Every photographer knows how much timing matters when taking a shot. In this article, we have collected 30 photos where perfect timing was the key to success.
How did a photographer manage to be in the right place at the right time for these perfectly timed photos?
1. Fishing Man by Stephane Ducandas
Our favourite image in our perfectly timed photography list is one by Stephane Ducandas. The composition is really unique, as we can see above and below the water at the same time.
The amount of work and pre-planning that went into getting this shot should definitely be appreciated.
2. Olympic Rings by REUTERS/Luke MacGregor
In this picture of the Olympic Rings, the moon lines up, turning the five rings to six and thus creating a triangle.
What makes the photo even better is that the moon and the rings are even the same size.
3. Woman on the Beach by Wilma Hurskainen
It is difficult to find clothing that matches the scene perfectly. It is something very rare, so the timing is just as important as the perspective.
Whether it was a planned or candid shot, hats off to the photographer.
4. Flamingos by Robert Haas
This image captures a scene of what looks like a flamingo, made from flamingos. How often does something like this happen?
Not only the photographer had incredible luck and perfect timing, but he also managed to get the perspective just right. The bird’s eye view makes it possible for the viewer to appreciate this unique and perfectly timed photo.
5. Stepping on the Moon by Frode Sandbech
This snowboarder is using the well-lit moon as a stepping stone. He even looks as if he is aware that it is there.
Capturing such a shot is all down to the placement and perfect timing of the photographer.
6. Rock Eye by Lynn Sessions
We often see scenes within inanimate objects, such as clouds or rock formations. Here, we see the placement of the moon within a hole in the rock.
This formation creates an eye, which even matches the shape of the hole.
7. Floating Boat by Alex Thomson Racing
This is an image that was planned beforehand. So it wasn’t only about perfect timing, but the shot also had to be executed precisely according to plan.
Not only is the boat floating irregularly, but they also managed to place a man in a suit standing on the boat’s rudder.
8. Basketball Face by LucilleSluggers
This image of a man being hit in the face with a basketball seems very strange. For one, he shows no reaction to the impending doom.
Secondly, it hits his face so perfectly, it would look like a mask if there wasn’t a ripple in the man’s face.
9. Fishhead by Nick Kelly
Humans having animal body parts is a continuous source of jokes when it comes to candid photos.
When the timing is right, we can see all sorts of humans with horse legs, bird wings, or in this case, a fish head.
10. Woodpecker and Weasel by Martin Le-May
This is one of the best examples of a perfectly timed photo. The photographer was just hanging around a park on a sunny day when he heard a bird shrieking.
He turned around to see that a weasel had jumped on the back of a woodpecker. Out of amazement, he managed to capture both creatures together.
11. Super Eagle by Pam Mullins
We can use timing in photography to change the meaning of other subjects. Here, we spot flight lines from what we would associate with a plane.
However, with the placement of the eagle, it looks like the lines are coming from its feet. It makes it look like a really fast bird.
12. Baseball Audience by engine.co.ua
When looking at this photo for the first time, the initial impression is that this photo is a huge chaos. However, when looking at it a bit more carefully, it is noticeable that the photographer timed the photo just right.
They captured the exact second when the baseball bat hit the man’s face. They also managed to compose the photo perfectly in such a short amount of time.
13. Crane and the Moon by Bruno Gerber
This image by Bruno Gerber was captured in Bern, Germany. The perfectly timed photo was taken by waiting for the moon to line up with the bottom of the crane.
A scene such as this one makes it look like the crane is relocating the moon to a different spot. Simple yet effective.
14. Nose Touch by Matt Stuart
There are many memes around the idea of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where God reaches out to Adam with his finger.
Here, we see similar finger-pointing. The photographer uses his perspective to show the finger ‘booping’ the man’s nose, who is waiting for the underground.
15. Catching a Plane by Former_Manc
In this image, Buddha’s meditation hand pose lines up perfectly with the passing plane.
This makes it look like he is playing with a toy. Or he might be trying to catch a flying plane, holding it in the air.
16. Headless Gymnast by Martin Bernetti
You might think this is a very strange image. You can see the hands and a leg, but the other leg loses its shape as it points towards us.
The timing is perfect with the head disappearing behind the torso. It is a perfect mix of perspective and timing.
17. The Falling Soldier by Robert Capa
This famous picture captures the death of a soldier. It was taken during the Spanish Civil War.
Even though the image’s authenticity has been a topic of various debates, it is no question that the photograph has immaculate timing.
18. The Falling Man by Richard Drew
This photo was taken during the 9/11 attacks. The subject of the photograph was falling from the World Trade Center when either looking for safety or escaping from the smoke.
The image had been removed from newspapers for a while because many readers have found the image disturbing.
19. Santa is Coming by stan1541
This perfectly timed image shows an older man sliding down the hill, exactly capturing the moment when he is in the air.
An Imgur user described the image as “the exact moment Santa regretted last year’s budget cuts”.
20. Diver’s Expression by Al Bello
This image was taken at the 2012 Olympics in London. The photographer was taking closeup photos of the springboard divers, capturing a variety of hilarious expressions.
The other photos of the series are also worth to check out. The timing is perfect for each of them.
21. Holy Obama by Carolyn Kaster
A light shines behind Barack Obama at one of his speeches. From the perspective of the photographer, it looks as if the ex-president was holding the sun itself in his hands.
22. Can You Please Photoshop The Sun Between My Fingers by Acielaw
This image was originally posted in a subreddit post, where the author asked whether somebody can photoshop the sun between his fingers. It was discovered a few days after, which quickly escalated into a huge meme.
Well, even though the Redditor didn’t reach his original intention, he definitely had a mark on nowaday’s meme culture.
23. Pure Elements by Olafur Ragnarsson
A volcano eruption is a spectacular thing by itself. But if it is accompanied by a full moon, which appears to be exactly above the volcano, it creates a magical photograph.
Icelandic photographer Olafur Ragnarsson was lucky enough to witness and capture such a unique moment.
24. Diving with a Whale
Cameraman Marco Queral got a chance to get close to many humpback whales during his life. This photo series demonstrates one of these occasions, where he got to befriend an exceptionally friendly whale.
He is an experienced diver, being used to the company of these enormous animals. But this fact doesn’t make these photos any less breathtaking
25. Moon Landing by Unknown
Speaking of breathtaking and perfectly timed photos, here is the original footage of the moon landing. This image is yet another example of the wonders that forced perspective can make.
26. Popping a Bubble by Richard Heeks
Given how fast a bubble pops, such images require the photographer’s timing to be perfect. Richard Heeks does a great job capturing the pop in the middle of the process.
Apart from timing, using the right settings is also crucial for this type of photos.
27. Dog Catching Treat by Christian Vieler
In his photo series, Christian Vieler captures a variety of dogs catching (or failing to catch) treats. He uses a simple background in studio settings to bring all the attention to his models.
Executing this idea needs impeccable timing, as well as some very eager models!
28. Croc’s Dinner by Eli Martinez
While we’re at animals catching treats, here is an image of a crocodile catching her dinner in Mexico.
The photographer made sure to work with the animal carefully and respectfully, which allowed him to take this one of a kind photo at just the right moment.
29. Burj Al Moon by Mo Aoun
The moon is undoubtedly one of the most popular subjects when making optical illusions.
This photo was taken in Dubai, capturing the city’s most famous hotel with the moon in the background.
30. The Leaning Tower of Pisa by Martin Parr
Visiting and taking pictures of sights has always been part of being a tourist. Some sights, such as the tower of Pisa, even have a special theme associated with them.
This is what we can see in the image below. Many tourists try to replicate the famous photos of tourists supporting the tower.
Conclusion
There are many ingredients that make the above-mentioned photos outstanding. These can mean taking advantage of forced perspective, or simply being at the right place at the right moment.
We hope that you enjoyed this collection of perfectly timed photos as much as we did. If you got inspired, don’t be afraid to go out and try to take a perfectly timed photo of your own!