Best Way To Distract Your Opponents

Even though this photo looks like a random capture upon first glance, there's an evil plan in play (or so we're guessing). These two women are warming up and getting ready for their track race. However, it seems like the one on the left is quite distracted.

Her head is not in the game because her attention is diverted to her competitor's flexed posterior. Perhaps she's feeling a little jealous because hers isn't as perfect, despite the hundreds of squats done every day. It begs the question; is this a part of the other woman's plan to distract her neighbor?

Because Mirror Selfies Are Too Mainstream

Since we are in the third decade of the 21st century, it's safe to assume that everyone is aware of what a selfie is. You may not know the different types of selfies like the duck face, peace sign, or even the very popular mirror selfie.

Well, as it appears, these people did not just want to follow the trend. They'd rather take a risk and perform a two-wheeling stunt with their vehicle while one member of the group lies down on the middle of the road and capture the perfect selfie. Talk about millennial crazes!

Worst Day To Have An Accident

While white pants may give you a fashionable look, they are generally very troublesome to wear. People must be extra careful when they choose to wear white because the last thing you need is for them to get splashed and dirty.

In the case of this cheerleader, one thing's for sure—she didn't spill or splash anything on her white shorts. Instead, she had an embarrassing accident while performing for a large crowd, and worst of all, it was captured through a lens for the whole world to see. A little tip: never eat spicy food when you have to wear white clothes the next day!

Cheerleading Pyramid Gone Wrong

Pyramids are one of the most challenging yet fun stunts among cheerleading teams. If successfully pulled off, you'll have impressed thousands of people in the audience and earned some good cheers. However, things didn't go as planned for this team.

As you can see, every person in this group is having trouble with what looks like a failed attempt at a pyramid. Someone snapped this shot in the perfect second, capturing everyone's struggles. But it looks like the blond girl on the left hurt herself pretty bad as she hit her face on the guy's head. Ouch!

Where'd The Cheerleader's Smile Go?

When you think about cheerleaders, their glamorous appearances are what pops to mind. They are well-presented and always wear a smile, especially during performances. The Washington Post describes their grin to be as essential as their pompoms.

This girl (although she has an impressive set of abs) is lacking that grin just like her pompoms. The latter may not have been part of their act, but there's no excuse for passing on the smile. We're pretty sure that shutting a single eye and sticking out her tongue doesn't do any justice to the "cheer" in cheerleader.

When You Skipped Cheerleading Practices

Experienced cheerleaders don't typically make mistakes in their stunt work, especially with basics like basket tosses. We wish we could say the same about amateurs. Unfortunately, when you don't clock in enough hours of practice with the rest of the team, the chance of making errors is high.

Like any team sport, cheerleading requires team practices, particularly when it involves group stunts. This bunch clearly didn't get enough because, by the looks of this photo, the girl in the air crashed to the ground right after this photo was taken because her colleagues were too chicken to catch her.

 

Not The Best Place To Rest One's Head

Wrestling is a physical sport that involves a lot of touching. However, it's not the kind of touching deflected above. In the photo, it looks like the opponent stuck his head inside the US wrestler's posterior, but obviously, it's only an illusion.

In reality, the USA's fighter has his opponent in a headlock, but with his legs instead of arms, which is how it's typically done. The photographer clicked the incident at the right time and from the perfect angle, giving the illusion of one's head stuck in another's behind. Even though you know what's going on, the photo is weirdly unsettling, no?

Costume Says Panthers But Hair Says Lion

Among the thousands of photos captured at NFL events, only the best make it to their official website. The one pictured above was among the 31 best cheerleader pictures from the third week of the 2016 season. This girl's hair flip most likely stood out from all other photos as it was capture at the perfect moment.

Judging by her costume, this cheerleading performance is from the Carolina Panthers. Ironically, her mane looks like that of her lion's even though she's cheering for the Panthers. Perhaps she's a better fit for the Detroit Lions.

Balls That Don't Go In The Basket Goes On The Opponent's Face

As many of you know, basketball is a team sport, in which you score by shooting the ball into the hoop that is generally ten feet tall. Almost every person who plays professionally can jump very high or dunk, but things don't always end up with two extra points on the scoreboard.

Like with any sport, basketball players, too, have occasional mishaps. For instance, there've been instances where the backboards have crashed, or players pushed to the audience by opponents. However, this one is particularly hilarious because one player's junk is right on his opponent's face as he is reaching for the basket.

Is Inter-Team Romance Frowned Upon?

Among all the things you can and cannot do in the hockey rink or pitch, kissing probably wasn't mentioned. You'd think that these two players from opposite teams were sharing a romantic moment mid-game, and as much as that may be frowned upon, it's not what's going on.

They look like they hit each other while playing, and in reflex to avoid any injuries, accidentally brushed up against each other's lips. We're sure it wasn't their finest moment caught on camera, but at least no one was hurt. It looks like this photo was perfectly timed, right down to the millisecond.

Punishment For Not Playing By The Rules

Cricket is a team sport played across the world. Like in every sport, some countries (like India, Australia, and Sri Lanka) are particularly famous for their excellent teams. Indians are very devoted to cricket, almost as if it was a religion.

Perhaps that is why this Indian batsman is spanking his opponent, who we're guessing is from the Australian team (judging by his jersey color), for not playing by the rules. In reality, we think this is just a lucky shot captured at the perfect angle. The Indian player looks like he's celebrating their win while his opponent is upset over losing, but the photo's angle gave an entirely different illusion.

This Bull Gives You Wings To Fly

We have all heard or seen the infamous motto, "Red Bull gives you wings." But how many of you have really seen this slogan come to life? We're not sure if this man had a red bull beforehand, but he actually looks like he's flying (minus the wings). Perhaps the wings will grow mid-air.

On a serious note, it's hard to comprehend what's going on in the photo. The man could be a bullfighter trying (more like flying) to escape the animal, or maybe he's a real-life superhero that Marvel Cinematics and DC Extended Universes forgot to create a film about.

A Ninja Pit Crew

There could be up to twenty mechanics in a crew at a pit stop from tire changers to gasmen to technologists. If you didn't know what a pit stop is, they are the stands you see at motorsport events where the vehicles are serviced mid-race.

The pit crew is generally responsible for "changing tires, refueling, adjusting aerodynamics, checking and repairing parts within seconds," according to Job Monkey. The ones in the photo looked super pumped as they get their respective work done. Somehow, their quick work makes them look like ninjas in action. Kudos to the photographer who captured this photo!

Major Beach Volleyball Crash

Upon first glance, you may be confused about what's going on in the photo. Luckily for you, we have the answers. The girl in the picture is Elsa Baquerizo, a Spanish beach volleyball player who knocked and clashed against her fellow teammate Liliana Fernández.

A collision against one's own team member is quite embarrassing, but hey, things could've been worse. The pictured mishap took place in 2012 at the Centre Court Stadium in Horse Guards Parade while the duo was playing against Italy. It would've been just another fall during a game, except the exact moment of their crash was caught on camera.

Attack of The Flying Foot-headed Gymnast

What could easily have been a still from a wacky horror film about flying, mutated monsters is actually perfectly ordinary. All it took to make professional gymnast Katherine Coronel look like a mutant was a picture taken at the right time, from the right angle. Pics like this make us appreciate how amazing photography can be and at the same time, perhaps reflect on what sort of a workout made Katherine this flexible.

So Easy I Could Do It In My Sleep

Is pole vaulting so boring that athletes are literally falling asleep while doing it? Is it so easy that you could do it in your sleep? No and no. It is a taxing and hard sport (not to mention a bit scary) that requires athletes to throw their entire body into the air before falling for several feet. It's a sport that makes us thing should go hand in hand with health insurance. So is this athlete so nonchalant that she is bored by the experience? Nah, just one lucky pic among the dozens taken.

The Fish-woman Will Probably Win

That's not fair to the other divers, is it? How could one expect to triumph over a fish-human hybrid in a water sport? Well, one doesn't have to and that's kind of mean. Just because the camera caught her in a compromising moment, when her facial expression clearly brings to mind cod or mackerels, doesn't mean that others should, in fact, compare her to one. We're sure this diver has trained hard to get where she is and aspersions towards her "fishy" ancestry should remain unspoken.

Don't Call Me Horse-Face!

Although this photo is less exciting than the last one, it is -we think- way funnier! Do not worry, dear reader, this isn't a horse-headed mutant or a creature of mythology come to life. Simply, just at the moment the snap was taken, the horse turned its head and the final result was the picture above. We seriously doubt this was the deliberate result of a professional photographer, more likely a happy accident that the picture-taker decided to share with the internet.

Fly Like The Wind

Dennis Rodman was used to breaking rules and regulations but surely, even this notorious bad boy couldn't break the laws of nature and fly, could he? Nah. Simply, in a 1997 game, the camera caught him mid-air, trying his best to catch the ball before it went off-court. And now, thanks to the internet, the Flying Rodman will always be around to remind us how lucky photographers can get sometimes.

Casually Chilling

Well, in 2007, this very person had become an Internet sensation after some photos of hers during her races were released in the press for the entirely wrong reasons. Allison Stokke, the athlete on the picture, quickly became an unsuspecting symbol of beauty. To be fair, she has now modeled for Nike and Athleta already, on top of being a quite successful pole vaulter. Years have gone by and Allison seems to be taking a new and more chill approach during her performances! She has also just announced her engagement to professional golfer Rickie Fowler, whom she has been dating these past years.

The Twin In The Water

Wakeboarding is seriously awesome even without camera tricks. Riding on the board at incredible speeds, slicing the surface of the water while showing off your skill and fitness must feel great. But on this picture, we see a sort of serenity, both in the man's face, as he's focused on what he's doing and on the surface of the water, which is calm enough to perfectly mirror him, while behind him, the waves he creates become another sort of spectacle.

I Got This, Son

Now, if this isn't a photograph of pure luck, we don't know what is! In a duel between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves, a bat left Danny Ortiz's hands and unfortunately, flew towards the face of Landon Cunningham, a little boy. Fortunately, his father, Shaun, had great reflexes and managed to save his son in a situation that could easily become a case of "Pics or it didn't happen." Luckily for Shaun (and for us), there was a camera that captured the moment, so no one will doubt that this dad is a real hero.

Imagine The Galaxy Is Like A Tennis Ball...

We could easily have mistaken this for an amazing view of a galaxy... if not for the very obvious tennis ball in the "galactic center". This is simply what happens when a wet ball flies through the air at the perfect angle, at the perfect moment. Perhaps photography wasn't invented for this and compared to, say, a picture of World War 2, this is just fun. But we're still going to say, it's great that awesome pictures like this exist!

Should Be Named "Make-You-Believe-In-God Ledge"

This ain't no fancy use of camera angles and light tricks to make you think this man is standing on an impossible ledge. Alex Honnold actually went up 2,500 feet -without a rope- to stand on the "Thank God Ledge", a peculiar rock formation in Yosemite National Park. Alex is an excellent rock climber, one of the best in the world, but we think he'd still get some life insurance and write his last will and testament before trying to get up there, just in case.

Surfing A 100-Foot Wave

And we go from one possible way to die to another, and we can't decide which is more terrifying. They do make for some great pictures, though. The year was 2013, the place Nazare, in Portugal. Garret McNamara, a professional surfer, decided that the time was right to prove his fitness and mad skills, by riding one of the huge waves of the Atlantic and making history. This beast was 100 feet tall and even though there were hundreds of cameras, most failed to capture the full terrible glory of the monstrous wave. Garret, on the other hand, managed to snag world record.

More Arms Than A Centipede's Feet

A picture that is less a testament to photography and more one to the dancer's skills, this snapshot comes from a performance of the dance of Thousand Hands Guan Yin. The dancers are so well-trained and synchronized that they create the optical illusion that it is, in fact, one woman with many, MANY arms. Luckily for us, the dance is a popular subject of photographers and those of us who cannot see this in person get a chance to enjoy this spectacle on our smartphone.

More Rings Than Usual

We're sure we wouldn't be able to take such a picture even if we took photography courses and had the best camera available. It takes a potent mix of skill and luck for this sort of pictures and we're lucky that a photographer in the 2012 Olympics had it. The August full moon was the perfect size and the picture had to be taken from the perfect position to create the illusion that the Olympic symbol had been blessed with an extra circle.

Oh Dear God They've Jumped!

The only way we'd be in this position would be if something had gone terribly wrong, but for Matt Blank and Ian Flanders, this was their life. These two base jumpers loved to do stunts like that and they lived for the excitement that only base jumping can provide. Pictures like this are a testament to their courage and to what humans are capable of once they overcome their fears. Sadly, Ian passed away in 2015, doing what he loved, as a result of a parachuting accident.

Folding Reality Like A Sheet

A large part of amateur photography consists of pictures of sunsets. This picture of the sunset takes it up a notch, as that isn't its most interesting aspect. We wonder if they used a GoPro to take this POV picture, but for those of us who will never find ourselves in this position, this is an amazing opportunity. It seems like reality has folded over itself, as the turquoise wave is crashing down, while the surfer rides the wave like a pro. Awesome!

Speed On Ice

Now here's a picture that couldn't have happened without the improvement of the technology involved in photography. With average speeds of 36.8 miles per hour, old-school cameras would have been hard-pressed to capture these speed skaters. The snap is from the World Cup Race that in 2015, took place in Erfurt, Germany. Although this does look amazing, hurtling on the ice at neck-breaking speeds is too much for us. We'd much rather watch a video.

Splitting The Waters Of The Mud Puddle

It's surprising how impressive even a shallow mud puddle can look when a camera takes a picture at the best possible moment. Taken during an annual bike race that takes place in South Africa, the so-called Cape Epic, the picture makes it look like the bike has split the waters in two, like some tiny version of the biblical miracle. Instead, the only miracle there is the riders' endurance, as the race is brutal, consisting of 8 days and 435 miles!

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Though we abhor violence, we're kinda happy there was a professional photographer to capture the moment when Corey Tropp, of the Columbia Blue Jackets, slammed Michael Ferland, of the Calgary Flames to the floor, during a short scuffle in a 2015 game. Fights during hockey games are not that rare but it's still exciting when we get moments that look like they're taken straight out of an action film. Thankfully, the referees stopped them soon after.

 

United We Stand

This amazing underwater picture showcases an instinctive behavior exhibited by fish that feel threatened. They form huge mobs called "schools", hoping that there is strength in numbers and that any potential predator will not dare to attack them. It does look intimidating, even though the diver with the camera right in front of them doesn't seem fazed. Some pictures need more than dumb luck but this one also needed a dose of courage!

Between Heaven And Earth

The advancement of camera technology gave us the tiny, high-quality portable cameras that many extreme-sports enthusiasts use to take some amazing, as well as bone-chilling pictures. This unnamed skydiver, for example, managed to take a photo of himself while free-falling, seemingly suspended between the fluffy clouds and the fast-approaching ground beneath him. Though the picture is certainly awe-inspiring, it has also convinced us to not try jumping off a plane anytime soon.

I Must Go, My Planet Needs Me

Another awesome basketball picture, this time from the NCAA, in 2015. Boise State was playing Dayton and a lucky camera shot caught Kyle Davis of Dayton flying over Chandler Hutchinson of Boise State. It's moments like these that demonstrate the athleticism and fitness of these young men, who, while still at college, perform feats worthy of the NBA. In the end, the team of the flying Kyle won the match, with a single point difference, 56 to 55.

Goal POV

The professional photographer who set up the camera in the back of the goal proved it was a great idea with snaps like this one. The Vancouver Canucks had just shot the puck at the Columbus Blue Jackets' goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky. It went past him and it seemed as if it was over, but the talented goaltender dived back and managed to catch the puck before it scored. And as we said before, the cleverly-placed camera did the rest.

Special Need For Speed

People like Aaron Fotheringham are proof that people in wheelchairs are not necessarily disabled. Some of them are abler than most people, capable of breath-taking stunts. Confined in a wheelchair since he was 8, Aaron did not let this stop him. After seeing his brother doing tricks with a BMX, he got inspired and started doing what would become his passion. While cameras are always ready to capture his feats, they can't always take pictures of his character, which is what gives him strength.

Hacky Sack Sun

Typically, hacky sacks are filled with things like rice or sand and those skilled in playing with them can do some mean tricks. This picture, though, has more to do with the skills of a professional photographer than a hacky sack player. Careful angling, proper lenses and the right timing gave us what appears to be someone playing hacky sack with the sun. Unless this was just a lucky shot, in which case instead of photography, the cameraman should head down to Vegas and clean the blackjack tables.

Gimme A High-Five, Shark-bro

While 1975's Jaws was a very successful movie, it also started a huge fear of sharks that is still reverberating today. People view these majestic animals as monsters and vicious killers, forgetting how important they are to the eco-system and how fascinating in general. Eli Martinez is the editor of Shark Diving, a magazine about (you guessed it) diving with sharks and he is also the diver seen in this picture. His familiarity with this particular shark gave his camera-toting companion the chance to show a cool side of sharks, swimming lazily and giving out high-fives!

NBA Presents Swan Lake

Who said that culture and NBA don't go together? We have evidence here, that not only was the production of Swan Lake by the NBA done, but it was also successful, as the stands are full of excited fans. Sadly, that is not the case, and this was just one lucky frame caught by the camera, timed perfectly to appear as if J.R. Smith of the New York Knicks is doing a ballet move, gracefully flying through the air. He isn't and he also missed the shot.

Thank You, Lord, For This Blessing!

The Chicago Cubs had had a bit of a dry spell when it came to MLB World Series championship wins. In fact, by 2016, it had been a dry period of 108(!) years without a championship. So, you can understand, when they won the 2016 one, Cubs fans around the world felt as if it was the Second Coming, Free Ice Cream Day and the Lottery at the same time. We think this is perfectly encapsulated by this picture of a fan thanking the heavens for the victory.

Here Comes Motorcycle Jesus

If you love surfing but wish that you could take your motorcycle with you, then you have something in common with Robbie Maddison, the star of this photo. He usually does motorbike stunts professionally, but on this occasion, he used his skills to make his dream come true.  And don't think this was a lucky pic taken with the camera of a smartphone, this trick was 2 years in the making and everything was organized and calculated.