35 Perfectly timed photos taken right before chaos took over

A photograph captures a single instant, but not all moments are equally memorable. Some are funnier, more striking, or downright surreal. Thanks to these sharp-eyed photographers, they've snapped the perfect shot at just the right moment, transforming fleeting scenes into unforgettable memories.

Put A Cork In It

Photo Credit: romancreed / Reddit
Photo Credit: romancreed / Reddit

Have you ever been caught off guard by a champagne cork hitting your forehead? I have, and trust me, it's far from pleasant.

But the moment right before it hits? That’s almost comical. The woman in yellow has no idea the chaos about to unfold for her unsuspecting partner.

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Let's See The Rock Do That

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Photo Credit: AlphaCentauriKid/reddit
Photo Credit: AlphaCentauriKid/reddit
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This little one probably isn't actually doing pushups without using her legs, but the photo sure makes it look like she is. Even The Rock might be shaking in his boots!

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What’s really going on? Our best guess is she’s mid-fall, which is pretty hilarious. She’s bracing herself and might be headed for a classic faceplant. Still, in our minds, she’ll forever be the no-leg pushup champ.

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Perfectly In Sync

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Photo Credit: cigaregrets/reddit
Photo Credit: cigaregrets/reddit
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It's one thing to see soldiers march in formation — but this candid shot captures something even more impressive: Marathon runners who are all running in perfect synchronization with each other.

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The odds of this photo turning out this way seem long indeed.

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I Thought Penguins Couldn't Fly!

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Photo Credit: [user]/reddit
Photo Credit: [user]/reddit
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Penguins are perhaps the best-known flightless birds, and while they might not be able to fly, they can certainly hop — and snapping a pic mid-hop gives the impression that perhaps they can take to the skies.

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Of course, the fact that this penguin doesn't even have its limbs extended makes the whole thing look a little bit weird.

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Who Turned On The Sprinklers?

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Photo Credit: TranscendentalHoot/reddit
Photo Credit: TranscendentalHoot/reddit
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Army training hits a whole new level when you have to stay tough even against a sprinkler. If this guy shifts even an inch, he's stuck scrubbing the bathroom floor with a toothbrush — and it has to be spotless enough for the sergeant to eat off it!

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What’s even more incredible is that nobody seems to notice their buddy getting ambushed by this unexpected "enemy." Whatever orders they’re receiving must be seriously gripping.

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And That's The Pavement!

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Photo Credit: angelina_scarlet/reddit
Photo Credit: angelina_scarlet/reddit
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This might be the most artistic skateboard fail photo you'll ever come across. What came next was the inevitable pain that follows. True art often comes with a price, and this person definitely paid in blood.

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The toughest part? That's one long road to fall on. Let’s hope they’ve got 911 on speed dial.

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Ladybug Liftoff

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Photo Credit: eagle-eye-tiger/reddit
Photo Credit: eagle-eye-tiger/reddit
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We usually see ladybugs when their shells/wings are retracted, giving them a round and bulbous appearance — but when they fly, they look like a different creature altogether.

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This image shows a ladybug taking off from someone's gloved hand, showing that their bodies are longer and more insect-like than they often appear.

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Analog Perfection

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Photo Credit: Richaldo87/reddit
Photo Credit: Richaldo87/reddit
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We've seen tons of hilarious photos that capture someone's misfortune, but the vast majority of these were taken in the digital photography era, a time in which everyone is taking pictures all the time.

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This picture, though, was taken in the early 2000s using a Kodak wind-up disposable camera. Each individual photo was precious with those things, which usually could only snap 20 or so pics, so it's especially impressive that the photographer managed to capture this.

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Prepare To Share

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Photo Credit: sophielola_ / Reddit
Photo Credit: sophielola_ / Reddit
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Seagulls are infamous for snatching up a french fry or two, but swiping a lick of someone's ice cream? That's a rare move. The seagull's perfect timing and top-down approach make for a flawlessly composed photo. Well done, seagull. Keep doing your thing!

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When Your Favorite Uncle Drops The Ball

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Photo Credit: Surgikull / Reddit
Photo Credit: Surgikull / Reddit
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Uncle Tony is usually the fun one—always sneaking extra cookies and playing baseball with the kids. But in one unfortunate moment, he went from the favorite uncle to the one who drops the children. Come on, Tony, get it together! We can't have you dropping kids left and right.

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This Bird Messed With The Wrong Woman

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Photo Credit: Truthisnotwallowed/reddit
Photo Credit: Truthisnotwallowed/reddit
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This seagull learned a rough lesson when it tried to steal this woman's food. She was having none of it and grabbed the bird by the throat to prove it. We're guessing this isn't her first rodeo.

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Birds don't usually show emotion, but that looks like a genuine amount of shock from this one. The perfect crime just backfired, now it must pay the price.

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Seal, Meet Glass

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Photo Credit: phanesoaks / Reddit
Photo Credit: phanesoaks / Reddit
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This seal definitely hit the glass with a bit too much enthusiasm, leaving its face all squished up in the process. Despite the poor thing's moment of distress, it made for a hilarious photo.

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Isn’t it amazing how seal bodies are so squishy and malleable? Imagine if all bodies were like that—it’d be pretty fun!

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Just A Little Bite

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Photo Credit: myfavkitchen / Reddit
Photo Credit: myfavkitchen / Reddit
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Never point at a duck—it's a quick way to make an enemy. This picture is a prime example of why.

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The girl seems carefree for now, but just wait—within a split second, her expression is going to change completely.

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A Perfect Fauxhawk

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Photo Credit: teereximus / Reddit
Photo Credit: teereximus / Reddit
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That guy isn't sporting a funky hairstyle. There is actually a bird flying right behind his head.

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This photo brings a whole new meaning to the term, "fauxhawk." If only birds could imitate all kinds of hairstyles. I want to see a bird mullet.

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She's About To Get Very Upset

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Photo Credit: EndlessVanity / Reddit
Photo Credit: EndlessVanity / Reddit
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It's all fun and games until somebody gets covered in an unknown liquid. For her sake, I hope that's water.

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This is undoubtedly the best moment to catch on camera in this sequence of events, but I do kind of want to see her face right after impact.

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Don't Spill The Beans

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Photo Credit: 2-718 / Reddit
Photo Credit: 2-718 / Reddit
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This guy had literally one job. Now that carpet is going to have a huge stain on it. Is there a better excuse to get hardwood put in? I don't think so.

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Also, Someone is going to have to make another batch of whatever food that is.

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Get Right Back On The Horse

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Photo Credit: ppswwe / Reddit
Photo Credit: ppswwe / Reddit
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I think there are actually three kids falling off that horse. That is too many kids to put on a horse. Maybe that's why they fell off.

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The guy holding the camera seems to be their father. Maybe he should be watching his kids instead of trying to take a selfie.

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It Was All Just Too Much

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Photo Credit: GallowBoob / Reddit
Photo Credit: GallowBoob / Reddit
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The groom's sister hadn't eaten all day and couldn't take the heat coming in from those windows. Bridesmaid number two does not look impressed.

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She knows she should have been the maid of honor and this is exactly why. She would never faint in the middle of the ceremony.

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A Firely Affair

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Photo Credit: MURPHtheSURF / Reddit
Photo Credit: MURPHtheSURF / Reddit
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This lady set her hair on fire while blowing out her birthday candles. This photo was taken the split second before anybody noticed what had happened.

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Make sure you always tie your hair back before you stick your face near a cake full of fire.

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Total Eclipse Of The Bird

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Photo Credit: Andthenabird / Reddit
Photo Credit: Andthenabird / Reddit
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Lens flare and some very good timing allowed this photographer to capture an eclipse on the underside of this bird's wing.

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Eclipses don't come around all too often, so a photo like this is extremely rare. I wish I could get that bird to sign a copy of this photo.

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A Disaster Waiting To Happen

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Photo Credit: EdumacateMe / Reddit
Photo Credit: EdumacateMe / Reddit
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Well, that's one way to get out of a boring conversation. Just, splash and you're out.

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Also, she is making absolutely no effort to break her fall. This photo must have been taken before she knew she was falling. Nice tan though, dude in the foreground. Nice tan.

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One Ring To Rule Them All

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Photo Credit: Arainya / Reddit
Photo Credit: Arainya / Reddit
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It looks like this dog has Jedi powers. It also looks like he's very, very excited to get his teeth around that little treat.

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The angles in this photo are particularly good. I like how the photographer got the shot right when the treat was in the middle of the dog's forehead.

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No Style Point Were Awarded

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Photo Credit: paperhatprophet/reddit
Photo Credit: paperhatprophet/reddit
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You don't get points for waving as you fall off your skateboard. That's what this sick trickster learned the hard way his the concrete beneath. At least he thinks he looks cool doing it.

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Actually, he looks pretty emotionless as he falls. Maybe he did it just for this picture. In that case, style points will still not be rewarded!

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The Danger Is In The Beauty

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Photo Credit: wadeybb/reddit
Photo Credit: wadeybb/reddit
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Things didn't quite out for the poor fish in this photo, but who cares when the color composure is so amazing. The contract of the bird over the water. The details in the tiny water drops! We're blown away.

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It's all okay, little fish, you were eaten for the best cause. Nature can be violent, but sometimes there is incredible beauty in that.

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Just Give The Bird The Fish

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Photo Credit: Cloudy_Memory_Loss/reddit
Photo Credit: Cloudy_Memory_Loss/reddit
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Apparently, this innocent girl was trying to feed the seals you can't the fish in her hand. This bird had other ideas. You know what seals? You snooze you lose. The tortoise doesn't always beat the hare!

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Kudos to this little girl for not scare either. If I was feeding something in the water and something the air attacked me, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.

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Who Has Better Hair?

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Photo Credit:ruwanvanlaar/reddit
Photo Credit:ruwanvanlaar/reddit
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Which horse do you think has better hair? Both have long straight flowing locks, but one of them wears it better. You can't decide? That's okay, they'll decide for you, by fighting!

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Of course, they probably aren't fighting over who has better hair. They definitely aren't fighting over who has better hair. We just wish they were.

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We Found The Gold

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Photo Credit: RampChurch/reddit
Photo Credit: RampChurch/reddit
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They say the pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow. This rainbow is being pretty lazy just giving away the location of the booty! The only mystery now is how to get up to the plane to win the cash prize.

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Maybe it's a plane full of leprechauns, all moving their gold to hide in new locations! That's a plane we want to be passengers on.

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Whatcha Doing?

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Photo Credit: OBLIVIATER/reddit
Photo Credit: OBLIVIATER/reddit
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Nothing ruins a perfect picture of the sun setting than man's best friend jumping into the frame. Throw it the ball! That's all the curious pupper wants.

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While you're too busy making sure the sun is in the perfect spot and the color is just right for social media, your poop dog is starving for attention. And plain starving because of your neglect!

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You Had A Good Run, Horse Fly

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Photo Credit: lunaislife/reddit
Photo Credit: lunaislife/reddit
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This fly bugged the wrong dog! What vicious way to have your already short life shortened. At some point, you'd think the fly would see the giant jaws of the dog coming down and book the other way.

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According to the photographer, that didn't happen. This dog won the battle, but the war between horse flies and house dogs rages on!

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Nice Hair!

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Photo Credit: wadeybb/reddit
Photo Credit: wadeybb/reddit
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First off, this is one of the most amazing pictures we've ever seen. Secondly, we had no idea orcas had hair. That is hair, right? We're going with hair, no need to google this one.

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Back to the beauty of the photo now. Everything is perfect. If you folding it in half the two sides would match perfectly.

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The One Where The Bird Gets Away

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Photo Credit: dylan712/reddit
Photo Credit: dylan712/reddit
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Not surprisingly, it's easier for seagulls to steal food from children the grown adults. The bird finds it mark and swoops down just before he can take a bite. He does still take a bit... of air!

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We're sure his parents will buy him a new hot dog. The seagull wins this round, but that salt bomb in its mouth is going to lead to some nasty aviary heartburn.

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It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's... Both!

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Photo Credit: sorryimanorwichfan/reddit
Photo Credit: sorryimanorwichfan/reddit
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Another day, another seagull. This one has quite the following! There are at least seven mini planes following this bird wherever its journey takes it.

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We know, we know, the plans aren't tiny and they aren't following the bird, it's just a perfectly timed photo to make it look that way. Sorry for trying to have a little fun.

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They Jumped Together

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Photo Credit: chardymcdaniel/reddit
Photo Credit: chardymcdaniel/reddit
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This is what happens when you don't coordinate who gets to jump over the sand hole first. No one wins. You both hit each other and fall into the hole instead of safely landing over it.

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Was a lesson learned here? Probably not. Will these girls make the same mistake again? Probably.

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We Found Birdfoot!

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Photo Credit: yopuz1/reddit
Photo Credit: yopuz1/reddit
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We know you've heard of bigfoot, but have you ever head of birdfoot? We captured an elusive picture of the tiny monster. The only problem is it's a little. We just hope it's not a bird in a birdfoot costume!

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As soon as birdfoot saw us it flew off into the woods, finding a new place to hide and new bugs to eat. We miss you birdfoot!

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He's Not Getting That Hat Back

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Photo Credit: awesomekidhero/reddit
Photo Credit: awesomekidhero/reddit
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The Golden Gate Bridge is the perfect place to take a picture with your significant other. Few views in the world are as stunning. Just don't wear the hat. As this guy learned, it's windy in San Francisco!

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Judging from the colors of the hat, he knew that already. Black and orange means he's a Giants' fans. Well, he was a Giants' fan.