Take a Picture, It'll Last Longer

Okay, you found someone in the most embarrassing position. It seems pretty strange for the person. You try to think of a way to handle the matter but having trouble coming up with a situation of some kind. Finally, the person tells you "take a picture, it'll last longer" before leaving off.

A common Stock Phrase whereby the pure coincidence someone finds themselves in an uncomfortable situation. It could be they were found doing something they shouldn't, wearing something out of the conventional means, or any other awkward matter. This would often end with one or few results: a person does take that picture or not, they may walk away... pretending they never saw it, or nothing at all. This trope often leads to some of the most awkward matters where such a picture can be used in the future or not. Considering the increasing amount of devices used to take photographs, it could result in such a picture or even a video in some cases.

Comic Books

 * One Jimmy Olsen miniseries starts with Jimmy on a subway train, sitting across from a rather amorous couple who he can't stop watching (because they're right in front of him). The man finally tells Jimmy to take a picture, so Jimmy pulls out his Daily Planet camera and does so.

Film

 * Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: Both Octavius and Jedediah found themselves on board a bus, but they're still Diorama-sizes. After being spotted by two kids, Jedediah tells them of this phase, prompting the female child to do so with her phone.
 * Pee-wee's Big Adventure has Pee Wee pulled over and meeting with a state trooper. Given the trooper was wondering about Pee Wee's outfit, forcing the title character to respond with this demand.

Live-Action TV

 * In the The Office episode, "Lice", Meredith Palmer takes measures by shaving her head bald to deal with the said outbreak. Palmer noticed a startled crowd and tells this. One co-worker protests.
 * Raising Hope episode, "Killer Hope", the Chance family are forced to camp out while their home is getting fumigated for termites. Virginia is forced to use a commode when nature calls, which out in the open. However, a man and his dog notice Virginia while on a walk. Virginia dares the man to take a picture, who proceeds to do so.

Web Original

 * A video of examples can be viewed here

Western Animation

 * The Simpsons:
 * "Selma's Choice": one of the Seven Duffs, Surly, tells a kid with this phase, getting the boy to run.
 * "Natural Born Kissers" has Homer and Marge lands in a football stadium, both of them naked. The audience is stunned, especially when it comes to Homer. Annoyed, Homer dares the audience to "take a picture, it'll last longer". Of course, much to Homer's dismay, they do.
 * Bob's Burgers, "Hauntening", the Belcher family are comforted by a mysterious man. Louise tells him to 'take a picture'.
 * King of the Hill episode, "Boxing Luanne", Stu states butt equals ten, while Luanne was answering a math question at a community college. Stu later takes a picture of Luanne after she calls him out. Luanne wasn't amused.
 * Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode, "The Cubing", Dumbassahedratron has an argument with Frylock, with the former saying the phase which the latter wasn't amused.