Evolution Of The Viral Photo Trend

New viral photo trends come as quickly as they go these days. Take a look at some of the highlights from the past few months and maybe discover a few new trends that you may have missed.

Planking

The progenitor. The exact origins of the term "planking" is unknown. TV personality Tom Green has claimed to have invented the phenomenon way back in 1994 (when it was called "the lying down game"), but it didn't become the trend we know it as until recently.

Teapotting

Next up came what the Herald Sun called the "the 'safer' alternative to planking," teapotting. The craze was started by teachers at Mortlake College in Australia after witnessing the success of planking.

Owling

Owling was another fad created in response to planking, this time by the online community Reddit. "Owlers" took things to a new level by perching themselves in precarious spots like an owl.

Batting

Less a full on trend in its own right, batting (sometimes called batmanning) was more of a game of one-upsmanship with fans of the owling craze, and required a bit more skill to pull off successfully.

Leisure Diving

Leisure Diving was created by John Lewis and his friend Alex Scott, who would photograph their friends striking nonchalant poses as they dove into a pool. The trend took on a life of its own on the Internet, and even has its own website.

Stocking

One of the most difficult to successfully pull off but most rewarding photo trends is "stocking," in which participants recreate a stock art photograph to the best of their abilities.

Horsemaning

One of the most difficult to pull off correctly, but most creative photo trends is horsemaning. Named after the headless horseman character in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the origins of horsemaning go all the way back to the early 20th century.

Razorbombing

All those other photo trends a little too "last week" for you? Why not give razorbombing a go? All you need is a razor, an unwitting victim, and a good sense of perspective. In fact, you could even win $10,000 for your best razorbombing photo by submitting it to the Schick Xtreme 3 Shave the World contest. Enter now!