With many things in life, timing is everything… and the same applies to photography. A few split seconds too early, or too late, and a photo can tell a completely different story to the one you had in mind. But that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes the outcome is a hilarious and epic tale of a moment before disaster that no-one saw coming.
Often, these photos start out innocent enough, until someone slips, a bird swoops in, a stranger runs by or a gust of wind picks up and turns the entire scene into something magically chaotic. It’s the kind of comedy gold that’s too good not to share.
And that’s why Bored Panda has scoured the net to find the funniest perfectly-timed pics that people have posted over the months and years. They’re the ultimate reminder that the best photographs don’t always need oodles of planning and elaborate set-ups. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of terrible, or great timing, and the universe stepping in to add a dash of comedic chaos.
We also explain why perfection is not always the most rewarding goal when it comes to photography. You’ll find that info between the images.
#1 Had My First Revolutionary War Reenactment Yesterday And One Of The Horses Was Prepared For The Camera
Image source: Samafoof
If you’re old enough to read this then you’re probably old enough to know that life is full of surprises, and sometimes, the best thing to do is to embrace the chaos. This can apply to photography as well. Your most amazing photos can come from the least expected scenes.
“Make photos in situations where you’re uncertain what the final photo will look like,” suggests the Eric Kim photography site, adding that photography would be boring if everything was totally optimized and predictable. Kim deliberately seeks out “chaos photography,” and here’s how…
#2 Just A Seal… That Ran Into The Glass
Image source: jayRokk
#3 Photographer Fell Down While Taking A Wedding Picture, Here’s The Picture He Ended Up Taking
Image source: Richard_Worthington
To get some great and unpredictable outcomes, the expert suggests shooting through reflections, mirrors, and textured surfaces. You could also use a flash, especially with reflective surfaces.
“Shoot film, because you’re not going to know how the scene will render on film,” advises the site, adding that you should “shoot a bit randomly at times; experiment with super low angles, or take little risks of shooting photos that might be bad, but might be good!”
#4 That One Christmas When A Champagne Cork Hit Me In The Eye
Image source: romancreed
#5 She Slipped Trying To Pop The Soap Bubbles
Image source: reddit.com
#6 My Identical Twin 7-Year-Olds
Image source: anthnysix
Experimenting under different lighting situations, like sunrise, sunset, incandescent lighting, indoor, or outdoor conditions can produce some unexpected photographic results.
“Shoot blurry photos by moving your camera while shooting; you’ll never truly know what the final photo will look like,” Kim writes. Another trick they suggest is to try double exposures, or other surreal photography techniques.
“See yourself like a visual scientist,” writes the artist. “When you make photos, treat them like small visual experiments. Experiment and have fun!”
#7 When My Husband Thought It Was A Good Idea To Pick Me Up While Standing Dangerously Close To The Creek After Our Wedding
Image source: bixnok
#8 Horse In Cornwall
Image source: Equivalent-Rain-3218
#9 Perfect Timing
Image source: yumpop278
Shoot first and ask questions later… Don’t overthink the shot nor try to predict the outcome too much. “Allow randomness and chaos to positively influence your photos,” advises Kim. But most of all, the expert says you should aim to have fun. And not only when it comes to photography…
“Allowing more chaos and craziness to permeate your life will make your life more fun and rewarding,” notes the site and we couldn’t agree more.
#10 Clicked At Just Pefect Time
Image source: johnsonedwardr
#11 Dog Catching A Chicken Nugget
Image source: strallweat
#12 A Perfectly Timed Photo I Took At A Billy Joel Concert Just As The Lights Changed
Image source: dahliatimber
Photography blog 500PX reveals that chaos can be beautiful. “In photography, doesn’t have to mean clutter or confusion,” notes that site. “Instead, it can represent the raw energy, movement, and unpredictable beauty of a scene.”
Embracing chaos in your images – and finding beauty in disorder – can create dynamic compositions that captivate viewers and evoke emotion, adds the site. One way to do this is to observe before shooting…
“Before pressing the shutter, take a moment to study the scene. Identify elements that stand out—whether it’s contrasting movements, vibrant colors, or intersecting lines,” advises the site. “Chaos often has patterns hidden within it, waiting to be uncovered.”
#13 Summoning Demons
Image source: frituurgarnituur
#14 Took A Perfectly Timed Photo Of My Brother Shooting A Basketball. It Blocked Out The Sun To Make It Look Like A Solar Eclipse
Image source: MDPPatrick
#15 Just A Pic That My Friend Took Down At The Beach The Other Day
Image source: sophielola_
Aim to be a storyteller. The site reveals that often, a chaotic scene can tell multiple stories at once. “Instead of overwhelming the viewer, guide their attention to one central narrative by emphasizing a focal point,” it advises. “This could be a single subject standing out against the disorder or a specific action within the scene.”
500PX’s experts say that the key to photographing chaos is to balance the unpredictability of the scene with intentional composition and technique.
#16 Amazing Photo Taken From A Beach In Hawaii
Image source: reddit.com
#17 One Year Ago My Girlfriend Found A 4 Leaf Clover
Image source: reddit.com
#18 Nuzzling Into A Snowball
Image source: reddit.com
#19 My Silly Dog
Just to clarify, I was trying to take pictures of my dog catching the frisbee as my friend threw it. My friend is bad at throwing frisbees, and this happened. My dog was fine, although when I went back and saw this picture, I was amazed he didn’t break something.
Image source: jcbouche
#20 Now Gimme That
Image source: reddit.com
#21 Thought The Cap Was On And Had To Deal With Stuck Together Pages For The Next 1300 Hours Of My Cosmetology School
Image source: lowborn98
#22 This Photo
Image source: BigBoyo25
#23 Watson’s First Flight Attempt
Image source: ShineyMine
#24 Managed Perfect Timing While Soap Bubbles Flown Between Camera And Kiddo
Image source: _Abnormalia
#25 My Girlfriend Caught A Fish
Image source: dubbler26
#26 My Dad After A Recent Storm We Had
Image source: reddit.com
#27 A Moment Like This
Image source: Bittlegeuss
#28 A Photo Of Me While I Was Doing Keepie Uppies
Image source: Karlukki
#29 Three Pictures Taken Moments Before Disaster
Thankfully it was empty! He was fine, just a bit embarrassed about his fall being captured on camera.
Image source: nkl5483
#30 Fish & Chips At The Seaside
Image source: ElwoodJake
#31 Mate Of Mine Trying Xiao Long Bao For His First Time In Shanghai
Image source: imgur.com
#32 A Wasp Flew Into My Friend’s Photo
Image source: roomiccube
#33 I Picked Up A Frog And Was Showing It To This Little Boy. My Girlfriend Took A Photo At The Precise Instant The Frog Leapt Out Of My Hand
Image source: MusicThrowaway666
#34 My Bride Asked For A Photo Of My Reaction To Her Entrance. She Slipped And Fell
Image source: MoonpiesForMisfits
#35 Caught The Best Picture Of My Goat
Image source: gundam2017
#36 Perfect Timing
Image source: joshydrop
#37 At A Family Birthday Party, I Thought I Would Do The Fatherly Thing And Play A Little Soccer With My Daughter
Image source: awkwardfamilyphotos
#38 Perfectly Timed Picture At The Beach
Image source: flyinggoatcheese
#39 A Second Before
Image source: alena.mentor
#40 Perfect Moment
Image source: BteThatsMee
#41 Discipline At All Times
Image source: reddit.com
#42 For My Cake Day, I Would Like To Show You The Exact Moment My Dog Decided He Was Done Playing Catch The Frisbee
Image source: ozone_one
#43 During A Company Kickball Game One Of My Coworkers Fell Over And Then This Happened
Despite this happening, we’ve actually all had a really good time together.
Image source: threedaysmore
#44 Charge
Image source: pablopaniagua
#45 My Perfect Timed Picture
Image source: yolosafafofo
#46 I Took My Daughter Sleeding For The First Time. This Is Her Trying To Avoid The Ramp
Image source: theyork2000
#47 Photo My Mom Took Today. Deer Slipping On Ice
Image source: joebediah
#48 One Of My Dogs Was Stalking Me Through The Window When I Tried To Take Her Pic, My Other Dog Walked By With Her Curly Tail Up
Image source: ajdemarte
#49 I Caught A Street Performer’s Expression On The Instant Before A Big Stunt
Image source: eternacht
#50 One Of The Kayakers On My Recent Trip To Antarctica Caught A Penguin Jumping Into Their Group
Image source: InterTim
#51 The Exact Moment The Fire From A Hibachi Chef Scared My Son. Credit Goes To Grandma For The Perfectly Timed Picture
Image source: Dyson_Gimix
#52 My Sister’s Perfectly Timed Photobomb Attempt
Image source: mauwsley8
#53 Happened To Snap This Pic Of Ozzy And His Ball At The Perfect Time
Image source: Alarming-Parsley-233
#54 Perfect Timing On This Pic
Image source: drph0o
#55 “A Seagull Legit Swooped In On My Ice Cream”
Image source: youngweonhi
#56 I Did Not Know Horses Could Do This With Their Bottom Lip
His name is Leroy, he is 13 and behaves like a mischievous imp. Seems to have acrobatic lips. He belongs to my wife but I sometimes brush him.
Image source: slimejumper
#57 Cardinal Showing Off
Image source: yourstrulyjarjar
#58 Very Tough Photo
Image source: zimvi
#59 Hitting My Sister With A Snowball
Image source: Nebkheperure
#60 We Were Trying To Take A Nice Photo With The Dog. Wet Boy Had Other Plans
Image source: Historical_Ad6061
#61 My Friend Mid-Fall On The Skateboard
Image source: paperhatprophetPHC
#62 Field Day For The Kindergarteners. I Discovered This Perfectly Timed Moment As I Was Sorting Pictures
Image source: melwarren
#63 I Took Picture Of This Kid Getting Hit In The Face By A Coin During A Baptism Party A Few Years Ago
Image source: ElanorRigby198
#64 Took This Photo At A Parade Of The Instant This Car’s Antifreeze/Coolant Blew Up
Image source: mddctr
#65 From The Family Photo Album
Image source: UkTapes
#66 My Son Can Sum Up Our Family’s Athletic Ability In One Photo
Image source: xrhino13x
#67 This Penguin I Photographed At The Zoo Yesterday
Image source: reddit.com
#68 My Sister Was Bitten By The Rabbit And Managed To Capture It At The Perfect Time
Image source: coneman_
#69 Our Facetime Perfectly Froze When My Girlfriend’s Dog Was About To Puke On Her
Image source: monkjobs
#70 The Wind Had Some Perfect Timing
Image source: bvuuu
#71 The Calm Before The Cannonball
Image source: imgur.com
#72 I Didn’t Know That I Lived With Dobby The House Elf. Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby
Image source: eyes_on_tango
#73 My Friend Managed To Hit Himself In The Face While Lifting The League Trophy
Image source: Eski_T36
#74 Tried To Take A Picture Of The Tiny Fish She Caught
Image source: pdxbatman
#75 Be Scared
Image source: SuperMuncho
#76 Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Walk Around Barefoot
Image source: LOERMaster
#77 I Attempted To Take A Picture With All 3 Of My Cats
Image source: mewtwoDtwo
#78 I Call This One “The Dog Crash”
No dogs were hurt in this photo… Just Andy’s ego.
Image source: krisredd22
#79 Dad Snapped The Pic Right As The Crayfish Snapped My Finger
Image source: mitchrad99
#80 Caught The Perfect Moment Of My Mom Trying To Get The Cat Out Of The Tomato Garden
Image source: kaasett
#81 If Jesus Really Cares About Us, Why Does He Waste His Time Breakdancing For His Friends?
Image source: AlphaRabin
#82 Slip And Slide My Brother And I Built In The Back Yard
Image source: RioTheDragonMan
#83 My Husband Caught The Exact Moment I Noticed The Second Cat. These Are Our New Neighbors
Image source: alli97kat
#84 I’d Like To Point Out That He Was Like This Long Enough For Me To Grab My Phone And Snap A Picture
Image source: ahealinghuman
#85 Caught My Brother Falling Skim Boarding While Taking A Picture Of My Wife And Daughter
Image source: FalseEstimate
#86 I Framed This Gorgeous Photo Of Teddy As The Sun Was Rising… At The Last Minute, Joey Decided To Photobomb
Image source: rude_hotel_guy
#87 Cat Got Your Tongue?
Image source: xtinelea
#88 My Girlfriend Took A Picture Of Our Chihuahua With Perfect Timing
Image source: red_dollar
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