photo opportunity

American

noun

a brief period set aside for the media to take photographs of a high government official or celebrity, usually immediately before or after a newsworthy event.

photo opportunity British

noun

an opportunity, either preplanned or accidental, for the press to photograph a politician, celebrity, or event

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of photo opportunity

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

photo opportunity

The Mars flyby was far more than a photo opportunity.

From Science Daily ● May 23, 2026

Altman, head of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, and Amodei, whose company Anthropic is known for its Claude chatbot, stood beside each other for the photo opportunity on stage.

From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026

All they would need to do is decline a photo opportunity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026

Bovino called the suggestion that the crowd cleared for a photo opportunity “false news” and that the vehicle was preparing to accompany Border Patrol strike teams on patrol that day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2025

Traditionally, this is nothing more than a photo opportunity, but President Trump likes to shoot the breeze with the press pack.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023