Photobombing

The Urban Dictionary defines photobombing as "an otherwise normal photo that has been ruined or spoiled by someone who was not supposed to be in the photograph." In a nutshell what is happening in the background attracts the focus from what it was originally meant for. Like most things in life it isn't as easy as it seems. Good photobombing requires skill, practice, good timing, a fair bit of luck and above all a desire to ruins somebodies special moment.

One of the earliest known photobombers--if not the first--was Rollen Stewart,also known as “The Rainbow Man,” who became a pop culture phenomenon in the late 1970s and early 1980s for wearing a rainbow-colored afro wig while holding up a sign reading “John 3:16” during live sporting events nationwide.

While the art of photobombing may well precede the history of the Internet (as supported by authentic photographs showing The Beatles members pulling the prank on each others in the 1970s), the prank most likely became a widespread phenomenon during the transition from traditional film to digital photography in the early 2000s, along with the emergence of photo-sharing communities like Flickr and Facebook a few years later. A quick google search reveals thousands of online photobombing pictures that have been submitted and shared online. As you can see from the picture below even animals have gotten in on the action.

Like most things on the internet photobombing has evolved. The new hotness is known as video bombing and is best done while you’re so hammered you can’t even speak. As the video below shows if you’re going to get so drunk you can’t even speak, you might as well let the whole world know what an idiot you are.