life Magazine" connection that I'm totally missing!

@Ana...and I've been published in Life. How ironic.

@nattfodd...Thanks for your comments. Whatever else Mark is, he's an inspiration to me.

I tried to find my .PSD file to fix the masking around the finger before posting this, but couldn't, and didn't have time to start from scratch. This is the image I sent to Mark just for grins.

@pursang...I never claimed not to be sick.

@flipthom...thanks, pal.

For the ratings aficionados, with 18 ratings this just squeaked under the wire despite the poor job of masking:

* Relevance: 3.83
* Impact: 3.78
* Composition: 3.67
* Technique: 3.50
* Quality: 3.44
* Overall: 3.644

@ King..I actually wasn't talking specifically about you or this photograph at all.
I was wondering in general.
Thanks for the information, though. I'll add that to your resume, here.

@Ana...I didn't take your remark personally. I thought you might be making an existential observation about the theme.

However, I thought my response might enhance my reputation as the "Pretentious Prat"--a nickname given to me by Mooch. Apt, don't you think?

@Ana again...don't you ever sleep?

funny image ;o) - good shot!

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!

I have come back to this numerous times,just for another smile. Still awesomely funny King!
Was Tracy in on this,or was the call coincidence?
Come to think of it,I bet you don't leave anything to coincidence.
I do so appreciate your mastery of manipulation!

@saxi & Jeff,

Thanks!

@mysight...I'm sorry to say that I did not manipulate Tracy into distracting Mark by calling him--that was a coincidence.

I think I'll change my nickname to "The Great Manipulator."