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.

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

Standing between Trump and Eric in the photo opportunity afterward were Dang Thanh Tam, the developer’s chairman, and a 39-year-old Briton named Charles Boyd-Bowman, who has since become the project’s head.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

The three mayors have at least one thing in common - an eye for a photo opportunity.

From BBC • May 10, 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

They charge $77.25 for a photo opportunity with the World Series championship trophy, with a press box tour included.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2024

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