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.
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Summoning Demons
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...
Cardinal Showing Off
Photographer Fell Down While Taking A Wedding Picture, Here's The Picture He Ended Up Taking
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!"
Had My First Revolutionary War Reenactment Yesterday And One Of The Horses Was Prepared For The Camera
Dog Catching A Chicken Nugget
Watson's First Flight Attempt
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!"
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.
Took A Perfectly Timed Photo Of My Brother Shooting A Basketball. It Blocked Out The Sun To Make It Look Like A Solar Eclipse
Perfect Timing
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.
Amazing Photo Taken From A Beach In Hawaii
Is she just standing there about to be hit by a huge wave? I know. It is probably just a optical illusion that looks like that.
Just A Seal... That Ran Into The Glass
Clicked At Just Pefect Time
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."
Horse In Cornwall
A Perfectly Timed Photo I Took At A Billy Joel Concert Just As The Lights Changed
When My Husband Thought It Was A Good Idea To Pick Me Up While Standing Dangerously Close To The Creek After Our Wedding
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.
Managed Perfect Timing While Soap Bubbles Flown Between Camera And Kiddo
Just A Pic That My Friend Took Down At The Beach The Other Day
My Identical Twin 7-Year-Olds
A Wasp Flew Into My Friend's Photo
At A Family Birthday Party, I Thought I Would Do The Fatherly Thing And Play A Little Soccer With My Daughter
A Moment Like This
She Slipped Trying To Pop The Soap Bubbles
Perfectly Timed Picture At The Beach
One Year Ago My Girlfriend Found A 4 Leaf Clover
That One Christmas When A Champagne Cork Hit Me In The Eye
Three Pictures Taken Moments Before Disaster
Thankfully it was empty! He was fine, just a bit embarrassed about his fall being captured on camera.
Photo My Mom Took Today. Deer Slipping On Ice
A Second Before
My Perfect Timed Picture
I Took My Daughter Sleeding For The First Time. This Is Her Trying To Avoid The Ramp
Happened To Snap This Pic Of Ozzy And His Ball At The Perfect Time
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.
My Dad After A Recent Storm We Had
Now Gimme That
Fish & Chips At The Seaside
This Photo
Good for this kid to experience such things,rather than at home on an ipad
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
One Of The Kayakers On My Recent Trip To Antarctica Caught A Penguin Jumping Into Their Group
Don't worry, I'm sure the orca chasing me won't be interested in you.
My Bride Asked For A Photo Of My Reaction To Her Entrance. She Slipped And Fell
I’d Like To Point Out That He Was Like This Long Enough For Me To Grab My Phone And Snap A Picture
I Didn’t Know That I Lived With Dobby The House Elf. Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby
Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Walk Around Barefoot
Thought The Cap Was On And Had To Deal With Stuck Together Pages For The Next 1300 Hours Of My Cosmetology School
This Penguin I Photographed At The Zoo Yesterday
My Girlfriend Caught A Fish
Caught The Best Picture Of My Goat
Nuzzling Into A Snowball
Be Scared
Discipline At All Times
My Friend Mid-Fall On The Skateboard
Charge
Took This Photo At A Parade Of The Instant This Car's Antifreeze/Coolant Blew Up
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
My Son Can Sum Up Our Family's Athletic Ability In One Photo
My Sister Was Bitten By The Rabbit And Managed To Capture It At The Perfect Time
The Exact Moment The Fire From A Hibachi Chef Scared My Son. Credit Goes To Grandma For The Perfectly Timed Picture
I have been to these Restaurants and yes they are most definitely a fire risk.
My Sister's Perfectly Timed Photobomb Attempt
Not only is she a fun sister, but she also has super-cute boots.
Perfect Timing On This Pic
"A Seagull Legit Swooped In On My Ice Cream"
A Photo Of Me While I Was Doing Keepie Uppies
We Were Trying To Take A Nice Photo With The Dog. Wet Boy Had Other Plans
For My Cake Day, I Would Like To Show You The Exact Moment My Dog Decided He Was Done Playing Catch The Frisbee
Mate Of Mine Trying Xiao Long Bao For His First Time In Shanghai
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.
