14 Perfectly Timed Photos

There are a lot of factors that go into making a good image great, and one of those is mastering the art of timing. Snapping a picture at a specific point in time can capture the fleeting moments that would normally go unnoticed. Sometimes these striking visuals are the result of expert precision, but they can also happen completely by chance.
Most photographers have an intended visual in mind when they hit the shutter button, but there are flukes that can create an image beyond imagination. Whether a well-timed photo ends up being visually fascinating, coincidental, or just hilarious, they are a rare feat and deserve to be celebrated.
Here are 24 pictures that were taken at the perfect time.

1. British photographer Dr. Alex Tattersall managed to capture this incredible shot of Indian mackerel in the Red Sea swimming towards the camera with their mouths wide open. Underwater photography is tricky enough as it is, but these silverfish are almost completely translucent until they get up close and move through the water swiftly, which makes this horror movie-like still quite an impressive accomplishment.
   
2. There are many resorts that prove that trained dolphins can be quite the complaint models, but this action shot almost makes it look like this man is casually redirecting a mid-flight dolphin with one hand. While these two may have managed to get some sort of routine down prior to the shot, there’s no denying that capturing this split second would be incredibly difficult for any photographer
   
3. There’s a lot of pressure for wedding photographers to make sure that they capture the staple moments of the couple’s big day. While a storm on your wedding might not be considered good luck, this photographer certainly got lucky by capturing the exact moment lightning struck during their newlywed shoot.
   
4. Now this is a shot you really couldn’t plan even if you tried. Normally, this giant pool water fountain would make it difficult to focus on the kids playing within it, but this photographer managed to take a picture in a moment where the falling water coincidentally made a frame around the little girl’s face.
   
5. Photographing a wave is really all about timing, but this striking shot is much more difficult to capture. This photographer managed to snap the mere seconds before a laminar fluid flow crashed into a turbulent one, which resulted in a spectacularly translucent visual that looks like something out of Moana.
   
6. These two strangers may just be passing by one another, but the timing of this picture caught a chance moment where their shadows look like they are leaning in for a kiss. To top it off, the dog in the photo appears to be looking directly at the unintentional silhouette romance.
   
7. The shot of the mid-air baby would be an impressive feat on its own, but the fact that a stork is flying overhead in the exact same moment makes this picture wildly coincidental. While all photos may tell a story, it’s certainly rare that one naturally ends up appearing to solidify German folklore.
   
8. It’s no easy task to capture the fraction of a second in which a bubble bursts, but this photographer was lucky enough to snap this giant bubble mid-pop. Making this fleeting moment even more special, the picture also shows the tiny instigator behind the sudsy explosion and her priceless expression.
   
9. Taking a picture of anyone falling while water skiing is bound to be a worthwhile photo, but the chance timing of this snap almost feels like it was planned. Rarely is a water-skier so composed and photo-ready before becoming submerged, and somehow, the picture managed to be taken in the mere milliseconds before his fall disrupts his mirroring reflection in the water below.
   
10. To be able to take a picture during the split second lightning strikes or a firework explodes takes some serious skill, but to capture both happening simultaneously? Now that’s complete luck. You can only imagine just how thrilled this photographer must have been when they discovered they managed to snap this extraordinary coincidence.
    
11. Attempting to get a picture of the water mid-splash over this beached rock is already incredibly difficult to time. However, this photographer not only managed to capture the water strikingly encompassing the rock, they just so happened to catch the sea foam resembling the rock formation in the background.
    
12. Anyone who has ever been to a butterfly conservatory knows that these fluttering insects are not easy to get on camera. However, this photographer not only managed to snap a picture of this butterfly’s intricate wing design, but also the chance placement of its landing, which makes this joyful little boy like he has on eye
    
13. Whoever took this picture somehow managed to capture the exact moment before this formal event got much less formal. One can only imagine that these smiling faces were quick to change expression after this guy’s not-so-suave drink lift doused them with whatever clear alcohol contributed to this move of poor judgment.
    
14. We all may be aware of what happens when you mix Mentos and diet coke, but the fun is in doing it yourself. This kid clearly underestimated the future eruption about to take place, but the photographer ended up capturing a hilarious moment that will sure to be a family book favorite.