The internet is quite a fascinating place. It’s a vast world of its own, filled with compelling content that may either unite or divide people.
But from time to time, you will encounter the occasional oddity that might make you question what you’re looking at. These photos, found on the Mildly Interesting subreddit, are excellent examples.
Don’t let the description fool you, because these images are compelling enough to make you want to dig deeper and know more. So go ahead and enjoy scrolling through, and hopefully, they make your they slightly more interesting.
You will also find some of our conversations with some professional photographers who were kind enough to provide their expert insights.
#1 I Wrapped A (Nearly) Perfect Present By Accident
#2 Captured A Perfect Snowflake In My Dog’s Mouth
#3 My Dress Has The Picture Of The Person Who Sewed It (Los Angeles Apparel)
The Mildly Interesting subreddit currently has 25 million members and counting. And if you look at the photos people are sharing in this community, they’re mostly images of life’s everyday moments. But what makes them so compelling?
According to Charlotte-based photographer and Cannavo Studios founder Adam Cannavo, the mundanity allows people a momentary escape from their own lives.
“They’re mundane yet just odd enough to make your brain stop scrolling while still being totally relatable,” he told We. “These are new but familiar images that resonate with lots of people.”
#4 A Few Of My Meals At A General Hospital In The Netherlands
#5 I Folded This Origami From A Single Sheet Of Paper, No Cuts, No Glue, Just Folding
#6 I Found This Comically Small Frog On My Truck This Morning
Digital photographer David Filipi had a slightly different take. For him, the photos on the subreddit go against the polished images that people post on social media.
“‘Mildly interesting’ serves as a counterculture for an overabundance of ‘perfect’ content available everywhere,” he said.
#7 My Dog Kinda Looks Like An Oil Painting In This Photo
#8 My Office Med Box Has Skin Tone Bandages
#9 A Work Friend Has Been Giving Me One Demotivational Pencil Each Day
Given how these photos, with minimal context, can reach millions of people at once, that begs the question: what makes a photo stand out in this day and age, where “everyone is a photographer”?
According to Winnipeg-based wedding photographer Joel Boily, it’s more about resonance than just beauty or technical perfection.
“The best images today don’t just show you something interesting,” he said. “They make you feel something. Whether it’s emotional intimacy, perfect timing, or a flash of visual irony, the photos that stand out evoke a response deeper than a quick double-tap.”
#10 Perfectly Circular From Above, Perfect Ellipse From The Side. The Perfect River Stone
#11 My Uncle Lit A Firework Which Failed To Launch But Didn’t Fail To Detonate
#12 My Father Found Over $40k USD Inside An Old Furnace
Everyone interprets photographs differently. Just like one person may find a specific meaning behind the “Mona Lisa” that differs from another’s. According to ScanMyPhotos.com CEO & photo archivist Mitch Goldstone, pictures that stand out often “feel unfinished” and open to interpretation.
“They leave space for the viewer to add their own memory or meaning. That’s what stops the scroll… not just perfect lighting,” he explained.
#13 These Wind Turbines From My Plane Look Like They’re Floating In The Sky
#14 This Silver Ant I Saw Today
#15 The Sphinx Has A Tail
Since anyone can be a “photographer” these days, does having instant access to a camera in one’s pocket have a net positive for society? Freelance commercial photographer and public speaker Bob Mackowski believes it does, as it helps tangibly preserve memories.
“It can help you document anything in your life that needs to be documented, whether it’s your child’s first steps or that raging party that you don’t remember from last night,” he said.
#16 This Tree I Saw On A Walk Has A Near-Perfect Eye In Its Bark
#17 This “Love Heart” Shaped Lightning Bolt My Wife Photographed Last Night
#18 My Son Put A Mushroom Cap On Some Paper
Boily, on the other hand, says otherwise. According to him, the dawn of smartphone cameras devalued what a photograph means.
“When everyone has a camera in their pocket, the sheer volume of images being created makes it harder for any one image to feel significant,” he said, while also clarifying that instant access to cameras has its upsides, like democratized creativity and storytelling.
#19 My Local Convenience Store Has Sky Box Diffusers Over Their Fluorescent Lights
#20 My Co-Worker Still Owns And Uses A Sony Fm Walkman From The 1980’s
#21 The Muscle Atrophy On My Right Leg After Breaking My Ankle
For Goldstone, it’s a gray area. While it does allow everyone a chance to capture a moment in time, there’s a chance it will be forgotten, given how easy it is to take these snapshots.
“The camera roll becomes a graveyard. The challenge isn’t taking more photos… It’s deciding which ones matter.”
#22 My Son Has A Hidden Birthmark Of A Wave That’s Only Visible When He’s Tan
#23 Bought An Eggplant With A Nose Today
#24 My Dad Was Apple Employee #1851 In 1981
#25 Something Peeled My Whole Lemon On The Tree Without Biting Into It
#26 Encountered This Delivery Bot In My Neighborhood, Just Contemplating The End Of The Sidewalk
#27 Wedding Rsvp Mailed By Friends That Live 30 Mins Away Somehow Was Sent To Malaysia And Then Sent Back To Us By Stranger
#28 The Walls In My 100y Irish Cottage Are 2ft Thick
#29 This Laptop Shows Where The Headphone Jack Is In The Dark
#30 My BF’s Allergy Test. Tested For 72 Things, Allergic To 70
#31 My Son Was Born Missing A Toenail
#32 My Cat Left A Perfect Paw Print In Our Toilet Paper
#33 I Have Rings Around The Pupil Of My Eyes
#34 The Waiter Dropped A Fork Into My Glass And It Created A Perfect Hole Without Shattering The Glass
#35 Hair Of Marie Antoinette In A Golden Locket
#36 This Slice Of Bread Has Lips
#37 Received This Huge Ice Cream Cone From Mcdonald’s
#38 Broke An Billards Ball And Found A Mini One Inside
#39 My Watermelon Was Yellow On The Inside
#40 Had A Long Strand Of Hair Growing Out Of My Forehead
#41 My Beer-Battered Onion Rings Came Out The Packet Like A Chain-Link
#42 My Roomba Keeps Going Over To The Doorstop, And Turns Itself Off By Hitting The Switch On The Side
#43 I Opened My Frozen Pizza To Find Two Stuck Together
#44 This Restaurant Charges An 18% Living Wage Fee
#45 My Wife’s Shorts Have Holes Worn Through The Pocket Where She Carries Chapstick
#46 My Blood Vessels Pick Up More Dirt
#47 My Mom’s Pill Full Of Little Circles
#48 My Pinky Toe Has Turned Sideways Over The Years
#49 It Was My Daughter’s 2nd Birthday Yesterday And She Received The Same Card Three Times
#50 Concerning Dark Green Lays Potato Chip I Found. To The Right: Normal Lays Potato Chip From The Same Bag (For Comparison)
#51 Our Cow Gave Birth To A Mini Version Of Her
#52 A Clown Is Running For New York City Mayor
#53 I Trimmed My Broom And Now It Looks Almost New
#54 This Ipa Bottle Has An Internal Structure And Can’T Be Squished
#55 Saw A Ladybird With No Spots
#56 Neighbor’s Recycling Bin Burst Into Flames And Melted Into A Puddle Overnight. (Purple Recycling Bin On The Right For Reference)
#57 Row Home Sits Alone Next To Atlantic City Casino Tower
#58 My New Bicycle Is Belt Driven. No Chain
#59 I Found An Unseasoned Sour Patch Kid In A Bag Of Swedish Fish. It’s The Same Material And Taste As A Swedish Fish
#60 Guy Around Town Has A Strange Poster On His Car
#61 My Grandma, Aunt And Daughter All Have The Same Weird Thumb Toe
#62 Had A Minor Surgery Yesterday, Sent Me Home With Narcan In Addition To My Pain Meds
#63 22 Years Of Sun Exposure On Shirt
#64 Fog Over La Makes It Look Like Badly Rendered Video Game
#65 This Man Documented Every Haircut He And His Son Got, From 1946 & 1963 Until 1999
#66 Walmart Gave Me Pringles And A Coke With My Switch 2 Order
#67 I Cut A Healthy Looking Onion Which Was Actually Hollow And Rotting From The Inside
#68 A 5 Page Book Of Fictional Couples From Real Estate Agent Ads I Made When I Was A Kid
#69 These Yellow Flowers Are Only Growing In One Area Of My Lawn
#70 Sunburned My Bald Head. Peeled Off In Big Pieces
#71 My Neighbors Hold Their Hollow Tree Up With Spray Foam
#72 Dairy Queen Not Taking E-Pay Because Of Airshow
#73 I Put My Candle Out With Drops Of Water And This Is What It Looked Like When It Cooled
#74 This Coffee Shop Has A Riddle You Can Solve To Get A Discount
#75 My Ex Race Horse’s Identification Tattoo On Her Upper Lip Inside Her Mouth
#76 My Boyfriend Dropped An Avocado On His Shorts, And The Stain Has Never Come Out Since
#77 This Hotel Requires Men To Wear Swim Briefs Or Square Leg Swimsuits In The Pool. Boardshorts (And T-Shirts Or Rash Guards) Are Not Allowed
#78 The Funkiest Avocado I’ve Ever Cut Into
#79 Glowing Pvc In My Attic
#80 All The Baldcaps At A Pitbull Concert
