First, there was the selfie. Although the concept has been around for ages, the term ‘selfie’ didn’t really hit the scene until 2005. By 2012, it was a part of the general lexicon. Time magazine named selfie one of the “top 10 buzzwords” of that year. Then in 2013, the Oxford Dictionary added selfie to its online dictionary.
By 2014, the term ‘photobomb’ arrived on the scene, in large part, thanks to an adorable stingray. For those not in the know, it’s a simple enough concept – what’s supposed to be a normal, nice photo is ‘bombed’ by a third party poking into the frame at the last second. With human friends it can be a funny (if they do it once), or annoying (if they keep it up), but with animals it becomes a viral sensation:
Not to be outdone by a tropical stingray, this seal decided to represent the arctic:
While in Africa, a giraffe yucks it up for the camera…
Meanwhile, back here at home, it’s probably not surprising that the cats are up to their normal mischief, craftily photobombing unsuspecting dogs:
That concludes this week’s lesson on technology etymology. But stay tuned…. Next Monday, I’ll let you in on the newest photo sensation that’s sweeping the nation.
Happy Monday,
~Mary
