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We all love a perfectly planned photo: great lighting, perfect angle, everyone smiling on cue. But let’s be honest, the real magic often happens when something completely unplanned crashes the moment. A random stranger in the background, an animal striking a pose, or someone walking by right as you hit the shutter can turn a normal picture into a surprisingly beautiful and heartfelt moment.
Today, the Bored Panda team scoured the internet to find some of the funniest and most surprising photobombs that show perfection isn’t always the goal, sometimes the unexpected makes the moment unforgettable. Keep scrolling to see the amazing results.
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#1
The Queen Just Photobombed A Selfie At The Commonwealth Games
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 week ago (edited)
One of the absolute best photo bombs ever. Our lovely Queen was a wonderful and funny woman. May her memory live on forever.
Pferdchen 1 week ago
I loved it when some American tourists unknowingly met Queen Elizabeth II while walking near Balmoral Castle - and took a picture with them.
Nicole Weymann 1 week ago
I loved that story, too! AFAIK the couple asked the man at her side (groundskeeper or something?) if he knew the queen and what she was like - with her sitting right there. I think he said something like "has a great sense of humour". They asked HER to take their picture with him, and (I think) he took another one with her in it for when the couple would likely show their pics to friends and familiy.
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Lee Gilliland 1 week ago
You can practically hear her saying, "Just wait until they get these developed, "
hctbn 1 week ago
Definitely #1, but I think NASA and a frog has #2 - search NASA frog photobomb
Rebecca McManus 4 days ago
This is my absolute favourite of Queenie, probably the first time I ever saw her actually enjoying herself
Another View 4 days ago
Enjoy that photo. You'll never get a chance to do it again, RIP the Queen.
RELATED:
#2
Took A Picture With My Friends, Later Noticed The Cops In The Background
#3
Shoutout To The Guys Who Timed Their Jump Perfectly
If you ask any skilled photographer how to get a perfect shot, they’ll usually smile and tell you the same thing: photography isn’t magic, it’s method. There are rules, tools, and little tricks passed down from pros who’ve spent years chasing great images through city streets or wild forests. They’ll tell you that while equipment matters, technique is what truly transforms a moment into a memory. And when you understand those basics, you start seeing pictures everywhere, even where others miss them. That’s the beauty of photography: it slowly teaches you how to notice things.
Now, one of the first principles any photographer learns is the classic rule of thirds. Instead of placing your subject in the dead center of the frame, you line them up along invisible thirds to create balance. It sounds simple, but it instantly elevates a shot from “nice photo” to “Ooh, that looks professional.” Even phones quietly guide us toward this layout with their gridlines. The rule has been around forever, but that’s because it works in almost every situation: from portraits to landscapes to still life.
#4
The Moment This Jogger Realized He Stumbled Into My Friends’ Engagement Photo
Marnie 1 week ago
Negative points for people getting engaged in public, in front of a friend so they could have a photo taken for internet points, instead of living in the moment, and also expecting the public to just cater to their internet-worthy moment. Still, it's a cute picture.
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Nova Rook 1 week ago
One day I was in a park reading and saw a strange scene - a cop was trying to arrest someone and his pants were falling down so he called someone over to help hold up his pants while he held and cuffed the criminal. I stand up and I'm trying to figure out what the heck I'm seeing when I guy taps me on the shoulder and asks if I could get out of frame - it was a comedy prank bit popular here in Quebec. The cop and criminal were actors making some random guy have to hold up the cops pants and I ruined the shot. They're called Just For Laughs Gags and the videos are on youtube. No language so easy for anyone to get a laugh.
Panda Bear 1 week ago
I love just for laughs. Their pranks are actually funny and not mean spirited.
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Bill Swallow 1 week ago
Keep the original for humor and sentimental value, crop the jogger out for a more traditional shot. No reason not to hold on to both.
#5
Photo Bombed By Batman
#6
My Boyfriend Proposed To Me At Ripley's Aquarium In Toronto... This Stingray Photobombed Every Picture
Zoe Vokes 1 week ago (edited)
Poor scuba diver. They trained for ages to dive, made a sign, taught a stingray to join in the celebration and their girlfriend kissed a random stranger in front of them.
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Framing is another favorite in the photographer’s toolkit. Instead of just pointing and shooting, pros look for elements that naturally draw the eye inward. This could be a doorway, arch, tree branches, or even another person’s shoulder creating a foreground shape. Framing often adds depth and direction to a picture, guiding the viewer like an invisible hand. It’s one of those tricks that once you learn it, you start seeing opportunities everywhere.
#7
I Present My Friend Derek Getting Photobombed By Prince Harry While Working The Invictus Games Last Year
Julie S 1 week ago
Harry always was the fun loving one before he met Megan. Now he looks miserable all the time.
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Spencer's slave no longer 1 week ago
This is an 8 year old post, before he married Rachel, when he still had a sense of humour and wasn't whinging every 5 minutes.
Yora Belle End 1 week ago (edited)
F**k off, Allan. Maybe you and Barbara Wilcock can both be bell ends together? Her name ends in c**k after all :)
Load More Replies... #8
My Son's First Photobomb. He's 10 Months Old
#9
My Buddy Got Photobombed By Professor Charles Xavier
And then, of course, there’s lighting. No matter how skilled you are, lighting can make or break a shot faster than anything else. You could have the perfect pose, the perfect location, and the perfect moment, and bad lighting will flatten it instantly. On the flip side, good light can make the most ordinary scene look cinematic. Photographers chase the “golden hour,” wake up at dawn, angle desk lamps, bounce light off walls, anything to get the right glow. We may live in the age of filters, but lighting is still the real magic sauce. Even casual phone photographers know that stepping three feet to the left can save a photo.
#10
He Didn't Choose The Filter Life, The Filter Life Chose Him
#11
Mitch McConnell’s Vote Photobombed By Unhappy Constituent
Michael Largey 1 week ago (edited)
Remember when criminal presidents were driven from office instead of being returned to it?
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Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
Ha!!!!! As a Kentuckian, I say give that guy a cigar! That's just too good not to share!
#12
I Can't Figure Out What Object In This Pic Makes Me Laugh The Most; The Girl Who Looks Like She's Crying In The Background, The Nomstrich, Or The Llama In The Mirror
Another interesting technique professionals love is the rule of odds. It’s surprisingly psychological: an odd number of objects feels more natural and visually pleasing, while even numbers often feel rigid and staged. Think three flowers instead of two, five people instead of four, seven rocks on a beach instead of six. Odd numbers allow the eye to bounce around the scene with ease. It’s a subtle trick, but once you know it, you’ll start seeing it everywhere: art galleries, movies, ads, and nature photography. Sometimes we appreciate images without realizing they were designed that way.
#13
Teresa Cristina, The Empress Of Brazil, Being Photobombed By Crown Princess Isabel And Princess Leopoldina (1861)
Lotekguy 1 week ago
Probably one of the first photobombs in history. It's especially impressive because of the time they had to hold still for a picture back then.
Yora Belle End 1 week ago
From around 1850's the time to stay still was around 10-15 seconds. So not as bad. Go back another 20-30 years and it was around 10 mins or so.
Load More Replies... #14
Fan Takes Photo With Modern Family's Ty Burrell, Epic Photobomb By Bryan Cranston
kansasmagic 1 week ago
Looks like Cranston and Burrell were there together but the fan only wanted a picture with Burrell - or didn't recognize Cranston!
#15
My Daughter Thought This Was Her. Bonus: My Son In The Background
justanotherweirdo 5 days ago
Buy it, keep it on the mantle for years and confess that the photo came with the frame when she’s all grown up—like that episode of Friends 😆
Contrast is where a photo gains personality. High contrast will give you drama, deep shadows, sharp highlights, intense emotion. Low contrast will give you softness: calm colors, gentle transitions, a dreamy feel. Good photographers use contrast like paint, shaping a mood before you even realize it. It tells the viewer what to pay attention to first, second, and last. Without contrast, an image can look flat and unmemorable, even if the subject is interesting. With it, the same scene suddenly comes to life. Think of it as photography’s version of seasoning: it changes the entire flavor.
#16
My Local Bike Share Posted This Photobomb
#17
My Friend's Brother's Wedding Photo... With Their Pastor In The Background
Zoe Vokes 1 week ago
Thank god planking was a short lived phase. But this will be interesting to explain to future generations
Elizabeth Anderson 1 week ago
Like flag pole sitting or phone booth stuffing
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#18
Dwayne Wade Accidentally Photobombing A Proposal
Bryn 1 week ago
Basketball player, married to Gabrielle Union (the actress)
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Devon Archer 1 week ago
Former NBA player, NBA Finals MVP and multiple NBA champion, he is married to Gabrielle Union and has part ownership of the Utah Jazz.
Devon Archer 1 week ago
He also does a lot of charity work and is just genuinely a nice person.
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Juxtaposition is another element professionals love because it sparks instant emotional reaction. It’s the act of placing two elements together that don’t usually belong side by side. A child standing next to a towering sculpture, a luxury car parked beside a falling-apart building, or a tiny bird perched on heavy machinery. Juxtaposition tells a story without needing a single word. It makes viewers pause and think. It gives a picture a sense of humor, irony, or commentary.
#19
The Moment My Friend’s Son Realizes That He’s No Longer The Baby Of The Family
JL 1 week ago
I've seen that look before too, on the guy above on the bus with bow in his hair.
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#20
An Epic Photo Bomb By Ken Jeong
#21
Please Remove Obama, He Accidentally Photobombed!"
Zoe Vokes 1 week ago
I’ve seen this photo before and know it’s Obama but I wouldn’t recognise him from his side profile
BossyCloud 1 week ago
I really can't see it, but I believe you that it is him
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Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
I'd not have recognized him, either. I'd never seen him in a baseball cap before!
Foreground interest is a subtle but powerful technique. By including something in the front of the image: a leaf, a doorway, a railing, flowers, even the edge of a coffee cup, the viewer feels like they’re standing inside the moment rather than looking at it from the outside. It adds depth, storytelling, and a touch of realism that makes the photo feel lived in. Foreground interest is one of those small choices that instantly make an image feel more intentional. And the best part is that it works almost anywhere, from landscapes to portraits to street photography.
#22
The Boy Is A Mood
#23
One Of The Better Photo Bombs I Have Seen
#24
Girlfriend And I Tried To Take A Nice Picture With A Bridge In The Background. My Brother Didn't Allow It
Now while all these rules can make you a better photographer, Lokesh Tardalkar, wildlife photographer and Assistant Professor at UPG College of Arts & Science, admits something refreshing. “As professionals we make sure all these criteria are met,” he says, “but here’s the thing, sometimes the best picture you get is the unplanned one.” Those candid shots, those unrepeatable seconds where something unexpected happens, are often the ones that end up sticking in our memory. And in his words: “A technically perfect photo is good, but a photo that makes you feel something, even accidentally, is unforgettable.”
#25
Best Accidental Photobomb Ever
#26
My Uncle Photo Bombing Jimmy Carter, 1980
Novlette Williams 1 week ago
If he tried that with Trump he would be deported or arrested and beaten.
Michael Largey 1 week ago
That kid looks too classy to put himself anywhere near Trump.
Load More Replies... Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
Ha ha ha! Ain't neither Jimmy or the missus happy. Glad your Uncle was!
#27
Halloween 1989. My Sister Is About To Have A Really Bad Day
Ell Bee 1 week ago
You mean "And Mrs. Doubtfire wasn't trusted to push the swings again."
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Rebecca O’Donnell 1 week ago
There are two black loops she is hanging onto.
Load More Replies... BossyHossy1 1 week ago
At first, I thought she was a doll hung upside-down on the fence!! That's worth 2-3 hrs in the ER.
justanotherweirdo 5 days ago (edited)
That swing is just a stick. Edit: didn’t see the rings, lol.
It could be an animal strolling through the frame as if it owns the moment, or a stranger making a funny face right as you snap the shutter. Maybe someone jumps in the background, someone makes a goofy expression, or nature decides to add a dramatic element right on cue. These are the photos nobody could have planned, and that’s exactly why they’re so magical. Just like these posts that show how the right photobomb can make a picture ten times better. Which one made you smile the most? Share your favorite one in the comments below.
#28
Had A Caption Until The Lady In The Background Nailed It For Me
#29
Some Friends Took A Picture And Later Realized That The People In The Background Were Stuffing A Baby In A Cannon
Lotekguy 1 week ago
I doubt the aerodynamics of babies are optimal for distant targets. I hope they evaluated that factor before firing.
Jeolas1 1 week ago
There is a hilarious, purposefully pseudo-scientific video about just this topic (aerodynamics of babies) on Youtube, from BAHfest 2013. I will post the link just below. It made me laugh tears.
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#30
Most Wholesome Photobomb
#31
The Boss Of Photobomb
marianne eliza 1 week ago
Not much of a photo "b**b" when the camera is aimed at the celebrity.
Robert T 1 week ago
Who has seen the camera and three other people as well.
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Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
Oh my god- it's him, it's him!!!! I'm 70 years old and still freak over Bruce!
#32
My Friend Tried To Take A Nice Picture At The Mall
The Other Guest 1 week ago
Thank goodness, I'm not the only goober here LOL! I was like, "Wait, where's the photobomb?? OH HECK!"
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Cybele Spanjaard 6 days ago
..and we all thought it was the lady in the white shorts at first and wondered what was so unusual about her, until we had another look.. argh someone is not impressed
#33
My Own Little "Photo Bomber"
#34
My 22 Month Old Nephew's Epic Photobomb
WindySwede 1 week ago
"He's turning 360 months next week, will you come on his birthday party?"
Load More Replies... #35
Photobombed My Brothers Wedding Photos
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 1 week ago
The guy in the tshirt and shorts is pissing me off, it's a wedding, you couldn't have thrown on some jeans and a plain tshirt at least?
WindySwede 1 week ago
Or a surprise wedding, or they said casual clothing? 🙃
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Bananaramamama 1 week ago
Our reception was held in a venue booked by a family member. My husband realized that his friend who had tragically passed in highschool had lived just beyond the pond. We left our reception and walked to their home (in full wedding attire) and found out his parents still lived there. We invited them to join us. They were upset they were in casual clothes and nothing formal but we assured them it didn't matter. They joined in our celebration and called on our first anniversary to thank us for the inclusion. So I wouldn't be too quick to judge.
Cybele Spanjaard 6 days ago
Nope, no excuses for this man if he was a guest at all.
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Tobias Reaper 1 week ago
the dude in the suit looks like a kid pretending to be an adult standing on another kids shoulders
Cybele Spanjaard 6 days ago
What an inconsiderate wedding guest if he were to wear a sloppy T-shirt and daggy shorts to a wedding.His partner looks fine. What a Dork. The rooster or hen is better dressed
Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
The little hen would be more dignified if her paramour would cool his jets!
#36
My Friend Photobombed My Wedding Picture Four Years Ago. A Few Weeks Ago I Got Him Back
Simon Dudley 1 week ago
Does that mean the 1st guy needs to get married again?
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#37
Photo Bombed At The Celine Dion Concert By The Cutest Old Man
#38
Got Married Last Week. My Favorite Picture From The Night Got Photobombed By My Buddy
Nicole Weymann 1 week ago
I think it makes for two great photos. Cut off the right rim at his knee and a bit from the left side to make it symmetrican: voilà, photo #1. The kneeling friend would look equally fabulous on a solo pic.
#39
Perfect Timing
WindySwede 1 week ago
...me if you can. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks was in that movie.
Load More Replies... The Other Guest 1 week ago
How in the world do you fall off a horse that's just standing there calmly??
Lily bloom 1 week ago
Im going to guess because siblings and some version of "stop touching me"
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Sandy Kavanaugh 6 days ago
How many kids are supposed to be on that horse? All I see are arms and legs!
#40
This Guy Saw Us On At Least Two Different Occasions And Photobombed Like A Boss
detective miller's hat 1 week ago
This reminds me of the time years and years ago when I went to the local carnival with my family. We didn't realise until we were looking at the photos at home later that the same guy photobombed nearly all of our silly selfies. Assuming the first one was an accident, and then I guess he noticed we kept taking selfies so he followed us. It was hilarious. Mom still has the photos in one of our albums.
#41
My Son, As The Flash, Decided To Photobomb His Sister
#42
My Grandmother (Front) And Her Sister In The Late 40s. Photobombing Is A Classic Art Form
Lotekguy 1 week ago
One auntie approving the other makes it absolutely official.
Load More Replies... #43
A Friend's First Tandem Jump. The Result, Hardest Photo Bomb Ever
#44
I've Reached My Photobombing Peak
#45
Stepmother Does Not Approve
#46
Perhaps The Greatest "Seinfeld Moment" Ever?
kansasmagic 1 week ago
This isn't a "photobomb" - it's the OP taking a picture of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld on the downlow. It's kind of rude actually.
Miss Tinker 1 week ago
Not necessarily… she could have not realised they were there.
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My Sister's Perfectly Timed Photobomb Attempt
#48
Photobomb With A Mirror. What A Pro
#49
Random Photo Bomber
#50
Proposed To My Girlfriend In A Pumpkin Patch. We Were Photobombed
kansasmagic 1 week ago
"We were photobombed by this big thing that was clearly in the background when we posed for this picture."
Novlette Williams 1 week ago
Have a little fun in life. Pretty sure he was joking.
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#51
My Son Has Conquered The Photobomb
MalayDragon 1 week ago
LOL this is one of those childhood photos that should be done again as adults would be hilarious.
#52
My Cousin's Bridal Party Bombed This Prom Photo
#53
Photobomb Level: Presidential
#54
I Was Taking Photos Of My Friend And The Guy In The Background Decided It Was His Photoshoot
#55
Had Our Engagement Photos Photobombed
#56
My Sister Photo Bombed Us At A Wedding. Her Wedding To Be Clear. That's The Bride You See Back There
Panda McPandaface 1 week ago
Makes a nice change from all the wedding disaster stories here on BP!
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#57
There's A Child Mummy Dancing In The Background Of "Shakira - Hips Don't Lie" Music Video
More Information 1 week ago
I just watched the music video and omg this kid is in so many scenes, just standing there moving lightly and randomly lifting the stick thing. The look of confusion is clear, even through all of that mummy makeup. What was this kid told to do for the video?? I hear sometimes actors are given very little details and therefore a lot of control over the scene. I wonder if this kid had that happen "hey kid, hold this and stand here, dance when everyone else does."
#58
Just Got Married. My Daughter Photo Bombed The Wedding
#59
Largest Photo Bomb Ever
#60
My Dad Striking A Pose And My Uncle Photobombing, 1992
Flickers_and_Sparks 1 week ago
Am I the only one who seems slightly concerned over the angle the man in the back is leaning...?
Lotekguy 1 week ago
No. It does look like he's about to fall off a ledge, though I doubt that's really the case.
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#61
A Friend Of Mine Met Paul Rudd And There's A Surprise Guest In The Background
#63
We Went To A Club In LA And Didn't Notice The Guy In The Background Until We Checked The Photos The Next Day
#64
My Friends Got Married. Did Not Know They Were Taking A Photo In The Window And Photobombed The Pic
#65
The Only Thing Funnier Than The Nyu Quidditch Team Solemnly Preparing For Their Match Is The Epic Facepalm In The Background
Zoe Vokes 1 week ago
How can you play Quidditch without the magical balls and actual flying brooms? I am not going to look at YouTube videos to find out.
Julie S 1 week ago
I'm a massive Harry potter nerd but this is a hard no from me.
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#66
One Of My More Glamorous Moments Photobombing My Family
#68
Pro Photo Bomber
#69
That One Time Drake Photobombed My Families Photo (With Rihanna Sitting With Him)
#70
Unreal Photobomb
#71
We Had Way Too Much Fun
#72
My Boyfriend And His Friend Photo Bombed Every Picture My Friends And I Tried To Take. This Was The Best One
#73
The Most Proper Of Photo Bombs
Eastendbird 1 week ago
"Ahem, good sir, judging by your face decoration, your behaviour may have been somewhat questionable."
MalayDragon 1 week ago
Fairly certain that the guy in all white is cosplaying Dr Horrible, from the 2008 web series "Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog"
#74
Photobomb Level: Mirror
#75
Girls Face In The Background
#76
And The Award For Photo Bomb Of The Week Goes To
#77
Accidental Photo Bomb, Frozen Edition
#78
I Don’t Know Her. This Is From 2016. Still One Of My Favourites
LinkTheHylian 1 week ago
I see Mayhem t-shirts, I see an A7X t-shirt... bit odd for an Adele concert.
#79
Visiting Paris With My Boyfriend And His Brother. This Picture Pretty Much Sums Up How It's Going So Far
#80
We Got Photo Bombed Pretty Hard At Our First Brewers Game
#81
My Dad (Bottom Left) And His Friend Photobombing The Us Men's National Team Bronze Medal Pictures At The 1992 Barcelona Olympics
#82
Raptor Photobomb
#83
My Uncle Photobombing My Parent's Wedding Photos, 1990
#84
Mattie Is Showing You Our Egyptian Bowl And The Wild Sage Rice Bowl. Both Are Packed With Awesome Veggies
#86
My Mom On The Right. The Guy Photobombed
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What do you think ?
Apatheist Account2 1 week ago
I don't think ruining an official one like the medal ceremony is good, that's ruining someone's special moment deliberately, but celebrities sneaking up behind is definitely something they should do as it adds to the photo for the noncelebrity.
Julie S 1 week ago (edited)
I bet back in the olden days when you had a camera with a film. It must have been really annoying if you took a photo, then took the film to the shop, waited a week to get your photos back and when you finally got them you found out someone photobombed your long awaited picture.
MalayDragon 1 week ago
I love a good photobomb opportunity. Particularly at the work Christmas party each year. they publish the pictures each year to the company website's social events page, And there I am in the background of the majority of the pictures. My record is 15 pictures photobombed in one night. The best part is the Photographer they hire each year is the same guy, and he's gotten so used to my sneaking into pictures he's now in on it. He will wait until I'm "in position" then take the picture. To those who might think i'm ruining pictures I say this. I don't do every picture, i DEFINITELY do not photobomb the CEO, and I always leave and let the photographer take a proper shot immediately after.
Apatheist Account2 1 week ago
I don't think ruining an official one like the medal ceremony is good, that's ruining someone's special moment deliberately, but celebrities sneaking up behind is definitely something they should do as it adds to the photo for the noncelebrity.
Julie S 1 week ago (edited)
I bet back in the olden days when you had a camera with a film. It must have been really annoying if you took a photo, then took the film to the shop, waited a week to get your photos back and when you finally got them you found out someone photobombed your long awaited picture.
MalayDragon 1 week ago
I love a good photobomb opportunity. Particularly at the work Christmas party each year. they publish the pictures each year to the company website's social events page, And there I am in the background of the majority of the pictures. My record is 15 pictures photobombed in one night. The best part is the Photographer they hire each year is the same guy, and he's gotten so used to my sneaking into pictures he's now in on it. He will wait until I'm "in position" then take the picture. To those who might think i'm ruining pictures I say this. I don't do every picture, i DEFINITELY do not photobomb the CEO, and I always leave and let the photographer take a proper shot immediately after.
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