Cherry Blossom Photo Turns Memorable
A Virginia family’s spring photo session at Washington, D.C.’s famous Tidal Basin took an unexpected — and unforgettable — turn when a well-known passerby unintentionally walked into their frame.
Portia Moore and Damien Thomas brought their children, Belle, 4, and Preston, 1, to the city’s iconic cherry blossom trees for a professional family photo shoot. As the children posed beneath the soft pink petals with the Washington Monument in the distance, a man in sunglasses and a baseball cap casually strolled by — unintentionally stepping into the background of the shot.
It wasn’t until the moment had passed that Damien realized who had wandered into their family photo. “That was… wait, that was him!” he recalled saying. When Moore asked the photographer to review the images, they were stunned to see that the unexpected guest was, in fact, a very familiar face.
Moore later shared the story on social media, writing, “Look who strolled by in our picture for our family Cherry Blossom photo shoot!” Alongside her caption was the image of the two smiling children, framed perfectly by cherry blossoms — and in the background, the surprise photobomber walking calmly by with his hands in his pockets.
The unexpected moment quickly went viral. The individual in question later acknowledged the incident in a light-hearted message online, offering a brief apology and wishing the children well during peak bloom season.
Each year, thousands of people from across the world travel to Washington, D.C., to witness the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The short window of peak bloom provides a stunning backdrop for photos — but rarely do those pictures include such an unexpected celebrity cameo.
For the Thomas family, the image is now more than just a memory of springtime in the capital — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment they’re sure to treasure forever.