What is wrong with this photo?

​Remember that this is always subjective but we can make adjustments that can make it more appealing to the majority of viewers.  In some cases I give you a choice of two similar photographs, in others there is only one photo.

I give my reasoning in the answers, but feel free to disagree.
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1:-   Which is better?  1A = Above.   1B = Below
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1 )  Distraction from background.  In picture 1A  the highlight spots and an in focus background causes a distraction from the flower and attracts the eye away from the main topic.  By using a depth of field setting, or after processing, all distractions can be removed to emphasise to centre of attraction as in 1B
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2:-  Which is better?   2A = Above.   2B = Below
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2) Where is our gaze being drawn?  In picture 2A the bird is walking out of the picture and our gaze will follow him out whereas in 2B it is walking in to the picture.  We will stay and also look at the ducks behind the big bird.
3:-   Which is better?  3A = Above.   3B = Below
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3)  3A is just a little flat and lifeless whereas 3B is just a bit more alive.  It is not dishonest to make a minor tweak to the lighting or contrast levels in after processing.  Most photo processing software applications allow this.
4:-   Which is better?  4A = Above.  4B = Below
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4)  4A is a scenic shot of a road, a motor car and there just happens to be a man petting a small kangaroo.  In 4B it is the man and his new friend that is the centre of attention.  Move close in, or crop out the unnecessary bits using one of the very many photographic apps.
5:-   Which is better?  5A = Above.  5B = Below
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5)  The rule of thirds.  Where the thirds intersect is a natural focus point for our eye.  In 5A the animals eye is 1/3 from the top and  off centre, towards the left.  His eye is the focal point.  in 5B his eyes are in the middle of the picture.
5A also fills the frame with the subject and eliminates distractions
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6:-  What is wrong with this picture?
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6)  What is this a picture of?  
Boy and girl playing - (on the right)?  Boy covering himself with sand (Centre)?  Father and Daughter building sandcastles (Left)? or perhaps a few bird stalking a picnic (Background)?

Choose the centre of attraction and zoom in on just that.  The boy burying himself would make a great human interest photograph.
7:-  ​What is wrong with this picture?
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7)  What is the subject matter?
Like picture 6 above, the subject matter - the Sydney ferry, blends into the geometric pattern of the building behind, and is a distraction.  If the background was the Sydney Opera House, for example, it could actually enhance the picture by giving it a 'location'.  The buildings in this example are meaningless.  They could make a pleasing photo on their own with a caption something like 'City Living)
8:-  What is wrong with this picture?
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8)  This is a lovely picture of a young tree:
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It is sharp, in focus and shows a contrast against the gold shrubbery around it.
Unfortunately it was intended to be a photo of the kangaroos in the right hand third - but they are out of focus.

Blur could be excused where it is used to denote action.  If the roo's were hopping, perhaps some blur on their legs could enhance the photo, but not an overall blur as in this case
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9) What's wrong
9:- What is wrong with this photo
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9)  This had the making of a great shot.
New Years Eve celebrations, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background and the Opera House in the foreground.  What could be more iconic than that?  But taking a photo in low light without a tripod is just crazy.  The moment the exposure drops below 1/50 of a second, the camera does need support. 
The blurring of the fireworks could be OK and could add emotion and colour, but not all the other lights, including those on the bridge
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10)  Human Interest
​There is nothing distracting the attention between boy and his best friend.  The viewer is drawn into this bond.  It is obviously not posed.
10:- What is right with this picture
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Great colour of the vegetation.  Great and inviting water.  Woman in foreground not too distracting.  ..... But the sky?  Are those aliens arriving from outer space to have a dip in the cool water?  No, just reflections from the bus window. 
Shooting through glass usually produces unwanted reflections - but the can sometimes be removed when not central to the image, as in this case.
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Don't stop here!
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The travel photographer should never let the thought of a bad photo stop you from shooting. 

One good photo for every ten bad ones and the effort is worth it - provided that you do not stop at picture number 9 and miss out on that brilliant picture. 

​In the old days of film, this could be expensive but with today's digital camera's there is no excuse.
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