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 Nature Is Watching Us
Image credits: PerspectiveFriendly
#2 Undulatus Asperatus Clouds
Image credits: russianlexicon
#3 The Way My Windscreen Froze
Image credits: Liamers
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 Cat Bathed In Light From Stained Glass Window
Image credits: My_Memes_Will_Cure_U
#5 Misty Sunrise In Finland ?raija Kokkola
Image credits: stalwart_rabbit
#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 Et Ascendit Cattus
Image credits: Kubrick_Fan
#8 On My Morning Drive To Work This Morning
Image credits: tmartinez76
#9 Accidental Cubism
Image credits: flierenfluiter
#10 Birds On Limbs
Image credits: pbj831
#11 Sun Bathing
Image credits: WhitneycBurke
#12 Oranges Photographed Through The Glass Pane Of A Greenhouse
Image credits: reddit.com
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 Snowflakes On My Car Windshield
Image credits: ksumarine
#14 My Daughter's First Loose Tooth - Reminds Me Of A Modern Day Norman Rockwell
Image credits: rem256
#15 The Side Of The Dumpster Behind The Bar
Image credits: FiggNewton
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 Cat Covets Whole-A*s Duck, Vermeer, 1659
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#17 Window Frame = Picture Frame. The View From My Bedroom
Image credits: TechnoGlobeTrotter
#18 Reminds Me Of Magritte
Image credits: Orion--
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 The Taste Of Glory
Image credits: CrunchyMemesLover
#20 Urban Tango
Image credits: jutepod
#21 Suloszowa - A Small Village In Poland, Caught From Birdseye View
Image credits: Wisienn
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 This Picture Out Of Palestine Looks Like Something From A History Book
Image credits: Import
#23 I Took This Picture Of Some Ducks And It Looks Like Part Of A Painting
Image credits: TheWittyShad
#24 Itap Of Ripples On A Lake At Dawn
Image credits: whatsoverthathill
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 Hector By The Fireplace
Image credits: NoMorePie4U
#26 Polar Bears At An Abandoned Soviet Weather Station
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#27 It Screm
Image credits: MaximumCrab
#28 Got My Grandpa's Old Film Developed And Found This!
Image credits: fortyfourtwentytwo
#29 If I Fits, I Turns Into A Non-Newtonian Fluid And Just Sort Of Oozes Cuteness
Image credits: punctuation_welfare
#30 A Bit Of Fluff On My Blanket That Looks Like A Man Running Up A Hill
Image credits: DeathbyIndianman
#31 The Patron
Image credits: newthinking10k
#32 My Windshield Looked Like A Watercolour
Image credits: Rain_in_Arcadia
#33 The Creation Of Adam, Michelangelo, C. 1508-1512
Image credits: quichequiche
#34 A Bison Wallows In The Dust On The American Prairie Reserve, In Central Montana. Credits: @amytoensing
Image credits: saain666
#35 Looked Like Lady Liberty Leading The People To Me
Image credits: VanGoghsSeveredEar
#36 Rain On My Sunroof
Image credits: Enjoy-the-sauce
#37 Ukrainian Cows [accidental Absurdism]
Image credits: kumachaaan
#38 Kissers
Image credits: ArtLover357
#39 My Countertop Looked Like A Still Life Painting Today
Image credits: beka_targaryen
#40 ? Hardening Lava Making It Seem Like Bodies Are Going Into Hell ?
Image credits: mrmseeks
#41 My Printer Made One Last Page Before It Died
Image credits: evanroden
#42 It Popped Right Off
Image credits: jetfire1115
#43 My Coffee Break At San Francisco Moma Yesterday Turned Into An Accidental Portrait Of Covid Society
Image credits: FNFollies
#44 He Is Risen
Image credits: OppositeDirt
#45 Standing Rock Protest. Looks Like A Painting, But It’s A Photo
Image credits: CoeurdePirate222
#46 Hornets Nest That Formed Around The Face Of A Wooden Statue That Was Left In A Shed
Image credits: 1lousylay
#47 The Miserable Facade Of Post Modernism In One Photo
Image credits: BeardedGlass
#48 Tried To Take A Picture Of The Capitol Building In Dc Through The Pouring Rain
Image credits: tominator68
#49 Accidental Magritte
Image credits: abaganoush
#50 Accidental Caravaggio
Image credits: chicagoarcher
