Barack Obama, David Cameron and Helle Thorning-Schmidt take Nelson Mandela memorial selfie, Roberto Schmidt explains A photo of President Obama snapping a selfie during Nelson Mandelas memorial service lit up social networks today. Lizzie Post, etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute, joins digits with etiquette tips for the Instagram age. THE photographer who took the picture of US President Barack Obama posing for a 'selfie' at Nelson Mandela's memorial has told the real story behind the shot. Roberto Schmidt explained on his blog that the photo of Mr Obama, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt and UK Prime Minister David Cameron was taken about two hours into the memorial service and after Mr Obama's rousing speech about Mandela. He said the mood in soccer stadium in Soweto was like a carnival and people were "dancing and singing and laughing" "The atmosphere was totally relaxed - I didn't see anything shocking in my viewfinder, president of the US or not," he said. At the time, I thought the world leaders were simply acting like human beings, like me and you. I doubt anyone could have remained totally stony faced for the duration of the ceremony, while tens of thousands of people were celebrating in the stadium. For me, the behaviour of these leaders in snapping a selfie seems perfectly natural. Former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with Hillary Clinton were among the world leaders who attended Nelson Mandela's memorial service in Johannesburg. Schmidt said that contrary to reports that Michelle Obama was annoyed by the behaviour of her husband, the First Lady just moments before was laughing and joking as well. Mr Cameron laughed off criticism that he had acted inappropriately by posing for the selfie. Asked about the picture during his weekly question and answer session in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron quipped that "you should always remember that the television cameras are always on." The Conservative leader also joked that he was building political bridges, a reference to Thorning-Schmidt's marriage to the son of Neil Kinnock, the former leader of the Tories' arch-rivals Labour. Thorning-Schmidt told Danish daily Berlingske the "selfie" showed they were "just people." It wasn't inappropriate. There were lots of pictures taken that day, and I just thought it was a bit fun. "Maybe it also shows that when we meet heads of state and government, we too are just people who have fun," she added. "There was a sadness, but it was basically a festive event that also celebrated a man who has lived for 95 years and achieved so much in his life," Thorning-Schmidt said. There was dancing on the stands ... and then we took a really fun selfie. In a tongue-in-cheek question, UK politician Martin Horwood noted EU efforts to abolish expensive mobile phone roaming charges. "Has the prime minister had the opportunity to discuss international mobile phone usage with any European heads of government in the last day or so?" he asked. To laughs in the chamber, Mr Cameron replied: "You could say in a roundabout way, and, er, perhaps in my defence, you should always remember that the television cameras are always on. But in my defence I'd say that Nelson Mandela played an extraordinary role in his life and in his death in bringing people together. And so of course when a member of the Kinnock family asked me for a photograph I thought it was only polite to say yes. Earlier, Mr Cameron's spokesman said there had been "plenty of words" from the prime minister and other world leaders celebrating Mandela's life and achievements during the service at Soweto's World Cup stadium on Tuesday. "What the media may choose to report is a matter for yourselves and your colleagues," the spokesman told reporters. Many who saw the selfie of the three leaders were quick to take to Twitter to slam the move as being in poor taste. The person responsible for the since-retired Selfies at Funerals Tumblr couldn't help but come out of retirement to post on this latest snap. "Obama has taken a funeral selfie so our work here is done," the latest post says. Some people were more forgiving however, given that Mr Obama had just put aside old grievances to shake hands with Cuban leader Raul Castro George W Bush and Bono at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. While it wasn't quite a selfie, former US president George W Bush couldn't help but get a picture with U2 frontman Bono. Last week reports came out of perhaps the most inappropriate selfie ever when a woman took a photo of herself with a suicidal man in the background on the Brooklyn Bridge. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post Source: Supplied The unidentified man was saved by police officers. Interestingly, only two days ago conservative blogger Doug Ross posted this mock-up photo of Mr Obama taking a selfie at Pearl Harbour. Conservative blogger Doug Ross posted this mock-up photo of Obama taking a selfie at Pearl Harbour.