40+ Times People Noticed Accidental Surrealism in Real Life

Taking a pretty picture isn’t the most difficult thing in the world — after all, hundreds of thousands of people do it and post them on social media every day. Capturing an image at just the right time, though, is slightly more complicated.

The person behind this image is either very skilled, or they’re extremely lucky. They managed to capture a truly fascinating photo that definitely makes us look twice and think deeply about whose eye is really watching us.

Bubbles are already pretty surrealist in our opinion. We’re just shocked by the fact that just a bit of water and soap can be turned into these logic-defying orbs that shine with every color of the rainbow.

This sweet dog, though, has the best view in the house as he sees the world through rose-colored bubbles. We have no idea how this photographer was lucky enough to capture such a unique photo.

We know that cats are known to be aggressive for no specific reason, but they’re usually weak enough to be mostly harmless beyond a few annoying scratches. This cat, though, might be a true force to be reckoned with.

This is one puss we really wouldn’t want to mess with. Okay, this one is pretty easily explained but we still think it’s hilarious and great how perfectly this lined up to create this fun surrealist illusion for us.

Does anyone else remember those Magic Eye books from the ‘90s? Because this beautifully hand-crocheted blanket is definitely throwing us back to those old illusion books with their intricate hypnotic patterns.

What’s especially impressive about this is that a person actually went to the trouble of making this entire thing by hand. Yet, it’s perfect enough to create the impressive illusion that most people would assume was done by a computer.

Myths say that somewhere in the world, each person has someone who’s an exact physical copy of them. While we don’t quite believe that, this picture definitely makes us rethink that assertion.

Otherwise, how would you explain this guy finding his exact twin in the middle of a museum painting? Even the way their hair parts is the same! This must’ve truly been a surreal moment for this man.

This incredible picture was taken at exactly the right time to create a truly breathtaking image of this already magnificent statue. The statue, created by sculptor Bruno Catalano, was inspired by the artist’s return from working at sea while leaving a part of himself with the ocean.

Eight other “Fragmented Travellers” by Catalano are also scattered in different locations. But, thanks to this breathtaking surrealist picture, this one has probably gained the most attention on social media. This certainly evokes a sense of awe in any viewer.

The most incredible surrealist images can often come from the most mundane moments and in the most unlikely places. This image is the perfect example of that interesting fact. At first glance, it definitely looks like this woman is holding hands with a spirit.

In truth, she’s just shaking a tablecloth or a bed sheet over a balcony — a perfectly everyday action that none of us would think about twice. Thankfully, the person who captured this picture had a different vision of this scene.

Isn’t it just so satisfying when something just stacks absolutely perfectly? Whether it’s cups, boxes, or chairs — we just love it when things are built to fit absolutely beautifully together. Just look how satisfying this pile is!

But, then look at the way the legs of those chairs intersect with each other, and suddenly, this picture becomes completely psychedelic. We’ve definitely become hypnotized by this fascinating view.

This picture definitely deserves a second glance — because at first, we were absolutely sure that we were seeing a particularly artistic image of the planet Jupiter. It certainly seems to have all the hallmarks of the celestial object.

But, in actuality, it’s a photo of some duck ponds through a photo lens. Amazingly, though, the separate ponds line up perfectly in this image to make it look like the different colored stripes on Jupiter. Plus, you never know — those ducks could be aliens.

Who said surrealism can’t be funny? We sure didn’t! This image certainly fits into the category of perfectly timed photos. While we’re not sure it’s the best idea for this pup to be napping under the car, at least we know its parents know it’s there (since they took this picture).

We just love how with just the simple addition of the dog there, this car exhaust has suddenly turned into some doggy goggles. We wonder what the pup can see through them now.

Strange vegetables don’t always fall under surrealism. But, when they look exactly like a creature of the deep, we’re more inclined to allow them entrance into this clearly exclusive club.

This is certainly the most artistically grown squash we’ve ever seen in our lives. We can’t even begin to imagine how this shape was achieved. But, you know what it’d be absolutely perfect for? For a pirate-themed Halloween party!

When you’re facing a difficult problem, sometimes, the only possible solution for it is to run head-first into it. Usually, though, we don’t quite mean that as literally as this young woman took it.

So, obviously, she found the container like that and saw a perfect photo-op before her. Still, thanks to a heap of imagination, the illusion works amazingly well — turning this otherwise plain-looking location into a surreal image.

Some surreal images are funny, others make us feel uneasy, and some are absolutely mesmerizing to look at. This is definitely a part of that third one. While we usually feel an affinity toward nature-centric photos, this one is extra beautiful.

This picture is just a perfect way to blend the harsh cityscape with the flexibility of this body of water. Through it all, like a perfect metaphor, a man in a boat connects the two together — blending them.

This might look like a strange illusion but it’s actually a rare real-life phenomenon that causes perfect ice spheres to form by the sea in cold weather. While it might look like an alien planet, this definitely happens on Earth.

These ice eggs are caused by stormy weather at the sea shore breaking the icy slush layer on top and pushing it to shore. As the cold weather freezes the slush, it sticks together and rolls on the shore, slowly forming bigger balls.

In the heat of summer, nothing beats a chill, lazy day out by the pool. It’s less ideal, however, to enjoy your refreshing pool when you can’t figure out where exactly the water is.

From this bird’s-eye-view, it’s incredible to see the stark difference between the pristine and clear water of the pool and the mucky and browned water of the massive flood that struck the area. It might be fascinating to look up, but we doubt anyone’s going to be enjoying a swim in these conditions.

Have you wondered how the cow was long enough to reach over the moon? Well, wonder no more! This cow certainly looks like it’s capable of reaching as far as space. At least at first glance, that is.

Once you give it a better look, what might look like a surrealistically built heifer is actually just a cow dragging a sheet of fabric from the top of the barn. While it might be accidental, we choose to believe that she was actually just looking to stay cozy with a blanket.

Not for nothing is the front of a building called a facade — it’s built to look beautiful on the outside while hiding the less-than-aesthetic skeleton of the building it’s on. It’s basically an architectural mask.

In this incredible picture, the false facade is fully exposed (both literally and figuratively) as the building in progress sheds the tarp meant to hide it from the city — creating the amazing illusion of a building shedding its skin.

Honestly, every picture of a tiger taken this well and with such clarity is in itself a fantastic example of the surrealism of Earth. This image just got an extra helping of mesmerizing thanks to this truly baffling illusion.

It seems this massive cat was enjoying an impressive mud bath. But, as many young children can attest, it seemed to be reluctant to dunk its upper body into the muck. Thus, we were rewarded with this puzzling image.

Some of the best surreal images come from people just being people, just interacting with their immediate environment — completely unaware that together they’re creating beautifully intricate patterns for us to enjoy. This certainly falls into that category.

They were all simply trying to stay out of the sun’s harsh heat as they sat in the bleachers watching the game. Either, they’re so used to being there that they know in advance where to sit to escape the heat, or they just slowly inched their way, one by one, down the line.

There’s nothing more calming than sitting on the beach, watching the waves move back and forth across the water. However, it’s a little more concerning to see those crashing waves in the middle of a school auditorium.

This image, though, is a perfect example of what happens when you don’t take enough care with your maintenance. Because, apparently, this was caused by a water pipe exploding underneath the gym. The kids might not be able to play basketball anymore, but they can practice their surfing.

“Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!” famously repeated Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and that’s definitely what we’d expect to find deep in the forest. Just about the last thing we’d ever think to find is an appliance.

Now, if it was in some cabin or cottage, it might’ve made a bit more sense to us. But, to just find a lone washing machine in the middle of the forest path is certainly unexpected. The sheer absurdity of this situation earns this image a spot on this list.

How many times have you wanted to downsize your life, move into your car or R.V., and just travel forever — moving from place to place, seeing a new view from your window every other day? We sure have!

Well, this person is about halfway there — sort of… Well, they got a house with a car in it, at least. While that’s not quite what we were going for, they seem to be trying. Plus, now they have about 10% of a mobile home.

We’ve all wished our love for our four-legged friends would make them as big as Clifford the big red dog. But, in reality (and not in the cartoon world) it’d probably be a massive hassle to take care of such a massive creature.

This image of a dog poking his head into a doll house certainly gives the illusion of how incredibly cumbersome it would be to actually own a dog the size of an elephant. Still, this illusion is pretty adorable.

Movies and TV shows seem to be constantly preoccupied with twins — especially those separated at birth (just watch any soap opera, they’re especially obsessed). We totally get it, there’s something absolutely fascinating about two people looking like mirror images of each other.

This picture, though, is purely the result of perfect coincidence which places these two beautifully (and identically) colored things in the same place together. Even the hue of pink is exactly the same! What are the odds?!

Accidental surrealism isn’t always beautiful or cute, it’s often disturbing, inspiring awe and fear. This image certainly manages to do that, at least, at first glance, making this look like a two-headed creature of nightmares.

But, if you look closely (and maybe tilt your head a little to the right), you’ll see the feathered friend creating this terrifying illusion. All thanks to the unconventional perch he’s found on someone’s neck.

Remember that dress that went super viral a few years back because people just couldn’t agree on what color it was — white and gold, or black and blue? In the same vein, can you figure out what’s going on with this cat?

How could this feline seem to be perfectly bisected between black and white?! Well, that’s because it’s actually a gray kitty that’s slumbering right at the edge of some sun coming from the window — so it looks black in the shade and white in the sun.

Imagine foraging in the forest when you come across this horrifying thing — literally looking like a zombied hand clawing out of the ground in an attempt (presumably) to get some brains. That’s exactly what happened to the person who took this pic.

Only later did she find out that it’s actually an extremely rare fungus called Xylaria Polymorpha (more artistically referred to as “Dead Man’s Fingers”). This is pretty horrifying, but also kind of fascinating at the same time.

Ever gone to the hairdresser with a photo of that celeb with the perfect hair color that you just have to have? Well, this woman doesn’t need any photo to show her stylist how she wants her locks to look.

All she needs is this handy brush that looks exactly like her hair! What are the odds of finding a painting brush that matches perfectly with your hair color — and its texture?! This has to be one in a million.

Can you tell by now that we absolutely love surreal photos that come from really smart architectural design? Because we really do. Just look how eerily beautiful this picture is — and it’s just balconies!

But, thanks to the colors of the wall, the balconies, and the doors, alongside the angle of the light from the sun, these shadow balconies look a whole lot bigger than they actually are. This image is absolutely fascinating!

There might be a “Highway to Hell” and a “Staircase to Heaven”, but have you ever seen a Bridge to the Horizon? Seriously, this beautiful and surreal shot looks like it’s been taken straight out of one of those Ghibli films like Spirited Away.

It’s certainly an impressive picture, but there’s also something quite scary about how these ocean waves seem to have devoted the road that should have been here. Even without quite understanding what’s going on here, we can certainly say that we’re mesmerized!

Sometimes, all it takes for us to see something extraordinary is just a change in perspective. Eagle-eyed photographers are especially good at allowing us a glimpse into a view we never would’ve noticed ourselves.

This person, for instance, managed to turn a perfectly ordinary hallway balcony into a mind-boggling image simply by waiting for the right time and noticing the beauty in the ordinary.

For so many kids, when you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, their answer is a very excited “astronaut!” Because who wouldn’t want to visit outer space and jump on the moon?

But, for those of us who’ve failed to join NASA, this might just be the road to our childhood hopes and dreams to make it in the giant footsteps of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. This picture couldn’t have been taken at a better time.

Have you ever seen a National Geographic video of how baby giraffes are born already standing and moving on their long legs? Well, this funny illusion shows what that would look like if a human baby did the same thing.

We just love how this photo is the perfect combination of adorable (because everything with babies in it is cute) and of hilarious (yes, we do have the funny bone of a child)!

The animal world is a fascinating one. For example, did you know that the reason that snakes shed their skin is that their scales don’t actually grow with the rest of their bodies? So, instead, they grow new scales that fit their new size and shed the old ones.

Getting a photo of a snake shedding this perfectly, though, is truly surreal! This image is absolutely fascinating. Plus, this snake and its little helmet are pretty adorable!

Before we tell you what the heck is going on in this image, we just thought we might give you a chance to try to guess what’s happening here. We’ll give you a little hint — that’s not a spaceship that you’re seeing.

This photo is actually cleverly turned around. The “sky” is actually this beautiful lake’s surface that’s reflecting the group on the shore. The alien ship is just a boat that’s just calmly hanging out on the water.

The internet has gotten pretty used to seeing so-called “glitches in the matrix” in recent years — photos where two people look or dress freakishly similarly, for example. This photo is seriously messing with us!

After all, what could possibly be the odds of every single person on this street owning a car in the exact same color? While we can’t be completely sure, we also think that these all might be the exact same make and model! Is that even statistically possible?!

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Not this guy! After all, he’s the were-dog — body of a human, head of a dog, and luscious locks of a model straight out of the salon!

This picture has managed to perfectly capture this owner and her dog as they enjoyed nature. But, they also gave us a funny and puzzling surreal image to look at!

It seems that when people were saying that everyone who’s anyone is on social media now, they weren’t kidding. Even the birds are in on it! That shouldn’t come as a surprise, though. After all, they have their own site — Twitter!

More seriously, though, just getting a photo of a hawk this close-up is already pretty mind-blowing. But, then finding out that you also managed to capture this thought-provoking illusion is beyond incredible! Amazing!

Yes, we know that this warping to the floors is most likely caused by water damage, but that doesn’t stop our imagination from running wild. Isn’t it a lot more fun to believe that there lies a once-dormant beast under the floorboards that has now awoken and moved things around?

Or, maybe the floor has just become sick of thousands of shoes, boots, and sandals walking over it every single day for years? No matter what we imagine it to be, we all know that this floor is done for.

We don’t know about you, but we’re not exactly used to seeing floating body-less heads of animals in any capacity, not to mention the internet’s beloved cats. Nevertheless, this image has fallen into our laps and it really looks like that’s what we got here.

Obviously, this kitty’s body has to be somewhere — it just happens to be exactly out of sight in this picture. This definitely falls under the category of accidental surrealism!

For those musically inclined, this random picture of a bunch of birds on some railing will instantly look like something very different and very familiar (especially if you had to learn to read sheet music as a kid).

Amazingly, these birds look exactly like notes on music bars. Sadly, we’re not talented enough to imagine what this melody would sound like. But, if you know how to read music and play something, can you please let us know?

Don’t you just love it when things just happen so perfectly that they turn what could’ve been a completely ordinary moment into an absolutely extraordinary occasion? This poster managed to capture just that.

First and foremost, this is just an A+ for home decorating skills, as this luscious plant clearly blends in beautifully with the shows this person likes to watch. Besides that, this is just some good luck and a keen eye.

Taking a fancy cruise has become the go-to vacation for just about everyone — it’s fun, luxurious, and relaxing. However, it’s less enjoyable when you’re stuck at the bay. Especially if you’re moored by massive columns.

But, is that really what’s happening here? A second look reveals that this puzzling picture is just a really clever perspective illusion. This image truly deserves a second and third look.

We promise, your eyes don’t need any exam, and we can also tell you that this image hasn’t been manipulated in any way. So, why does this sidewalk look so freakishly blurry?

Clearly, the person who designed this frightening sidewalk pattern is either an evil genius or a bit of an idiot. Even stone-cold sober, we wouldn’t want to walk down here. This is definitely surreal.

As everyone who has ever been on the internet knows very well, cats are master manipulators. No matter what they do, they will make us love them beyond reason. It’s probably why this poster was so freaked out by this view.

Thinking your cat has partially turned into a majestic forest animal is definitely a frightening experience. Thankfully, that didn’t actually happen. But this image is surprisingly convincing — it really does look like a deer-cat hybrid.

While modernity goes full steam ahead, that doesn’t mean that we can’t find a way to let nature shine through. Whoever built these stairs apparently decided to respect the natural landscape where they were working.

They did go the extra mile and actually carve stairs into the tree stump — a true marriage between nature and urban progress. We wonder what they did with the rest of this tree (hopefully, it was something pretty and useful).

This picture definitely makes us feel as if we’re living in a surreal simulation. After all, how else do you explain a grocery store having a juice flavored as “Default_juice?” The interesting question, of course, is what does this mean?

What would you consider to be the default juice taste — apples, oranges, or maybe pineapple? That’s probably going to remain a mystery. As for how, this must’ve been just a glitch at the juice factory… right? Guess we’ll never know!

One of humanity’s most impressive feats of ingenuity definitely has to be the machines we’ve built to be able to fly. Planes are certainly majestic creations that people only 200 years ago could’ve only dreamed of.

This image, though, certainly makes them look like a surrealist dream. With this photo, we can safely say that we’ve conquered the skies with our metal wings. Honestly, though, we just can’t stop looking at how beautiful this image is.