In some cases, people know they’re in trouble but haven’t felt the pain or embarrassment yet. But other photos manage to capture the moment right before people realize things are about to go horribly awry.
Either way, the worst was yet to come in all 60 of these photos.
These aren’t the type of photos that make you smile (at least not all of them), but if you could use a good cringe, click ahead for some mighty unlucky moments:
1. A flying leap
It is all fun and games until a dog bites you in the crotch.
It’s so bad we almost have to wonder if it’s Photoshopped. In fact, we hope it is!
Otherwise, it was no “day at the beach” for this formerly fun-loving swimmer.
2. Someone cut mommy off
Only mom knows things are about to get messy.
We’re not sure if he laid down on her lap unexpectedly or if she’s just had one too many, but we are curious about the moment after this happened.
3. Feeling lucky?
Four-leaf clovers are supposed to be lucky, so one woman wanted photographic evidence of find.
Alas, the luck hasn’t kicked in quite yet (unless it somehow missed her).
This is headed right for her face.
4. That poor cheesecake!
This woman was so excited about this cheesecake that she wanted to take a picture with it. But “doing it for the ‘gram” isn’t always worth it.
Well, that’s not true since this is a pretty great photo – it’s just not the one she was planning.
The 5-second rule applies here, right?
5. A big exit
They wanted an exit to remember, so their wedding guests were given sparklers to light their way.
Now, they’re just illuminating his fail.
Let’s just hope he didn’t take the bride down with him.
6. So proud
That skier is about to have a mouthful of water.
This should be a thumbs down instead of a thumbs up.
7. I can fly!
If they were wondering if the catapult still works, it surely does.
And this woman is in for one tough landing.
Maybe a helmet and some padding is in order – if there is a next time.
8. Almost like a halo
No, that is not a new fashion trend, it’s actually a water balloon popping right on this kid’s head.
He is bracing for it and the picture was taken at the best moment of impact.
9. There goes the bride
In this moment of panic, hopefully there was one person that knew they should save the bride.
This wedding party knows how to bring the house down, or at least the dock down.
We hope this wasn’t taken prior to the ceremony!
10. Instant regret
The man on the bottom thought he would try playing rugby for the first time.
This was the exact moment he regretted trying a new sport.
11. Catch a wave
Thankfully he had a waterproof camera to take this picture because one moment later, the entire wave crashed right down on him.
That smile could not have lasted long.
Great photo though!
12. Survival of the fittest
They say it’s survival of the fittest and this bird is showing he is fitter than the squirrel.
The poor squirrel does not even know what is about to happen. And it’s probably better that way.
13. Snowball fight
When having a snowball fight with a four-year-old, you are supposed to be a bit more gentle than this.
This poor kid was smacked down by a massive snowball right to the face.
The poor little guy doesn’t know what’s about to hit him.
14. Hey, pick your own nose
That is one foul foul.
We know he’s going in for the block, but if you can’t get enough air to get to the ball, you can’t take the snot out of someone as a consolation prize.
15. Breakdancing on water
He is about to find out the hard way that he cannot breakdance on a lake.
It looks like he has the moves right now, but a second later he was completely submerged.
Do you think the friends are going to laugh or help him out?
16. What lies beneath
This is a once in a lifetime photograph. This whale is so much larger than the boat, it could do anything it wanted to these passengers.
They all must have been holding their breath to see what was going to happen next. What else are you going to do?!
17. Snowman
There’s a bit of a delayed reaction here unless that was one of the fastest moving snowballs in history.
He’s still happy as a clam despite no doubt feeling the cold at that very same moment.
18. A wild ride
A tidal wave broke a river’s barrier in China’s Zhejiang province, and these people are on the move.
But no one’s that fast. Only nature.
19. Behind you!
When an owl sneaks up behind you, there is almost nothing you can do. This child now knows from experience.
We’re not sure what this owl’s plan is, but we doubt his accomplished his goals.
In fact, we doubt anyone was having fun a moment later.
20. Cat-apault
Cats are so graceful, aren’t they?
Alas, sometimes they do lose their balance, and this one just happened to lose its food bowl too.
Someone’s going to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.
21. Farewell, sweet piranha
Did the alligator successfully grab lunch or did the piranha fight back and chew his way out?
Frankly, his eyes make it look like he has a plan for this alligator.
But this is one instance where size matters.
22. Oh, puck!
It’s a goalie’s job to get in the way of the puck. You just have to hope you don’t get one straight to the face.
Then again, that’s why we give them extra protection.
23. Center of attention
Well, she looks like she’s enjoying her moment in the spotlight. And it really was just a moment.
All the guys in this photo know that she’s about to be drenched by the drink and the different reaction of each one is amazing.
24. Finish line smackdown
That’s not the kind of high-give we would be hoping for.
We hope he got disqualified since the woman on the far right won anyway.
25. Water buffoon
The water balloon almost looks supernatural in the photograph.
We’re not sure if she knows what’s coming, but we do know that this was a setup.
26. Don’t take my picture!
This Kazakhstan Eagle does not want to be filmed and he is letting the cameraman know it.
The eagle is in full attack mode.
Hopefully, the individual who took this photograph helped this man before the eagle hurt him too badly.
27. Daddy’s boy
The adult thought it would be cute and funny to play boxing with the child, but this child is not playing around.
28. So close
Whatever she’s trying to accomplish here was going to result in a ridiculous photo anyway.
We don’t know the story behind this photo, so go ahead and invest your own.
29. Anticipation
“Another student in my Digital Art class captured a photo 0.001 seconds before 2 gallons of water dumped on my head from a popped balloon.”
30. Wheelie
It’s hard to do a wheelie when you lose your front wheel.
This motorcyclist is gonna have to learn how to drive only with his back wheel if he wants to escape a harsh landing.
31. Road rage
Every professional cyclist knows that falls will come but knowing it and experiencing it are two different things.
Peter Stetina has already realized he is about to hit the ground hard and can do nothing except try to try and break it before it breaks him.
32. The end of a friendship
Loki and Thor’s rivalry is legendary and with a simple toss of this hammer, another rivalry has begun.
It might not have been Thor’s hammer but it still is large and heavy enough to do some damage to the face.
I don’t even want to know the mayhem that went down after this photo.
33. A bump in the road
These three cannot hide their feelings of impending doom – and we just hope that everyone has a nice helmet now.
34. Hairy situation
Her co-workers just wanted to help her celebrate her birthday, but with that many candles, they lit her hair on fire.
Burnt hair was probably not the look she was going for on her special day.
She should have kept that birthday cake on the table.
35. When you see it coming
He did not duck quick enough but he did have time to flinch.
Onlookers are already laughing at the situation, but will he be laughing?
36. Wreck the dress
Out of all the people at the wedding reception to have drinks poured on them, it just had to be the bride.
This photo captured the very last time her wedding dress would ever be perfectly white. She was too busy dancing her night away to notice the crashing of drinks right next to her.
Hopefully, she just kept dancing.
37. Tradition
The winning team always dumps their cooler on their coach, but these players should have at least waited until he took off his headphones.
The Powerade has landed on his shoulders, but in this last moment, he is still unaware that he is about to be wet and sticky.
38. Strike a pose
His drink might be spilling but that is not going to ruin this photo.
This girl knows how to strike a pose and she even used a special soda “filter” for the picture.
39. Wet and wild
One moment later, this man started to run because he knew she was not going to be happy about getting wet.
She is looking up as if the photographer said her name right before taking the photo.
This was definitely a planned photo/water attack.
40. Quite a ride
The child seems to be screaming in fear and fun. Yet, the dad is the one with the face full of worry.
The child is still young enough to see this as only fun but the dad knows this could end badly.
41. Don’t look down
Putting Mentos in a soda bottle is always a fun experiment for children but the adults forgot to give them the only rule: do not look straight down at the soda.
The experiment worked all right and these kids are going to be soaked with diet cola as proof.