5 Friends Take Same Photo for Over 4 Decades: 'We Vowed to Keep it Going No Matter What'

The 62-year-old pals have been reuniting at the same cabin since 1982 to recreate the iconic snapshot.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 7:20pm

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An impressionistic, out-of-focus photograph depicting a group of middle-aged men sitting together on a lakeside dock, their forms and faces blurred into soft, warm pools of color, conceptually representing the enduring friendship and shared experiences of a group of longtime companions.A group of lifelong friends maintain their decades-long tradition of reuniting to capture the same nostalgic snapshot, their bond and shared memories transcending the passage of time.Bend Today

Five friends from California have been taking the same photo while on vacation together since 1982. The 62-year-old pals—John Wardlaw, Mark Rumer-Cleary, Dallas Burney, John Molony and JD Dickson—all attended Santa Barbara High School and have continued the tradition of reuniting at Wardlaw's grandfather's cabin on Copco Lake near the Oregon border to recreate the iconic snapshot every five years.

Why it matters

The friends' decades-long tradition of taking the same photo has captured the public's imagination, with their story going viral after being featured on CNN 14 years ago. Their commitment to maintaining this friendship and ritual over the course of their lives serves as an inspiring example of the power of lifelong bonds.

The details

The first photo was taken in 1982 when JD Dickson snapped a picture of the five friends sitting next to each other at the cabin. Wardlaw had the idea to duplicate the snapshot five years later, and by 1997 the group had vowed to keep the tradition going no matter what. Since they were 19, the friends have taken the same photo in 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022. They plan to shoot their tenth portrait in 2027. The jar held by John Molony in all the photos originally held a cockroach they caught, which became their 'mascot' on the guys' first trip.

  • The friends took their first photo together in 1982 when they were 19 years old.
  • They have taken the same photo every 5 years since then, in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022.
  • The friends plan to take their 10th portrait together in the summer of 2027.

The players

John Wardlaw

One of the five friends who has participated in the photo tradition since 1982. He currently lives in Bend, Oregon.

Mark Rumer-Cleary

One of the five friends who has participated in the photo tradition since 1982.

Dallas Burney

One of the five friends who has participated in the photo tradition since 1982.

John Molony

One of the five friends who has participated in the photo tradition since 1982. He is the one holding the jar with the cockroach in all the photos.

JD Dickson

One of the five friends who has participated in the photo tradition since 1982. He took the first photo of the group in 1982.

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What they’re saying

“We didn't plan it—and didn't make a vow to keep it going until it was done four times. By the time it was 1997 we vowed to keep doing this no matter what.”

— John Wardlaw

“The reaction was almost 100 percent positive. The reactions taught John Wardlaw and his buddies 'how rare' their friendship was, and for the last three summers they've all gathered at the lake cabin.”

— John Wardlaw

What’s next

The friends plan to take their 10th portrait together in the summer of 2027 when they reunite at the same cabin on Copco Lake.

The takeaway

This decades-long tradition of five lifelong friends reuniting to recreate the same photo highlights the power of enduring friendships and the value of maintaining meaningful rituals over a lifetime. Their story has resonated widely, showing how rare and special this level of commitment to a friendship can be.