A family enjoying a quiet morning taking photos under the cherry blossoms in Washington DC were surprised to have a very famous figure make a cameo in their pictures. Former US President Barack Obama was spotted in the background, unintentionally photobombing the Moore family's photos at the Tidal Basin early on Monday.
“It was perfect,” said Portia Moore, the mother in the family, speaking to NBC 4. Her children, Belle and Preston, were standing under a cherry tree while family photographer Briana Inell captured the moment. Moore, however, was focused on keeping her young son safe.
“I’m paying attention to my son, making sure he doesn’t run into the water. He’s 20 months old,” Moore explained.
A shocking realisation
As the family posed for their photos, Moore’s husband casually mentioned the presence of a famous figure. “My husband’s like, ‘That’s Obama!’ I didn’t know what he was saying. I was like, ‘Yeah, whatever. I’m looking at Preston right now,’” Moore recalled.
It wasn’t until Moore picked up her son and asked, “What did you just say?” that the realisation hit. “That’s Obama!” he replied. Her first thought was to confirm with the photographer, who scrolled back through the images. To their surprise, the photos showed Obama in the background, wearing a baseball cap and casually strolling by while the family took their shots.
A moment to remember
Inell, the photographer, was delighted with the unexpected twist. “Usually, I’m editing all of the tourists out of the backgrounds for all my clients anyways, but this is the one photo that I won’t be editing out this person,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Inell, the photographer, was delighted with the unexpected twist. “Usually, I’m editing all of the tourists out of the backgrounds for all my clients anyways, but this is the one photo that I won’t be editing out this person,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: 'Where is Michelle Obama' starts trending online as Barack Obama enters Donald Trump's inauguration alone)
Moore couldn’t help but laugh when asked whether this photo would make the family’s Christmas card. “Oh, my goodness. One hundred percent. I didn’t even think about that. Yes, it is!” she said.
A future invitation for Obama
If Moore could send a message to Obama, she’d invite him to join next year’s shoot: “Come for next year’s shoot. Same place, same time, same date. We’ll be here.”
Photographer Inell shared the unexpected encounter with a caption on Instagram: “Best photobomb ever! This is why you get to the Tidal Basin at sunrise on a weekday! You never know who you’re going to see!”
Take a look here at the post:
Obama's response
Later, Obama himself saw the now-viral photo and shared it on his own Instagram story. “Preston and Belle, I hope you enjoyed peak bloom! My bad for stepping into the shot,” he wrote, also sharing his own cherry blossom photos from the Tidal Basin.
(Also read: Michelle Obama to skip Trump inauguration as divorce rumours fly on social media)
Check out Obama's post: