We all love taking selfies, checking ourselves out, and getting all that good, good social media love. Sometimes though, selfies end up being a little off kilter, surprisingly strange, or unexpectedly evocative. Most of the time when selfies don't turn out right they wither away in the photo archives or get deleted. Somehow though, some of the craziest, funniest, and most shocking selfie fails end up in the public eye. Maybe they didn't notice the background when they posted? Prepare yourself as we take a look at some of the most entertaining and engaging viral selfie fails by people who forgot to check the background. And remember, when you're taking that new profile pic, be sure to look behind you!
Boxer Butt Bomb!
She just wanted to get a cute photo with her friend and the dog, a quick show off selfie to affirm to her followers she is indeed living her best life with her bestie and man’s best friend at her side. Before snapping that pic, she should have definitely checked on her dog’s pose, bcause this particular pupper wasn’t having any of it. While these girls show off their sunny smiles, this boxer shows off his full moon.
Number One In What!?
T-shirts and jerseys are a great way of showing off our interests and supporting the teams and players we love. It’s even cool to get your name put on the back if you play in a minor league. Just be sure to check yourself before posting those photos up on your social media accounts. Sure, her name may be Lana but it looks like Lana may be number one in something a little different than baseball.
Photo Bombed In The Worst Way
We’ve all gotten bored in traffic and started taking selfies right? Well, it’s probably not such a good idea to take a selfie right after your driver cuts someone off, or merges into their lane without signaling, or whatever happened to the guy in the background of this photo. Maybe nothing happened, maybe he’s just sick of the selfies in general and goes around trying to ruin as many as possible. The hero we need.
Think He Noticed Her Missing Belt Loop?
What do you think the man in the mirror is looking for back there? Maybe she missed a belt loop? Or sat in something perhaps? Maybe she just asked him if her new glasses made her butt look big. Who knows? Regardless, this good guy is on the case! Whatever he’s back there looking for, he sure is looking hard. I wonder if he found it...
MA! Help Me Take A Selfie!
Think this guy has spent all of his time building his muscles so he hasn’t been able to make any friends besides his mom? At least she’s supportive though right? She takes his gym pose selfies and looks so proud of him while she snaps them. Maybe they could have taken another if he’d checked the photo before posting or maybe he wanted his mom in the shot. Think she counts his reps and spots him on the bench as well?
Prime Location for A Profile Pic!
The relationship between toilets and technology is a strange thing. The most common place to check social media is while using the bathroom so it’s safe to bet more than a few of those bathroom mirror selfies are taken just before doing a number one or two–perhaps a few of them during as well! At least this poor woman’s was. It’s an excellent time saver, especially if you’re looking particularly good on the potty, but just don’t forget to check your mirrors!
The Family That Selfies Together, Stays Together
Even dads like to get in on the selfie fun! And this dad seems like he would be a lot of fun to selfie with, even if you’re not expecting it. She may have not thought it was very funny at the time, however. As a parent you gotta have a little fun at your kids' expense or you’ll go crazy. You can definitely see where she gets her dramatic flare from, though, right?
Blame It On The Boyfriend
The attention seeking selfie is the worst kind of selfie and we all know at least one attention seeking selfie taker. Case in point, this poor girl who wants her followers to know she has a boyfriend so badly that she simply invented one. In the very least, he seems like a sweet guy who is very much in love with her, taking pictures as she’s getting out of the shower and all.
Lil’ Brother Bathroom Photo Bomb
While these girls are breaking the Internet, it looks like little brother back there is breaking the toilet. This impromptu bathroom photo op is yet another great reminder to check your backgrounds before snapping photos. The real question is, is he closing the door in modesty so as to hopefully not be caught on camera, or flinging it open for all to see the glory of his bathroom destruction?
Selfie Shadow Surprise!
Time to get that post shower selfie! You know what would be really cool? Getting your shadow in the background! Yeah, snap a quick profile pic here against this brick wall with your shadow! Wait, what’s that down by your waist? Were you holding a hose of some sort? Is it some kind of snake? What’s with the huge grin on your face? You were wearing a belt right? That’s what that is, your belt buckle!
At Least He's Wearing His Dressy Underwear
We all know a dad that likes to wear that one same old thing. No matter how dressed up everyone else is, Dad’s rocking that same old jean jacket, or in this dad’s case, black and white checkered underwear. Heck, the checkerboard style whitey tighties are so iconic it looks like his son took some style tips from dear old dad with his suit vest. You know Dad’s proud!
Blame It On The Girlfriend
Another instance of the attention seeking selfie and proof that men and women alike are capable of inventing a nonexistent significant other. In all seriousness, this dude is super talented to be able to take this with his feet. With a skill like that it’s a wonder he’s single. Maybe him and the lady with the imaginary shower selfie boyfriend can hookup and take selfies of each other? A match made on Instagram!
Selfie Within A Selfie
Dude climbs all the way up a stinkin’ mountain to get a stoic selfie with his dog only to have his girlfriend ruin it by taking her own. This selfie is like the selfie Inception. It’s a selfie within a selfie. A buy one get one free selfie. It definitely looks like dog and man were having a different trip than the girlfriend. At least it looks like one of them is having fun on the trip though.
A Man And His Cat
Pets and formal selfies just don’t mix. Face it, pets just don’t care about your selfies or who you’re trying to impress. They’re more concerned with showing their butt, messing with your stuff, or in this case, getting a drink from the toilet. Maybe he didn’t notice the cat? Maybe the cat is an artistic statement on the nature of formal clothing in a indifferent world? Regardless, his phone matches his suit and that’s swanky.
Urinal Selfie!
So, apparently snapping selfies while using the bathroom is a pretty common thing. Like we mentioned before, if you’re feeling like you got a vibe going while your going, using your bathroom time to get your new profile pic is a time saving way to go. I think by now we can safely say that the number one rule for any selfie is to check your background and this guy just didn’t. Or by the seemingly drunk smirk on his face, maybe he just doesn’t care.
Even The Dog Is Tired Of Her Selfies
Again, pets do not care about your selfies! In fact, they may actively work to sabotage your selfies when you’ve been slacking on treats and love because you’ve been lost in your phone. These acts of sabotage may consist of showing their butt, drinking from the toilet, or throwing themselves against your windows. Obviously the best thing to do is just give the puppers all the love and treats and take your selfies later!
A Nice Relaxing Day at the Beach
The beach selfie is a must for any vacation, right? You’ve got your toes in the water and butt in the sand and life couldn’t be better until your surf-side selfie is ruined by mister Johnson’s massive Johnson. At least he’s body positive though. And it certainly makes for a one-of-a-kind selfie. It’s so big how could she have missed it in the background?
Don’t be a Horse’s...
I would like to blame this one on animals not caring about your selfies but this just looks like a classic case of bad angling. I’m sure our boy just got finished with some righteous horseback riding and wanted to snap a pic but he should have definitely stayed in the stable and got the right side of the equestrian instead of making himself look like a horse’s... well, you know.
New Hair, Don't Care!
They say that a new haircut makes you feel like a new person but does it make you do new things, or people? This woman’s wild streak really seems to have picked up with her new hairdo and her buff, good looking mans really seems to like it too. But what’s she reaching for there? A snake? Some kind of hose? His belt? New hair got this girl pulling out all the stops!
Third Wheel Photo Bomb
Being a third wheel can be rough. Having to tag along to couple's events and listen to your friends mush and gush over each other constantly sucks. What’s even worse is the photo of the group, which is usually just the couple kissing or cuddling up and you standing awkwardly to one side. This guy figured out a creative way to make the third wheel all the more delightfully uncomfortable by just embracing the awkward and slipping oddly into the background.
Nice Ice Cream You’ve Got There, Be A Shame If Someone Were to...
It’s summer, it’s hot, and this pup wants an ice cream. Too bad the girl up front is too busy taking a selfie. That’s okay, says lil’ pup, I can just get a lick off yours! I doubt she noticed this moment before snapping the pic. Surely she would have given the guy a little, right? Who knows, maybe he got his own right after this got posted. We can hope.
I'm Tired Of All The Selfies!
I think we all feel this little girl, right? At some point, it’s time to put away the phones and chill with the fam. It looks like this girl can’t get enough though and lil’ sis is sick of it. So sick she decided to add some gestures to the background of big sis’s latest. She definitely ain’t blowing kisses back there. This is what real sibling love looks like.
What a Center Piece!
Different people prefer different centerpieces for their tables. Some people like flowers, some people like photos of their family, friends, and love ones, some like sculptures or busts. This woman has a different take on centerpieces all together. Really, though, who could blame her? It’s functional and aesthetic. Even if it may lead to granny asking some mighty awkward questions when you post up the latest selfie on social media.
Kids These Days
Moms have a rough way to go. They give birth to us, raise us, and have to save us from all the stupid stuff we get ourselves into. The look on this mom’s face when she walks in on her daughter taking yet another selfie is something I’m sure all moms can relate to. Put down the phone for a moment and give your mom a hug. All one of them deserve a hug at the very least for putting up with things like this.
Dad Bod Selfie
Dads, gotta love em’. Sometimes they just don’t get it do they? Kid wants a selfie, and dad nonchalantly walks through the background with that wealth of a beer belly shining in the light. Or, maybe this dad is savvy to something the rest of us need to get on. That’s right, the dad bod. As it seems everybody falls in love with the dad bod, and maybe a few more men need to crack open the six packs like this lovable father photo bomber.
Doggy Style
How many times do I gotta say it? PETS DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR SELFIES! They will show their butts, make a meal out of the toilet, or in this case... well you can see for yourself. I’m sure this guy just wanted a nice photo with his pups, but some urges wait for no man! Especially when you can capture the moment in your owner’s selfie for the entire internet to see!
Check your Reflection!
Always, always, always check the background before posting! It can spare you a lot of odd conversations you probably never want to have in the first place. This girl probably learned the hard way when her... ahem... massager... ended up on all her friends' timelines. Kinda makes you wonder what activity she was doing just before snapping this selfie.
You’re Doing this Motherhood Thing Wrong!
You can almost see the sense of disappointment in this kid’s face and you gotta wonder how whoever she sent this to felt about getting a sexy selfie with a disenchanted kid as the focal point. I mean, I get it, when you have five or six kids you gotta get it in where you can, but she should have definitely checked the background, or peripheral, before sending this one
When Selfies Get Painful
What a great day at the ballpark! The sun’s out, the smell of freshly cut grass is in the air, and you’re feeling yourself so you pull out your phone to get a quick selfie when... BAM! That’s a home run! This is the rare image right before disaster strikes and that disaster came in the form of the Ol’ horse hide for this ball fan.
Love In The Air
The first rule of being a good photographer is to always make sure that you’re not in the photo, but we’ll cut this kid some slack based on his age. He’s gotta be just getting started right? He’ll learn. And how nice of him to make his parents his first subjects. The perfect portrait of love in the middle American trailer park. This kid will become a renowned photographer in no time.
An Autumn Dog Doo Selfie
There’s nothing more relaxing than lying down in a pile of leaves in the autumn of the year. You always wanna check those piles before laying down though. Don’t be like this lady. Don’t find out that you laid your head inches from dog poo in the comments. I mean, at least she got to enjoy her relaxing fall activity at the time without worrying, right?
May As Well Own Up To It
Sometimes when you’re caught, you just gotta admit it, right? This lady seems to have the same table centerpiece as several others on this list and when Nick calls her out on it, she just laughs it off. What else do you do? On a style note, always be sure to check those glass reflections in your selfies, ladies. Or at least be like Sarah and embrace the moment.
What’s Going On In This Mirror!?
Don’t you just hate it when you’re trying to take a selfie and someone conveniently manages to get a reflection of themselves pinching their nipples and making demonic faces in the photo? That’s never happened to you? Yeah, me neither. But apparently this girl has. Maybe she needs to make better friends? Or get an exorcism for her house?
Sexy Selfie With Grandma
You gotta love and respect your elders, right? This girl takes it to a whole other level with her sexy selfie and granny just carries on reading the daily newspaper. Or maybe she’s using the paper to cover her face so she doesn’t have to end up as another background in a selfie. Granny’s smart. She’s been keeping up with those selfie fails. Granny ain’t gonna be a part in something like that.
Two Types Of Girls In One Selfie
Some girls like getting dressed up and hitting the town on a Saturday night, others just like staying in with a corn dog. This selfie captures the essence of those two types of ladies perfectly. Sure, the friend up front seems cool, but we can guarantee the girl in the back will have a much better time at night with her corndog. Be yourselves ladies. If you’re getting dressed up, get dressed up. If you’re enjoying a corn dog, enjoy it. Just don’t forget to check the background!
Faucet Drinking Photo Bomb
We’ll give it to you, parenting can be hard. Parenting while trying to keep your social media in a steady supply of selfies is next level difficult. That’s why we’re not gonna come down too hard on this mom. She’s just proud of being dressed and looking good. Who are we to take that away from her? That kid drinking water straight from the faucet though needs to be taught a thing or two about germs.
Help Mama Look Sexy!
Yeah, we cut some slack for the last mom but this one gets none of that. Like we’ve said already, we know being a mom is hard, but come on. Maybe this kid will grow up to be a world renowned photographer too though? Maybe mama’s just giving them something to photograph? We can only hope. By the looks of things though, if she follows her mom’s footsteps she may have another line of work all together.
Can Someone Tell James To Get Out Of The Shower!?
Don’t get us wrong, cleanliness is important but you may want to refrain from taking that shower in the locker room while your teammates are trying to get that post win selfie. There’s already one selfie stick holding up the camera, and no one needs to see yours too! At least he’s committed to staying fresh and clean though right? Cleanliness is next to godliness, sure, but we doubt he would appreciate showing your junk in front of that kid.
Put Some Pants On First
It's Saturday night, you’re home alone, you’re feeling yourself but no one's around to check out your look. You figure you’ll take a selfie so everyone can know what they are missing out on. But just make sure you’re wearing all your clothes first. The missing pair of paints can certainly make the selfie take on a whole different vibe, but that might not be what you're going for. Especially once the Internet gets a look at this, there's no turning back.
What Is That Dog Doing On that Baby's Head!?
By now we should all know how trying to get that cute selfie with the pet is gonna turn out. Add babies to the mix and the ante is upped to a new level. See, babies, like pets, don’t care about your selfies either. This one can't really be blamed on the kid though. When a dog's gotta go, a dog's gotta go. He could have really picked a better place than the kids head, but we’ll say it one more time, pets don’t give a poop about your selfies!
Don't Forget to Check the...Foreground?
I know we keep emphasizing checking the background before posting but you should really just look all around your selfies before letting them fly. This lady unexpectedly showed off the interiors of her nostrils to all of her followers. Maybe she was trying to show off how clean she keeps it up there? Or maybe it’s her own special kind of way of showing off? We’ll let her choose her excuse. We bet she’s got quite a few up there.
Real Quick Selfie Before Saving My Kid
We can assume this was supposed to be one of those cute mom/kid bathtub selfies but somewhere along the lines, we’re guessing that when the kid slipped and busted their butt on the tub bottom, something went horribly wrong. We’ll give it to the mom, at least she’s trying to capture these beautiful moments in a photo. Too bad she got the reality instead of the expectation.
Road Rash Mirror Burn
When his buddy asked for a photo of his road rash, this guy sent back the only appropriate response. I’m not even sure we can call this one a fail as sick of a comeback as it is but it had to be included. It’s too perfect not to show off. The background burn is always better than the one in your face.
Creepy Fail
This one is a less funny fail, but kind of more terrifying. Maybe it’s a prank? Maybe that’s just her brother back there? Just taking a shower when she came in to get another bathroom mirror selfie? We can only hope. For once maybe she should’ve checked the background for her real physical safety before being embarrassed on social media.
Changing Table Fail
We’ve already said it once, just like pets, babies don’t give a poop about your selfie. In fact, they may just poop in your selfie just like this kid. Kid’s ain’t gonna hold nothing back just so you can get that bathroom mirror pic of you and your posse. When the baby needs changing, the baby gets changed. Insta that!
Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
That unique centerpiece pops up yet again on a... shower wall? I’m beginning to suspect that isn’t a centerpiece at all. Or, maybe she just likes decorating her shower? I’m sure those candles by the tub add a nice vibe to the uh, decoration, and that big mirror would definitely help you watch your self while you’re... decorating.
Even Celebrities Aren't Immune To The Selfie Fail
Robin Thicke is notorious for his love of women, and he definitely proved it with his song "Blurred Lines". His superstar status doesn’t guarantee that he won’t commit the high sin of not checking the background before selfieing, however. This one is a major fail for Thicke considering it was one of many mounting reasons he and his wife of nine years filed for divorce in 2014. See, not all of these fails are funny!
A Period Piece
When are these people gonna learn not to selfie in the bathroom? Especially around other people! It always ends badly! At least she’s helping a girl out, right? Chilling with her to help her through the process. I would think her friend is gonna be more than a little upset when she scrolls past this one on her timeline though.
Grandpa, Can I Just?
Among the other anti-selfie squad, in league with pets and babies, are the elderly. They are too old for your stupidity! You tryna’ look sexy for your mans? Too bad Grandpa’s napping. In the very least, she’s visiting her grandparents, right? It’s nice to see the youth spending time with their elders. Forgive me for trying to be witty.
Baby Selfie Suprise!
Weddings are a time for celebrating your relationship, while the announcement of pregnancy is a celebration of a new addition to your family. Hopefully you don’t have to hold these celebrations simultaneously. Or, if you do, you don’t have to let you’re families know the way these two did. She better get to calling her parents. Her mother is confused.
Which One You Think it Belongs To?
I think the centerpiece analogy is out the window on this one. I mean, cheese and crackers, there is no denying what that thing is used for, especially when it’s so big it has to be strapped to the side of the wall to store it. Which one of them does it belong to though? Our money is on half eye closed girl.
Tables Set And Grandpa's Dressed
Grandma set the table, Grandpa got his best whitie tighties on, and you get this in your inbox telling you to stop by for dinner. Think grandpa will have pants on for it? Old folks just out here wildin’ with their selfie game. Let’s hope they are always around to read newspapers and take naps while we snap sexy selfies and return the favor by sending underwear clad dinner invites.
Got This Muscle Through Push ups!
Look, if you’re gonna get that quality post work out selfie, you gotta do some pushups and get those guns looking good. Or, ya’ know just push them up. This guy may have the right idea. Work smarter, not harder. Though, he could’ve been a little smarter about this one and by simply checking the mirror right behind him before selfieing!
Always Trying To Sneak Photos Of Me!
This man does not want to admit that he's taking a selfie. Nowadays, attention seekers will go to any length and they'll often fill your timeline with selfies like this one. He would have almost gotten away with this one had he just checked his car reflection. Mirrored surfaces and backgrounds, kids! Be sure to check them before taking selfies!
OLD PEOPLE THINK YOUR SELFIES ARE STOOPID!
Once more, and for the final time, the elderly do not care about your selfies! Look at this poor old dude’s face. Grandpa is probably thinking to himself: "What kind of generation is this?" as this kid snaps selfie after selfie of himself. Poor grandpa is just trying to wash his hands so he can get back to his dinner. "Kids these days," Grandpa whispers to himself as he hurries out of the bathroom.
