That Photograph

Am I alone, as an amateur photographer, in wondering why there is so much fuss about the Thornberry snap? The choice of subject is a good piece of photo-journalism even though the subject was a little clichéd.  She did not choose a title for the photograph, which is a shame - it's always a good idea, before you press the shutter, to have a clear idea of what the photograph is about.  She has also relied on the automatics for exposure and has received quite a lot of unwelcome light, particularly on the foreground.  The crop could have been more dramatic - I would have had the white van in the "rule of thirds" position to maximise the impact of the story.  Finally, and this is a personal thing, I think the white balance is wrong.  I've always been a bit wary of entering photographic competitions because I find judges can be rather contrary and idiosyncratic and that was certainly true in this case. Sorry judges but this photo didn't make me want to beat my chest with respect.  It was mildly amusing but, for me, it lacked the "wow" factor.  Nevertheless, Thornberry should not be discouraged - David Bailey said that he found his impulsive first shots the best!