Photobomb

Photobomb means to step into a camera’s field of view unexpectedly while the photographer is taking a picture of other people or another subject. To photobomb someone, or ruin the composition of someone’s photograph by inserting yourself into the picture, is usually done as a joke. Verb forms are photobombs, photobombed and photobombing, photobomb is a transitive verb which is a verb that takes an object. Photobomb may also be used as a noun, and one who photobombs is a photobomber.

The first documented use of the word photobomb appeared on the Urban Dictionary website in June of 2008. While mugging at the camera behind the intended subject of the picture has existed for a long time, the word for this action has only existed for less than a decade. Since the advent of digital picture-taking rather than film, photobombing has become more popular. Some of the more famous photobombers are President Clinton, Anna Pavlova, a stingray and a squirrel.

Examples

Meanwhile, George was similarly demonstrative earlier in the day, as Crawford shared a picture on her Instagram account of George photobombing a romantic moment with husband Gerber. (Vanity Fair)

Watch a Whale Photobomb a TV Presenter as He Moans About Not Seeing Any Whales (Time)

Historic spooky photobomb pub is ‘haunted by TWO ghosts’ (The Mirror)

Amanda Rotella of the Santa Cruz Economic Development Department puts on her best and campy photobomb face at Event Santa Cruz Photobomb! Thursday night at the Museum of Art & History, while talking with one of the six speakers, photographer Yvonne Rew-Falk in the black hat. (The Santa Cruz Sentinel)

“You’re like an awards show professional … you’re photobombing everybody in sight now,” Ellen DeGeneres teased The Imitation Game star and expectant dad, 38, when he made his first appearance on her show Wednesday. (People Magazine)