It had been a news photo that, as Gawker quipped, was "ripe for captioning."

A pic of Mitt Romney bending over, while a apparently astonished schoolgirl stands behind him, mouth agape.

The photograph, published Monday by The Connected Press for those to determine, has since increased across the Internet. The candidate riding a wave of confidence from last week's debate performance was all of a sudden made, pardon, the butt of jokes.

So maybe it was an inexpensive shot?

Tim Graham, media analysis director at the Media Research Center, stated absolutely.

"It's unbelievable," he authored. "It honestly looks like just a little girl is gaping at Romney from behind."

A closer inspection seems to exhibit the girl searching at another thing to the right of Romney. The caption, though, didn't initially make obvious what it's she's looking at.The caption stated: "Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney poses for photographs with students of Fairfield Elementary School, Monday, March. 8, 2012, in Fairfield, Veterans administration."

The AP has since attempted to explain.Following FoxNews.com released an early on form of this story questioning the use of the photo, the AP published an up-to-date caption to "better explain that which was happening" -- for the reason that the girl was responding because Romney was appearing for any photo directly before her.

The up-to-date caption read: "Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney poses for photographs with students of Fairfield Elementary School, Monday, March. 8, 2012, in Fairfield, Veterans administration. Students, right, responds as she realizes Romney will crouch lower directly before her and her class mates for the group photo."

Steve Manuel, senior lecturer at Penn State's College of Communications as well as an award-winning photojournalist, stated the AP should have known how the image could be perceived once they released it.

"Within this photo, although it may seem funny, AP knows precisely what audiences are planning,Inch he authored within an email. "It isn't legitimate news. AP recognizes that audiences are likely to chuckle and picture what the little girl is seeing, also it makes Gov. Romney appear a little foolish.That is not the purpose or mission of photojournalism. ... Candidate or otherwise, it's not the mission of the news organization to put anyone inside a position to become made fun of or made fun of. Confirming the news is, which is not newsworthy."

Stephen Ward, director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the College of Wisconsin-Madison, stated the photo alone wasn't too offensive but noted it may be used.

"Searching at the photo, it simply strikes me as not particularly offensive. It's more funny," he stated. "However in a very billed political atmosphere like this, you need to be careful. I do not particularly have trouble with the shot. As lengthy as the caption is okay. My issue is in how people might use it."

The AP might have joined a little of the grey area with this particular one. The photo wasn't changed or altered in almost any apparent way. But the National Press Photography enthusiasts Association code of ethics offers some guidance.

"Treat all subjects based and dignity," it states. The code also states: "Be complete and supply context when taking photos of or recording subjects."

Graham noted that the image coincided having a story having a decidedly anti-Romney tone.

The AP piece that went around the same time involved how Romney had made the decision to skip a Nickelodeon-backed "Kids Pick the Leader" special that Leader Obama had decided to.

The storyline was mainly a venue for show producer Linda Ellerbee to seem off on the Republican nominee.

"That's into the millions kids who really want to get involved with the democratic process," Ellerbee told the AP. "They do not should be dissed. But former Gov. Romney also blew off Letterman and Large Bird, and so i guess we are in good company."

Romney's campaign stated it did not have time. Also, kids don't really election.