It was 7pm, two Thursdays ago. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had just been released from police custody when a haunted photo of him, slumped in the backseat of a car, suddenly dropped.
The image immediately went viral and was on the front page of most major newspapers the following morning.
Days later, another image made headlines – albeit a grab from moving footage. This time, it was Lord Mandelson, returning home in a black cab after his arrest on Monday.
Celebrities, royals and politicians frequently find themselves photographed as they get driven from one location to another.
They may not be the best photos ever taken, but they can become the most famous.
The curious phenomenon, described by celebrity crisis PR Lauren Beeching as “distinctly British”, is largely explained by the fact it feels “off guard”.
“Most public imagery of celebrities, royals or politicians is managed in some way,” she told BBC News.
“The backseat of a car feels like the moment someone assumes the performance has stopped.”
But capturing such moments is rarely easy. It requires skill, technique, patience – and a little bit of luck.
We’ve been speaking to snappers about the art of the “one shot” – and also asking showbiz experts why we’re all so fascinated by the snatched backseat photo.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.bbc.co.uk ’
