40 Times People Couldn’t Believe The Beauty They Managed To Capture In A Photo (New Pics)
Thanks to photography, people can freeze beautiful moments in time; and some excel at the task. However, there’s always room for improvement, so even the best of shots can sometimes benefit from some constructive criticism. And that’s what the ‘I Took a Picture’ (ITAP) subreddit is for.
The community, comprising over 5 million members, is dedicated to photography techniques and styles. It encourages redditors to post their work and ask for critique or browse the submissions and learn how photography techniques are achieved. Today we invite you to browse the submissions simply to marvel at their captivating beauty. Scroll down to find some of the best shots shared on the subreddit and see what beautiful moments people managed to freeze in time.
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ITAP Of My Cats Watching A Sunset
A purrfectly timed photograph! It makes me nostalgic for something I can’t quite grasp.
I think it's in Ohrid, Macedonia based on the Reddit user
Load More Replies...ITAP Of The Empire State Building Reflected In An Oily Puddle
This is a stunning work of art. I initially thought it was digital art with a mashup of Van Gogh or Munch. What this really is ... is ... SO much better Congratualtions
Load More Replies...And yet...the writing isn't backwards. Like it would be in a reflection.
ITAP Of My Cat In Tollymore Forest
So magical! It looks like the cat is going to lead you to a magical cottage in an enchanted woods.
Started back in 2009, the photography-focused subreddit has over 5.1 million members, eager to learn more about different styles and techniques of the artform. In a recent interview, one of the moderators of ‘I Took a Picture’, Michael Villafranco—known to the Reddit community as u/PhlightYagami—told Bored Panda more about it:
“Our subreddit was created with the mission of providing a space for photographers to share their works and learn from one another. We take a photography-first approach. Titles for our submissions are minimal, simply setting expectations, or, in the case of abstract photography, clarifying what is in the scene.
“The photographer is then encouraged to share their gear, techniques, intention, backstory, etc. in the comments. As a result, our members see the photograph first and then decide if they want to learn more about it. It's similar to those little placards at a museum that you only check out if the work itself speaks to you,” the redditor explained.
ITAP Of The Snow In Kyoto This Evening
I love winter and japan, in winter there are no bugs, in japan there is yummy foods and cool culture
Load More Replies...That looks like that one scene in The Wolverine where he's going to rescue Mariko from Silver Samurai and got shot by all the arrows. Sorry for the spoilers to anyone who hasn't watched it and wants to
I’m not a fan of the cold (despite having lived most of my life in the cold, dark, north), but this looks truly magical. I’ve always wanted to visit Kyoto, Japan.
Charming parts of a city mostly ruined by modern architorture (like that hideous train station). Studied in university there, and rode my Honda CB-72 over the mountains every day to digs in Otsu City. Kyoto has horrible winters, horrible summers, considerable pollution - all bottled up in surrounding mountains. Spring and Fall are charming. People less so: unagi no nedokoro. Even more narrow-minded than other Japanese, which is saying a lot. The housewife implores the visitor "Won't you stay for dinner?" which actually means "GET OUT OF OUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW" At least that's what my mates in Osaka tell me.
Itap Of A Boat In Fog
Michael pointed out that communities such as ITAP provide many benefits to members of the subreddit and Reddit at large. “For photography enthusiasts, it is a place to see original works of art and interact with the artists,” he said. “For photographers, it is a place for sharing, teaching, growth, and connection. And for everyone, it is a place for inspiration.”
ITAP Of A Man Painting Shoes On A Rome Street
It does look like a Renaissance painting! With the focus on the individual man, light and shadow, etc. I didn't even notice that!
Load More Replies...I’m trying to figure out if a filter was applied or if this is HDR as it truly does look like a painting. Very neat photo.
I've waited for years for my husband!!! Address please....lololololol bit for real, thin man is a God!!!
Ja, looks like he painted Alice - from Alice in Wonderland (animation) on the line in the foreground. Looks like they're chucks (I forgot their actual name lol)... So one must paint/draw on them! ^__^
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Great Grey Owl
ITAP Of A Dog Named Louie
Aww my friend had a rottie called Louis, RIP. Actually his full name was King Louis
Which one? I don't think that the French were allowed to name potential kings anything other than Louis.
Load More Replies...Michael Villafranco told Bored Panda that his favorite thing about the community is being able to interact with world-class photographers every day. “They are always happy to answer questions and share their techniques. It's incredible how much my knowledge of photography has grown since joining ITAP.” According to Gitnux, back in 2021, there were nearly 75 million professional photographers globally.
ITAP Of A Morning Foggy Tea Hill
this would make a beautiful painting, too. It already looks like one, even.
I could see this being sold in a print shop as home décor. Get on it, OP!
ITAP Of My Cat
And beautifully done picture.
Load More Replies...ITAP Of Rawson Lake
Magical. It's good to see places like this still exist in the world.
Isn't it just 🥰 I've screenshot most of these. Knowing places like this exists is good for the soul
Load More Replies...I want to build a cabin there and let the world burn. Gorgeous.
How can people look at something so magnificent and breathtaking and think that it was just a coincidence?
Villafranco also revealed what he loves most about managing the subreddit: “I love managing it because I get to work with an amazing group of moderators. Our team is small, but diverse, filled with talented photographers with a passion for sharing art and knowledge.
“They moderate objectively and empathetically, an approach that seems to be less and less common. I didn't know it when I first joined, but I accidentally stumbled into one of the best mod teams on Reddit.”
ITAP Of A Hawaiian Sunset
Those clouds are so colourful they remind me of the clouds of the colourful dust you see during Holi in India
Unbelievable! These look like the powders people thrown around at the Holi festival!
So beautiful. I'm sending my condolences to Maui. I hope the Hawaiian people are able to keep their homes as they're being priced out.
ITAP Of A Blue Tit In Flight
... bodyslamming the evil guy. Photoshop, someone? Please?
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Street In Versailles
If I were the photographer of this awesome shot, I'd blow the thing up and frame it on my wall so that everyone who came into my house would comment on it just so I could brag about it constantly. Well done!!
Asked about what he enjoys most about photography itself, Michael Villafranco emphasized that it is powerful; with it, you can tell a story. “You can capture an emotion. You can turn the mundane into the incredible. Photography transcends language, culture, and even time itself. It is a marvelous form of art whose talented artists continue to push to new heights.”
ITAP Of The Most Beautiful Mountain
We were just in Japan and tried to see Mt Fuij. It was completely clouded over. I understand the mountain is only completely visible like this maybe one day a month. Congratulations on such a wonderful picture.
Load More Replies...Stunning photograph and beautifully framed. I would love to visit Japan one day.
Fuji is beautiful, wish I could have made it there, idk if I'd have completed the hike, but I suppose I did hike around mount Yoshino (which is also incredibly beautiful in the spring or the autumn, either for the sakura or the autumn colours)
ITAP Of The Tree Of Life
I believe this is actually at a Disney Park so those may be ibises and storks.
Load More Replies...The Tree of Life is not a real tree. The 145-foot-tall man-made creation is designed to look like an African Baobab tree. The tree is actually a reimagined oil rig that has been transformed with concrete. It took ten artists and three Disney Imagineers 18 months to create the Tree of Life. 10 Animal Kingdom Tree of Life Facts - Disney Insider Tips
disney! me to kids "it was either this or send you to collage" (jim gaffigan)
On my phone, I thought the waterfall to the right of the tree was a person! 😳
It does look like a wistful person in a blue shirt and cap.
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Highland Calf
I miss Scotland and my sweet, hairy coos. I can't wait to go back and see friends and family.
Are the real ones in Scotland still this beautiful? The one in the Milwaukee Zoo looked like a normal cow who had a Justine Bieber hair cut.
Load More Replies...That's so cute I can't even think straight, my brain is paralyzed by the AWWWW
With the rapid advancement of technology and somewhat incredible phone cameras, compared to what they used to be just a decade ago, people are taking more and more pictures on their devices other than digital cameras.
Statista pointed out that over four years, from 2013 to 2017 alone, the number of digital pictures taken has doubled, reaching 1,200 billion by the end of the four-year period. It also pointed out that a phone was by far the most used device for taking digital photos, responsible for as many as 85% of them.
ITAP Of A Lampposts In Love On A Bench In Turin (Italy)
ITAP Of A Windmill
It probably is. But if not, then perhaps "De Zwaan" in Holland, Michigan. Or maybe "De Liefde" in Sakura, Japan :)
Load More Replies...Beauty of the tulips and the beastly fog almost completely hiding the windmill.
ITAP Of Some Clouds
I'm not sure why but clouds like this, all bushy and bundled in big puffs, are super calming to me. When I see them like this outside, I have to stand for a few minutes and just watch them.
Photutorial revealed that there are roughly 1.81 trillion photos globally taken every year, which equals to 57,000 every second, or 5.0 billion every day. It is estimated that by 2030, roughly 2.3 trillion pictures will be taken annually.
It also suggested that the average user has somewhere around 2,100 photos on their smartphone now in 2023.
ITAP Of A Snowflake That Fell Onto My Backpack
per our OP (Calmaar) "This was taken with a Sony Alpha 7IV and the Sigma 105 mm Macro. f/10 10s ISO 100. I also used two closeup rings."
Wow! Amazing macro photograph. I would love to know what lens was used.
ITAP Of A Turtle In A Clear Lake
ITAP Of A Deer In A Field Of Flax
With people snapping thousands of photos every second, one might wonder if they find the time to actually enjoy the moment, rather than just capture it on their smartphone. Professor of marketing at the Yale School of Management, Gal Zauberman, believes that they do.
“My first intuition was that somehow [taking photos] would harm your experience because it disengages you,” Professor Zauberman told Yale Insights. “It introduces another task. It’s not natural. There’s something that stands between you and the experience. But we found exactly the opposite of that.”
Zauberman’s team found that when capturing them, photographers focus on the visual aspects of the moments, which allows them to experience them more fully and more pleasurably.
ITAP Stourhead In Its Autumn Colours
I miss not living near Stourhead. Used to love wandering around the grounds and especially loved the grotto
Outside of the cities, there is still a lot of beauty in the UK, thankfully. It makes living here a bit more bearable, when you see places like this :)
Can I be the troll under the bridge? I’ll give out treats instead of eating anyone.
This....is TOO perfect to be a photograph. I would hang it on any available wall in my place.
ITAP Of A Tree
ITAP Of The Taj Mahal From An Alternate Angle
I love this. I've never seen a picture of the TM that wasn't a 'tourist' photo taken from the front.
I like this angle much better, the trees, the sunset colours, the kids playing on their bikes. There's just so many elements that make this a lovely photo, and it's a unique one, as you said, most pictures of the Taj Mahal are one and the same, taken from the front. It's nice to see a new angle.
Load More Replies...Like a fairy tale illustration by Edmund Dulac...all except for the bicycles.
I love the juxtaposition of a world renowned monument to love against the kids living their everyday lives.
If you enjoy capturing moments yourself or browsing beautiful shots shared by others, the ‘I Took a Picture’ subreddit is definitely worth your while. You can view more captivating images on Bored Panda’s previous piece on the community here.
Moderator of the subreddit Michael Villafranco also pointed out that Reddit isn't the only place to interact with the ITAP community. “Our Instagram feed contains a curated collection of incredible and awe-inspiring photographs,” he said, adding that their Discord server is a supportive group of photographers from all walks of life. “Join the conversation and chat about photography, gear, and techniques, or just talk about your day.”
ITAP Of My Dog And Her Camo Suit
Dalmatian dressing up as a dalmatian....love it! Look at those little wellies!
Gonna start dressing like a middle-aged white woman now —- wait…
Load More Replies...Of course a Dalmatian would wear rain protection, otherwise their spots wash off.
"OK yeah! So I've got spots. Can we not make this a thing every birthday." "Did I buy you a freckle T shirt for your birthday? No! Well then."
ITAP Of My Girlfriends Dog And A Rainbow
That is a stunning photograph. Further proof that dogs can sometimes be furry angels in disguise.
ITAP Of Some Reeds In Morning Light
This is what I first thought of, unlike the other commenters who apparently saw the word d**k 🙄
Load More Replies...Kinda looks like a CAPTCHA phrase when trying to reset my password :/
ITAP Of Some Snaky Steps
According to the photographer, this cool mural is in Guarda, Portugal.
first thing I thought: Portugal (and I'm so proud of my second country)
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Glitter-Coated Waterdrop Sitting On A Feather
A glitter-coated waterdrop sitting on a feather. Don't you casually do that everyday, too?
Load More Replies...How do you get a glitter-coated waterdrop? Not just a waterdrop with glitter, but a glitter-coated one?
"The glitter wouldn't stick to the feather because it's dry, and the water doesn't really stick to the feather either because the feather is hydrophobic. On top of that, the surface tension on the water means that while some of the glitter was absorbed, most of it wasn't and stuck to the surface of the water. So basically the procedure was to put a drop of water on the feather (I think I used a toothpick or skewer) and dipped it into a glass of water to get the drop size I wanted, then I just sprinkled the glitter on top and gently blew away the remainder. Anything that wasn't stuck to the water blew away, and I just photographed what was left." - you could have found that yourself, it's a comment by the photographer on their ITAP photo that is linked riiiiight below the pic that BP posted, as (almost) always. But you're welcome.
Load More Replies...This one comes in second place (sorry the picture of the Empire State Building is slightly better). But I bet this one took more work to get so perfect.
ITAP Of My Friend In Front Of A Neon Sign
Makes me think of cyberpunk , really cool composition, could be an album cover!
I swear to God everyone on the internet is so much cooler than I could ever be. Like how are you so blessed that you just casually look like the coolest person I could ever meet?
ITAP Of A Climber The Moment She Lost Balance
"oops, i'm gonna fall, probably break a leg, oh well..."
Load More Replies...I'm wondering how high she was since there's no harness on her.
Load More Replies...why does the look on her face make me think she lost balance/concentration because of the photographer? xP
It was those gamma rays that shoot out from camera lenses that threw her off her game. Only a few people, like her, are affected by them. The rest of us can't see them. lol
Load More Replies...Well, I hope there was something soft for her to land on when she made it to the bottom.
Where are the holds for her hands? How was she up there 😭
They're rock climbing shoes. Most sports stores will carry some
Load More Replies...ITAP Of Some LEGO Sets
Yes, but they have better aim than the life-sized ones.
Load More Replies...Love the soldiers wearing face masks, presumably from the desert sand.
Itap Of Fog Over Toronto
ITAP Of Me Holding My Glasses
Trust me, you don't want to know how he pressed the shutter...
Load More Replies...About a month ago, that was me. Everything was a distant blur, then I had cataract surgery and now I can SEE! It's wonderful to be able to drive and stuff without glasses.
Thank you! This is what I always try to explane when someone asks me what it is to wear classes!
Your comment is legendary bruh. *glasses, *explain, that all, bro :)
Load More Replies...Someone took the picture, that is. Probably NOT the person holding the glasses… 🤣
The difference between the background and the glasses, is because the focus of the camera...and not the dioptrias of the glasses
ITAP Of My Daughter Sneaking Snacks
Now we need to see the one of when she shut the door and realised she'd been caught! 🤣
ITAP Of A Sunflower
You may be experiencing trypophobia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypophobia (DON'T Look at the pics)
Load More Replies...You may be experiencing trypophobia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypophobia (DON'T Look at the pics)
Load More Replies...You may be experiencing trypophobia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypophobia (DON'T Look at the pics)
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Girl Wearing Silk In An Above Ground Swimming Pool
ITAP Of A Traffic Light
I've already looked at this photo twenty times, and it's only because of your comment that I understand how the angle was photographed!
Load More Replies...ITAP Of My Dog In The Snow
I'm not a dog person, but the look of determination on this good boy's face makes the photo.
I am a dog person and I must say... GDIJRDXSADHKBGFHJ!!! LOOOOOVE!!!!! PUPPER DAG!!! ,>_< So amazing!!! 😫❤️🤗
Load More Replies...ITAP Of The Toronto Skyline 16 Times
ITAP Of The Empire State Building
I absolutely agree - I'm in awe scrolling through all these pics
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Puddle In Bologna
ITAP Of A Plane Passing In Front Of The Moon
ITAP Of A Bench
nah, that's the transamerica pyramid in san fransisco.
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Skateboarder
ITAP Of The Geminids Meteor Shower & Milky Way
ITAP Of A Staircase
ITAP Of A Puddle Reflection In London
ITAP Of An Action Figure And Tried To Make It Look Real
ITAP Of An American Saltwater Crocodile
ITAP Of My Dad Welding
ITAP Of The Duomo In Florence
I wouldn't want to be the guy who has to wash those round windows.
ITAP Of A Man Entering A Subway Station In Vienna
ITAP Of Banff Town In Christmas Season
ITAP Of A Barn
ITAP Of Myself In The Old Polish Village
Can someone explain the log balancing on the bucket handle please? What are we actually looking at?
IIRC, it's a lift mechanism for dropping the bucket into the well, then retrieving when full. The majority of the apparatus is outside of the frame.
Load More Replies...I was just thinking that, even though iirc RE8 is set in Romania, there's just something about the rural village setting and the gothic vampiric look. Perhaps this is Cassandra pre-cadou xD
Load More Replies...ITAP Of My Sister With Cherry Blossoms
ITAP Of My Wife And Newborn Son
ITAP Of 3 Birds
Nono. That's ITAP of a frickin EAGLE with a fish in it's claws and two seagulls wanting to steal that fish
That's either a small eagle or giant seagulls!! 😱 -- side note, can anyone else hear the voice over for the seagulls going, "boss, hey boss, you're the best boss, can we have that?" - or some variation?
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Spiders Web At Night
It looks as if the image is mirrored? If you look at one strip of flies and you compare it to the strip across from it, it's exactly the same.
no, the spider has an obsessive compulsive disorder
Load More Replies...IKR? I've heard of storing food, but that spider's good for the next 6 months!
Load More Replies...ITAP Inside A Steinway Grand Piano
One of those fancy, old-fashioned, abandonned subway stations in New York.
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Building Mostly In Shadow
reminds me of the croods when eve was climbing to touch the sun light
ITAP Of A Woman Sorting Coffee Beans In Rwanda
ITAP Of An Open Convenience Store In Buffalo, NY During A Blizzard
That is cool. I have a similar photo of an open Waffle House during a very rare snowstorm here in Georgia.
I wouldn’t want to be out there thanking this. Looks cold and scary. Well done.
ITAP Of A Street
ITAP Of The Alabama Hills In California
*confusion* FIRST THE PRONUNCIATION OF ARKANSAW AND NOW THIS!?
ITAP Of Positano, Italy
Makes me uncomfortable.The buildings are all too on top of each other.
Beautiful but unfortunately overfilled and thus less charming than it could be
ITAP 1500 Feet Above Central Park In The Fall
I think the image is reflected down the middle and then again at the bottom. It was most likely taken from inside a building but from this high up? I also think the light/colours come from the sunset...
ITAP Of Forest In Winter
ITAP Of Spring Tokyo
ITAP At Morant's Curve, Banff
No, the rail lines used for the Hogwarts Express were the North York Moors railway (or specifically, the Goathland station, used as Hogsmeade) and the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Glencoe, Scotland. :)
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Bar In NYC
Yes, I thought it looked like it and I checked and it is! Been there twice. Supposedly the oldest liquor license in the country? And they only put in a women's bathroom in like the 80s. Sawdust on the floor and only 2 questions at the bar. Light or dark and large or small?
Load More Replies...Great pic! Does remind me of cracker barrel (restaurant chain) -- where they hang bicycles and other not so light weight items on the ceiling... Can't get but think of an earthquake happening and someone going, "dammit Syd, I told you that was a bad idea..."
ITAP Of A Puffin In The Sun
ITAP Of New Mexico Petroglyphs
I saw some similar to that when I went house boating on Lake Powell in AZ. Very cool!
ITAP Of A Man Walking Out Of A Building
Hear me out... That looks like one classy pimp.. just missing a Cain... Just saying
Load More Replies...ITAP Of My Friend On Her Birthday
I would also be sad if I was turning, (what is that 6 candles?) 6 but looked like a young adult so now my family expects me to get a job, when all I wanted to do was eat playdough
Load More Replies...ITAP Of My Local Church At Night
That’s what people should say about all churches. Especially if “mega” is art of the name.
Load More Replies...ITAP Of My New Bass Guitar
ITAP 15 Minutes Worth Of Fireworks At Midnight
and other wildlife and pets and vets with PTSD...
Load More Replies...ITAP Of The Blue Angels And A Lighthouse
I take it the Blue Angels are the US (?) equivalent to the Red Arrows in the UK?
ITAP Of Downtown Vancouver’s Skyline From The Passenger Seat Of An Airplane
ITAP Of A Ferris Wheel
ahahahah weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eurkkkkkkkk
Load More Replies...ITAP Of A Triangular Bridge Base
ITAP Of A Friend Playing With A Vhs Camera
Reminds me of my art school days when one of my classmates came in wearing an old TV monitor on his head and won an award. He told me he took a bunch of LSD and wanted to meet the little people ....
Each and every bone of those photographs is incredible in its own way!! The power and beauty of Photography!! i echo Ample Aardvarks comment below.
I see a lot of comments on the subjects, very few on the photography. Oustanding work, everyone! You are amazing!
I would put prints of almost all of these in my house. What a stunning collection. Wow.
Each and every bone of those photographs is incredible in its own way!! The power and beauty of Photography!! i echo Ample Aardvarks comment below.
I see a lot of comments on the subjects, very few on the photography. Oustanding work, everyone! You are amazing!
I would put prints of almost all of these in my house. What a stunning collection. Wow.
