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By Mavis Fodness
Photo bombing is the unexpected appearance of a person in a camera’s field of view as the picture is taken.
Photo bombing can also take on various forms.
One form is accidental, such as walking in front of the camera as the photo is snapped. Another can be more of a prank or practical joke, when you knowingly join the photo grouping.
One more innocent form of photo bombing is when someone appears in a group photo of celebrating a milestone event.
I was a victim of an innocent photo bombing recently by a six-year-old.
Garrett Blank is the “unknown boy” in the photograph I took March 17 of the library’s ribbon-cutting.
The photo was published in the March 24 Star Herald with 24 out of 25 people in the photo identified. Garrett became the “unknown boy” when I couldn’t put a name to his face prior to publication.
A few days after the paper hit newsstands I did learn Garrett’s name, but it was more than a week after I tried in vain to identify him.
I spent days inquiring about the “unknown boy” only to realize that he probably didn’t go to school in Luverne. I also realized, quite simply, I was photo bombed.
Since then I’ve learned a lot about Garrett.
He lives in Beaver Creek with parents, Aaron and Anita, and his mom frequently brings him and the other day care kids to the library.
It was during a visit to the library that Anita spotted Garrett in the ribbon-cutting photo. A few chuckles from Anita with staff members and the mystery was finally solved.
A copy of that newspaper photo currently hangs on the Blanks’ fridge.
Garrett is an energetic kindergartner at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School and was on a “date night” with grandma Teresa Gehrke when he found himself in the library photo lineup.
Teresa said she frequently gets together with Garrett on a Thursday, and on March 17 the two came to watch the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Luverne.
They dropped by the newly remodeled library and were swept into organizing the ribbon-cutting photo taking place just inside the library’s entry.
In the excitement Teresa wondered where Garrett went as she watched the ceremony. As the ribbon was being cut, she spied Garrett positioned behind the ribbon and grinning up at me, the photographer.
I haven’t met Garrett personally, but I know I would like him.
While he may be too young to understand pranks, it is an activity I enjoy. I also like going to the library and have a great love for reading.
In my photo, Garrett’s face exuded the event’s excitement. His eyes twinkled and a bright smile was across his face.
Garrett is a reader, and he is the reason I supported the library upgrade.
As a library user for decades to come, he belongs in the picture.
My hats off to you, Garrett. You rank as a top photo bomber in my book.