It’s always fun to click candid photos (or be caught in the frame ourselves). Imagine trying to capture a friend mid-laughter or snapping your doggo in a playful mood. It sounds like an exciting and challenging task, right? Well, the result could be a blurry mess or a shot that deserves a spot on the wall at home, you never know.
But, today we are only focusing on candid masterpieces. The “r/AccidentalArtGallery'' subreddit, in their own words, is the ultimate destination for such spontaneous (read: accidental) shots. Whether it's a candid photo resembling a Medieval painting, Pop Art, or an Ice Age cave drawing, they've got it covered. Keep scrolling to check out pics that we find truly captivating.
#1 Undulatus Asperatus Clouds
Image credits: russianlexicon
#2 Et Ascendit Cattus
Image credits: Kubrick_Fan
#3 Nature Is Watching Us
Image credits: PerspectiveFriendly
We all know the struggle behind getting a good photo: finding the right light that doesn't make you look like a ghost or a potato, trying to find an aesthetic background and let's not forget about the stress of trying to coordinate outfits or make sure everyone's eyes are open.
Studies show a staggering 1.72 trillion photos were captured in 2023. Which means every single day, between 4.1 billion and 4.7 billion photos are snapped globally. Within the 47,564 photos taken every single second lie those rare moments when you might accidentally capture a masterpiece, just like the ones featured in this post.
#4 The Side Of The Dumpster Behind The Bar
Image credits: FiggNewton
#5 My Daughter's First Loose Tooth - Reminds Me Of A Modern Day Norman Rockwell
Image credits: rem256
#6 Ever Since My Niece Saw Toy Story, She Shouts “I’m Leaving!” And Then Peeks At Her Room Like This
Photography is all about storytelling. And candid photos show intimate moments of a tale beautifully. Usually, when we pose for pictures, the classic "say cheese" prompt leads us to put on a smile and strike a nice pose. But what if people were in their natural element, unaware of the camera's gaze?
Candid photos favor spontaneity over techniques, ambiance over production, and context over explicit messaging. But it’s not always easy to get one, is it? The secret to taking spontaneous photos is to always have a camera or phone at hand. That means, when the moment comes, you can easily snap a few shots, and (if everything goes smoothly) get a fantastic result.
#7 I Took This Picture Of Some Ducks And It Looks Like Part Of A Painting
Image credits: TheWittyShad
#8 Misty Sunrise In Finland ?raija Kokkola
Image credits: stalwart_rabbit
#9 This Picture Out Of Palestine Looks Like Something From A History Book
Image credits: Import
#10 The Way My Windscreen Froze
Image credits: Liamers
#11 Oranges Photographed Through The Glass Pane Of A Greenhouse
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 Window Frame = Picture Frame. The View From My Bedroom
Image credits: TechnoGlobeTrotter
Sometimes it takes a lot of tries to be able to get a good click, and this is especially true for candid photos. It’s helpful to put the settings on burst mode. This allows you to get multiple photos in quick succession with just one press of the shutter button. And you can easily seize those precious moments: the stolen glances, contagious laughter, and subtle tension that make each instant unforgettable.
And when capturing rainy scenes, bustling traffic, or the world around us, the burst mode helps to get every detail and movement with precision. Imagine you're standing on a busy street, trying to capture the energy of the moment with your camera. As the cars zip by and people hurry past, you are able to freeze the scene - the blur of motion, the splash of raindrops, and the vibrant colors of the city.
#13 My Printer Made One Last Page Before It Died
Image credits: evanroden
#14 My Coffee Break At San Francisco Moma Yesterday Turned Into An Accidental Portrait Of Covid Society
Image credits: FNFollies
#15 The Patron
Image credits: newthinking10k
Another way to find a good subject is to go to places with lots of action - markets, train stations, festivals, parties and places of work are all good places. In such settings, you learn how to work with natural lighting and discover lots of opportunities to capture interesting photos. As people go about their daily routines and activities, one just needs to wait for the right time and opportunity.
#16 Accidental Cubism
Image credits: flierenfluiter
#17 Tried To Take A Picture Of The Capitol Building In Dc Through The Pouring Rain
Image credits: tominator68
#18 Birds On Limbs
Image credits: pbj831
Even though candid photos are spur-of-the-moment, you can research and find a good time to get the perfect click. Some things are easy to anticipate because they are predictable. For instance, if you want a mesmerizing photo of the sunset, you know exactly when it’s going to happen. Then you can look for great spots with clear views of the horizon. While spontaneity is important for authenticity and charm, taking a moment to focus on the details gives clarity.
#19 Reminds Me Of Magritte
Image credits: Orion--
#20 Got My Grandpa's Old Film Developed And Found This!
Image credits: fortyfourtwentytwo
#21 Snowflakes On My Car Windshield
Image credits: ksumarine
To add a twist to your photos, consider changing your perspective. Instead of shooting from eye level, try getting closer to the ground or maybe go higher by climbing stairs or standing on bridges. Have fun and try to capture a unique perspective while remaining discreet. Getting a perfect shot during that split second of time requires you to get creative.
#22 Accidental Magritte
Image credits: abaganoush
#23 Cat Bathed In Light From Stained Glass Window
Image credits: My_Memes_Will_Cure_U
#24 It Screm
Image credits: MaximumCrab
Let's say you're at a crowded market, you stand upright and snap a few photos of the vegetable vendors at eye level. While these are nice, they don’t exactly turn out to be masterpieces. Now, if you switch things up and change the angle of the lens, you are able to get colorful displays of produce as well. The result? A visually striking image.
But don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you never know when you might accidentally get a beautiful pic. Have you ever unintentionally captured something interesting? Out of these pictures, which one did you like the most?
#25 Looked Like Lady Liberty Leading The People To Me
Image credits: VanGoghsSeveredEar
#26 A Bison Wallows In The Dust On The American Prairie Reserve, In Central Montana. Credits: @amytoensing
Image credits: saain666
#27 Cat Covets Whole-A*s Duck, Vermeer, 1659
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#28 The Taste Of Glory
Image credits: CrunchyMemesLover
#29 Son’s LEGO Were In A Bucket Of Water And Chalk. Result Of Me Drying Them On A Table Outside
Image credits: bakedbeans2
#30 This Photo I Took Of A Flower And Ink Looks Like A Van Gogh Painting [oc]
Image credits: FPSamuraiG
#31 Urban Tango
Image credits: jutepod
#32 The Creation Of Adam, Michelangelo, C. 1508-1512
Image credits: quichequiche
#33 Polar Bears At An Abandoned Soviet Weather Station
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#34 Tokyo Metro
Image credits: stalwart_rabbit
#35 Accidental Caravaggio
Image credits: chicagoarcher
#36 Hornets Nest That Formed Around The Face Of A Wooden Statue That Was Left In A Shed
Image credits: 1lousylay
#37 Water Bag
Image credits: PythiaPhemonoe
#38 Itap Of Ripples On A Lake At Dawn
Image credits: whatsoverthathill
#39 My Countertop Looked Like A Still Life Painting Today
Image credits: beka_targaryen
#40 Sandstorm In Rajasthan
Image credits: Javier_Ronaldo
#41 Suloszowa - A Small Village In Poland, Caught From Birdseye View
Image credits: Wisienn
#42 Hector By The Fireplace
Image credits: NoMorePie4U
#43 The Miserable Facade Of Post Modernism In One Photo
Image credits: BeardedGlass
#44 The Way This Fan Melted
Image credits: Appropriate_Crab_743
#45 It Feels Like An Anti-War Painting
Image credits: Mittenstk
#46 The Family
Image credits: hooverdamnnyo
#47 ? Hardening Lava Making It Seem Like Bodies Are Going Into Hell ?
Image credits: mrmseeks
#48 He Is Risen
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#49 From One Of My Paris Walks
Image credits: Effective_Tie_3921
#50 A Bit Of Fluff On My Blanket That Looks Like A Man Running Up A Hill
Image credits: DeathbyIndianman
#51 She Just Don't Care
Image credits: ValentinBoss
#52 Accidental Rockwell
Image credits: the_real_trevro
#53 My Boys Posing For A Renaissance Painting
Image credits: abbey_rez
#54 The Cat Behind This Glass
Image credits: KardyBlue
#55 Christmas
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#56 Standing Rock Protest. Looks Like A Painting, But It’s A Photo
Image credits: CoeurdePirate222
#57 Photo From John Mulaney's Twitter Of A Neighboring Apartment Playing His Special, Comeback Kid, That Resembles An Edward Hopper Painting
Image credits: IF**kedUpLastTime
#58 Ukrainian Cows [accidental Absurdism]
Image credits: kumachaaan
#59 When The Shadows Align With The Building
Image credits: PutridCloister
#60 Burnt Wood
Image credits: FiggNewton
#61 On My Morning Drive To Work This Morning
Image credits: tmartinez76
#62 Photo Of A Dog Through A Screen Door Looks Like A Painting
Image credits: Boris740
#63 Was On A Roadtrip To Vancouver And Accidentally Did A Double Exposure
Image credits: reddit.com
#64 My Girlfriend Doing Homework In NYC
Image credits: That-Donkey
#65 Acme Parking Lot In Northern Liberties
Image credits: Hythacg
#66 Sun Bathing
Image credits: WhitneycBurke
#67 Last Light
Image credits: DooWeeOooo
#68 The Passion Of An Athlete
Image credits: KingofKong_a
#69 My Windshield Looked Like A Watercolour
Image credits: Rain_in_Arcadia
#70 Boar And Fowl
Image credits: TarTarianPrincess
#71 It Popped Right Off
Image credits: jetfire1115
#72 Oregon Wildfires Making It Look Straight Apocalyptic
Image credits: RavenRosie
#73 Rain On My Sunroof
Image credits: Enjoy-the-sauce
#74 My Friend Took This Picture Of His Skylight. It Even Looks Framed
Image credits: firetothislife
#75 Kissers
Image credits: ArtLover357
#76 My Bathroom Window
Image credits: kevincroner
#77 Neighbour's Cat Looking Through My Bathroom Window
Image credits: i_am_atoms
#78 The Saving Of Anita Alvarez
Image credits: ViolaPurpurea
#79 The Conference Of The Babushkas
Image credits: NKVDawg
#80 Hungry Night - Van Gogh
Image credits: wedged92
#81 Casual Day In Japan
Image credits: yciin7
#82 Two Masterpieces
Image credits: Bmchris44
#83 Iraqi Protestors Take Over Government Buildings And Sit On The Chairs Of The Elected Officials That Failed Them
Image credits: reddit.com
#84 I Was Cleaning The Stove Top With Dish Soap And
Image credits: HistoryInkc
#85 Socially Distanced Homelessness
Image credits: MWM2
#86 Florence Welch (2018)
Image credits: zmrly
#87 Eggs Outside In Walker,mn With -50 Windchill
Image credits: itschmells
#88 The Fireplace Was A Little Too Hot Last Night
Image credits: ketchuppacket
#89 If I Fits, I Turns Into A Non-Newtonian Fluid And Just Sort Of Oozes Cuteness
Image credits: punctuation_welfare
#90 Random Piece Of Toast I Found While On A Walk (Oc)
Image credits: patricksmayonnaise
#91 Mayor Of Kharkiv Speaking To His People
Image credits: ownworldman
#92 Denver Airport Today
Image credits: jazztruth
#93 Closeup Of A Dumpster
Image credits: FiggNewton
#94 No Filter. A Motel In Nsw Australia In Middle Of The Day
Image credits: AcceptableJunket
#95 The View From My Apartment's Window On A Rainy Day [oc]
Image credits: desicyberpunkdude
#96 Triumph Of The Vulgar
Image credits: reddit.com
#97 Monument Valley
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#98 White Circles Were Painted On The Lawn In Brooklyn's Domino Park To Help Sunbathers And Picnickers Keep A Safe Distance
Image credits: LauraKellyDesigns
#99 This Picture Of A Bridge Collapsing
Image credits: rokkin1234
#100 I Found A Beach Photo I Took At University
Image credits: Kubrick_Fan
#101 Celebs’ Reactions When Lady Gaga Took The Stage Wearing Her Meat Dress For The First Time
Image credits: drukqsx
#102 This Print My Dusty Jeans Made On The Chair Whilst I Ate My Lunch
Image credits: stenno1
#103 Rain Or Shine We Won’t Give Up
Image credits: indistinctly
#104 Do You Think This Works? Macro Photo Of A Oil In Soapy Water
Image credits: SpliffKillah
#105 [oc] My Phone Glitched As I Tried To Take This Panoramic Shot In Sedona
Image credits: 69TakenUsername69
#106 Sunrise Landscape Made By Moss And Rust
Image credits: SurpriseThere1
#107 A Blurry Shot From My Way To Work This Morning Is Mildly Constable-Esque
Image credits: feathersoft
#108 Shopping Spree
Image credits: Frankincensed
#109 (Oc) My Husband Sent Me This Picture To Show Me He Was Getting My Car Washed
Image credits: Bear_Freckles033
#110 Five Guys Awnings About To Be Installed Could Be A Modern Art Installation (2019)
Image credits: isademigod