Buzz
Photographers need an incredible blend of commitment, hard work, and an immense amount of patience. Occasionally, all these qualities align, resulting in the perfect shot. Some of these images demonstrate exceptional skill, while others come down to pure luck—the kind that might even convince someone to buy a lottery ticket. Yet, all of them capture something extraordinary at that ideal moment, freezing it forever in a single frame, no matter how unlikely it may seem. Here are 10 remarkable photos taken at just the right time.
10. Fly Sipping a Dew Drop
A housefly flaps its wings 200 to 300 times per second. When it comes across food, it first walks over it, using the tiny hairs on its legs to taste and ensure its safety. Constantly moving to avoid predators, the fly’s 360-degree vision keeps it alert, especially when it finally pauses to eat, a moment when it is most vulnerable.
Given the context, this already breathtaking photograph becomes even more astonishing—a high-resolution macro image of two flies drinking their way through a juicy dew drop is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime capture.
9. Seal Escaping a Shark
For a photo of two oversized fish leaping out of the water, this image is unexpectedly captivating. Captured by Dan Callister off the coast of South Africa on Seal Island—also known as the Ring of Death—it reveals an incredible moment. Every year, seal populations on the island surge, bringing with them their most persistent predator: the great white shark.
As hundreds of young seals venture into the water for the first time, the great white sharks adopt a unique hunting method for this particular event—they circle just beneath the surface, then dive down and strike from below, moving with such speed that they launch out of the water, hopefully with a seal in their jaws.
But in this exceptional moment, the seal outwitted the shark. As the predator rises from the water, mouth wide open to catch its prey, the seal effortlessly performs a backflip, narrowly escaping the deadly jaws. You can't help but root for the seal, cheering for its survival against this powerful force of nature.
8. Yi Peng Festival
Yi Peng is an annual celebration held in northern Thailand, often coinciding with the Loi Krathong festival. During Loi Krathong, flower baskets and floating candles are released along the riverbanks to honor the river spirits. In contrast, Yi Peng features rice-paper lanterns heated by candles. The warm air from the flames makes the lanterns light enough to rise, filling the night sky with thousands of glowing orange lights. At first, they appear like a swarm of luminous jellyfish, but as they ascend, they transform into tiny twinkling points of light—creating a sea of artificial stars.
7. Beneath a Wave
A wave crashes toward the shore at a public beach in Sydney. From a bird's-eye view, it looks like an ordinary scene, but beneath the surface, chaos reigns. A cylindrical tsunami of foam surges forward, driven by gravity, buoyed by the water below, and shaped into a tube by opposing forces. Invisible currents pull sand from the ocean floor and spin it into a vortex, filling the gap as the wave rushes onward, hungry for dry land. In the center of it all, a thin strip of calm water offers sanctuary to a teenage boy, trapped between the swirling sand at his feet and a violent cloud of frothy turbulence surging overhead.
This is the work of Mark Tipple, a former surf photographer who sought a new perspective. He set out to capture a hidden world—one rarely seen by anyone—the underside of an ocean wave. His website features many other images as captivating as this one.
6. Snowy Owl Snatching Its Prey
The delicate balance between life and death is a constant reality in the wild. One moment you’re searching for food, the next, a pair of sharp talons sinks into your back, sealing your fate. This striking photograph by Michel Roy of a snowy owl swooping down for its prey captures that fragile moment perfectly. The mouse remains oblivious, calm, unaware that death is closing in just inches away.
Snowy owls are primarily found in the tundra regions of North America, roaming across Northern Canada and Alaska. In years of abundant prey, they can lay nearly twice as many eggs in a single clutch. Like most owls, they consume their prey whole, later regurgitating the bones and fur. This photograph is particularly incredible because, at the moment the shot was taken, the owl was probably flying at speeds approaching 50 mph (80 km/h).
5. Waterspout Over the Adriatic Sea
Waterspouts are a relatively uncommon occurrence, but photographing one isn’t necessarily difficult—you just have to be in the right place when it forms. Capturing a waterspout at the exact moment a lightning bolt strikes from the sky, however, is something far more remarkable.
This stunning photograph was captured in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. While it may appear as though the waterspout is drawing water up into the sky, the reality is that the funnel is formed by water droplets falling from the clouds above.
4. The Waves at Porthcawl Pier
Located on the southern coast of Wales, the small town of Porthcawl is known for its picturesque beaches and fishing spots, making it a popular destination for tourists. One of its historic landmarks is the Porthcawl pier and lighthouse, built in 1860. Interestingly, the pier isn't technically a pier—it’s actually a breakwater, a more robust structure designed to protect coastal towns from the force of crashing waves. During a storm, those waves can grow to massive sizes. The Porthcawl pier has withstood the relentless battering of the sea for over 150 years, and it remains standing as a testament to its builders.
This photograph perfectly captures the immense power of the waves crashing against the breakwater. The exact height of the wave is hard to determine, but somewhere within that force, you can make out a lighthouse.
3. Drinking Water in South Sudan
In 2011, South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan. By 2012, it became a sanctuary for those fleeing the ongoing war in Sudan. Over 35,000 people were arriving in South Sudan each month, but there simply weren’t enough water resources to support such an influx. By June 2012, an estimated 10 people were dying every day from severe dehydration, with entire camps often forced to travel more than 15 miles (25 km) to find a source of water.
In this poignant photograph, four South Sudanese children gather around a water spigot, eagerly waiting their turn to collect some precious water. Their exact circumstances are unknown—perhaps they hadn’t had a drop to drink since the previous day, or maybe water was more readily available in their area. Regardless of their individual situation, this powerful image by Steve Evans encapsulates the daily struggles faced by thousands in South Sudan.
2. Water Droplets Suspended in Mid-Air
No, this image hasn’t been digitally altered. The droplets you see are actual beads of water, perfectly balanced on the threads of a spider’s web so fine it’s nearly invisible. Captured by Andrew Osokin, a Russian photographer known for his macro photography, this image is part of a larger collection of water droplets suspended in nature. He also features remarkable insect photography in his gallery, which, though in Russian, speaks volumes through its visual beauty.
1. Lightning Strikes the Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa, located in Dubai, holds the title of the tallest building in the world. Towering at an impressive height of 2,722 feet (829.8 meters), it dominates the city skyline, making it an ideal target for lightning strikes.
In Dubai, rain is a rare occurrence, with only about 25 days of rainfall annually, and thunderstorms are even more infrequent. This makes it incredibly unlikely to capture a lightning strike when one happens. Yet, against all odds, Mark D'Andrea managed to photograph a bolt of lightning hitting the very peak of the Burj Khalifa at just the right moment.
