lol

Hands on hips, looking around, a scratch of the head...what is going on?

It is actually a legal requirement that everyone in the UK must have a Union Jack golf umbrella. Therefore, the man holding it isn't a tourist - unless, you've managed to take a photo of a master criminal making good his escape... ;-)

It'll be one of the Oxford Walking Tours. The tour guides carry an umbrella so that people on the tour don't lose them. It's helpful in the more crowded bits of the centre of Oxford. Not so much use for it in locations such as the one in your photograph. :)

I haven't been on the tour, but my wife did a few years ago, she said it was very good.

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/tourism/walking-tours.cfm

yeh, indeed. was it that hot in toronto?
the picture lookes quite warm.

Haha, they look so lost. Well spotted!

You always capture such a large area in your shots. Like in this one, you go up the building a lot. It looks so good. I think I want to visit oxford just to see the architecture.

this reminds me of le carre's absolute friends' opening hillarity :(

I'd think so- check out the camera. Don't forget about the guy scratching his head...

It's funny how the pattern of the british umbrela it's almost identical to the signal on the left. Excelent resolution and colours.

Very nice shot, good composition. The umbrella is amusing... and great in terms of its colours.

Hehe, interesting indeed. Looks like you had a good trip.

Hello.
i always see your pic´s.
Great.
i loved.
:)

love the way the sign on the left echoes the colours of the umbrella

I'm waiting to see Austin Powers come dancing down the street.

The people/umbrella is totally contrasting the building, it's brilliant.

Man, I love your work!

Greetings from Brazil,

Gustavo

Very nice picture. I like the colors of the building. Believe it or not! what really caught my attention is the bike (leaning against the wall) in the bottom right corner...cool

Hilarious! Great capture, just perfect. I love all the different expressions. And the upper half of the photo is it's own image entirely. Nicely done.

Yes, the Umbrella is definately a nice splash of colour, what I think is also cool about it, is it's only casting the man who's holding it in shadow, no one around him. Amuzing since he's holding it so high, it's so huge and the size of the crowd of people....

Nice shot, as always. Keep up the great work.

it sure is amuzing.. nice photo :)

These people are going to a very ugly orgy.

there definitely looks like something of interest is on the ground.

This picture reminds me of Venice, where under a sparkling blue sky one can see dozens of different umbrellas belonging to dozens of tour guides, hoping not to loose their charges.
I liked the surprise of seeing the group after scrolling down starting from the ornate windows.

I'm linked to your site on my blog and there are days that your photos give me the needed pull-back or pause or shock that helps me carry on!
This one is so sweet and so "dripping" with humanity that it could probably make me cry if I looked at it during certain emotional states...

Cool. Love the architecture of the building behind them.

Aha, the "Paving slabs of Oxford" tour: one of the lesser known but the best...
i.f.

The lighting is perfect here. I'm trying to figure out what everyone is looking at. :) Great shot.

the whimsical disorder of the people (why ARE they all so interested in the sidewalk?) is a lovely contrast to the solemn symmetry of the building....

I love this Sam, figure and the colour of these people and the Union Jack umbrella against the background is just amazing.

If they aren't tourists why are they waiting for a bus in a group and looking like tourists?

And that flag brolly just goes to show how the British can protect you in all circumstances. (Uh?)

I especially like the dude scratching his head at the left end with his toe off the ground in a moment of confused tension - or so it seems. The lady in red to his left looks worried with the hand to face, and the Black dude looks like he's praying.

There's a sort-of lost look about the crowd in general. But you found them and that's cool.

While some might criticise your vertical composition I think it heightens the tourist feel and it is a curious building. Great bay windows and that standard tired Britan look. I wonder how Canada's establishment buildings will look in 500 years?

AND: this quote is right on, "there definitely looks like something of interest is on the ground."

Excellent shot. It's amazing how they're all avoiding the camera. This is classic.

ha! great shot- there are as many comments on the technical merit as on the content - noice