There are probably millions of perfectly adorable animal photos online. However, not every furry creature was born with the ability to pose like an Instagram model. Similar to humans, they also have their unphotogenic moments: blinking, yawning, or losing control of the tongue the second a finger touches the shutter button.
But that doesn’t make us love them any less. In fact, it may have the opposite effect, adding to their charm and quirky personalities. For your amusement, Bored Panda has curated a whole list of the cutest creatures caught in not-so-flattering moments. Scroll down to find them, and don’t forget to upvote the funny expressions that made you uncontrollably ‘aww’ from sweetness.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with animal photographers Karen Hoglund and Christina Lathrop, who capture funny pics of our furry friends daily.
#1 The Only Girl Who Can Pull Off Duck Lips
Image credits: coronaboi78
#2 Annie Loves Her Leaves
Image credits: Viacra
#3 "Seriously, Human?"
Image credits: francisquinha_mal_humorada
For a comment on funny animal expressions, we reached out to a pet photographer, Karen Hoglund, and a licensed vet tech and equine photographer, Christina Lathrop, who capture them on a daily basis.
Firstly, we were interested to know what inspired them to choose such a career path. Hoglund told us, “In my first year of business, I won a photography contest with a funny photo of a dog drinking from a water fountain. It made me realize that my pet photos were more creative than my traditional portrait photography. I felt I could capture animals' personalities better than humans, and their spontaneity intrigued me.”
#4 And It Was Going So Well
Image credits: yoyolise
#5 Ridiculously Photogenic Goat
Image credits: jaycrew
#6 A Dog Next To Me At Dollar General
Image credits: HawkeyeBubber
Meanwhile, Lathrop shared, “I worked as a licensed vet tech for eight years, and photography has always been a passion of mine. When I took a break from the field to welcome my fourth child, I got a camera set as a Christmas gift. I started experimenting with pet photography while also running my retail store in Seattle.
Unfortunately, the pandemic hit my business hard, and we had to close last year. A friend suggested I turn my photography hobby into a professional pursuit, so I took her advice, enrolled in some photography classes, and dove right in. My background as a vet tech and animal behaviorist really helps me connect with animals and capture great shots.”
#7 Just Going To The Park
Image credits: Neffzillaa
#8 Perfect Disguise
Image credits: DickKingSmith
#9 The Best Of Friends
Image credits: cas2ie
Having done so many adorable animal photoshoots, both photographers had their fair share of funny expressions they were able to capture. One of Hoglund’s favorite moments is the award-winning photo of Vizsla drinking water (click here to see it).
“I knew that dog had been trained to drink out of fountains because his owner didn't want to carry water on their walks,” she explained. “So, I started with the dog's normal behavior and made it funnier by making it look like he was doing it all by himself. Behind the scenes, I had my husband hold the water button; he was lying on the ground so that you couldn't see him. We also had the dog walk around the park first, so he'd be thirsty. His enthusiasm for getting a drink is what makes it funny!”
#10 My Pitbull Always Thought He Was The Biggest Dog At The Dog Park
Image credits: warros
#11 I Think That Nutmeg Has The Cutest Face
Image credits: Modern-Moo
#12 Cat Posed Before Her "Miserable Death"
Image credits: estherthegrump
For Lathrop, it was a recent photo she took of a very young gypsy colt who was an adorable ball of energy. “I am a hobby horse trainer and enthusiast, so I of course LOVE my equine shoots. So I just snapped away and got this super cute photo of him; his owner ended up loving it too,” she fondly shared.
#13 I Met This Happy Guy At Work This Morning
Image credits: melvis8782
#14 Mr. Steal Ya Girl
Image credits: dcorm27
#15 Horse Looks Like A Donkey From Shrek
Image credits: fsacb3
During her career, Lathrop has noticed that certain types of animals have distinct expressions she can expect from them during the photoshoot. “For instance, shepherds tend to give that classical head tilt when any sort of unknown noise arises, goldens are just a ball of love and will typically hold anything we ask in their mouths, and Bostons will give me an enthusiastic eye-popping expression. Horses are all unique, and the personalities really vary within individuals, but geldings (neutered males) tend to give more playful expressions.”
#16 They've Reset The Dog To Factory Settings
Image credits: ElMerolMaster
#17 A Baby Wombat
Image credits: ShibbyFresh
#18 Elvis Doesn't Have A Cleft Lip. It Just Gets Stuck On His Tooth
Image credits: catitudeswattitudes
Meanwhile, Hoglund believes that the types of expressions animals make are dependent on their individual personalities. “People assume golden retrievers or other breeds with dopey smiles would be the funniest, but all animals do something that makes them unique. Guinea pigs have wonderful deadpan expressions! Cats are often hilarious when they're being mischievous. It's not so much about the breed but about each animal's individual personality.”
#19 The Way Our Cat, Millie, Lets Us Know Someone Is Here
Image credits: Barfsack
#20 I Caught A Yawn
Image credits: jessmay94
#21 Pumpkin Hates Windy Beaches
Image credits: Nicksharma93
When asked if they have any tips and tricks to bring out the playful side of animals in their photoshoots, Lathrop mentions letting them be themselves and not posing them too much at the beginning of the shoot. “I just stand back and let them interact with their owners while I look through the lens. I always take a bag of what I refer to as "ear getters" to get their attention or their eyes to look at me when I want that. But it's really a lot like working with human toddlers, I just gotta go in with a lot of patience and the ability to change my plan for posing on a whim because animals don't always do what we want them to.”
#22 This Common Grackle
Image credits: My_Bird_Buddy
#23 Tested My New Phone Camera On My Pets, Of Course. These Were My First Two Photos
Image credits: reddit.com
#24 Comfort Of Bed Only Surpassed By Derpness Of Face
Image credits: pawsitivelypowerful
“Aside from capturing fun playfulness, I also capture connection; that's usually my goal,” she adds. “Since I worked in veterinary medicine for so long, I know too well how little time we get with our beloved pets. I wish more owners would reach out for photography with their pets to capture them on their best days and keep photography in mind when the end approaches. Once they are gone, we don't get the opportunity to go back and freeze those adorable faces and the beauty they bring to the world.”
#25 Squirrel In The Winter Wind
Image credits: Demonyx12
#26 Dad Started Putting In A New Toilet. Walked Away For A Few Minutes And Came Back To This
Image credits: TheGinger_ThatCould
#27 Those Tiny Teeth
Image credits: NanoCharat
To snap a playful picture, Hoglund always asks the owners what tricks or funny things their pets do. “That gives me a general plan of what might happen, but I stay open to what the animal actually does. An example is a photo I took of two golden retrievers in a convertible. Typically, people want their dogs to look at the camera. We got that shot, but then the pups saw other dogs walking in front of the car and looked forward. That was the humorous shot because it looked like they were driving!”
#28 Behold, Alvin, In All His Glory
Image credits: User_876524
#29 This Calf Had Quite The Reaction To Me Petting Her
Image credits: Modern-Moo
#30 I Bet His Name Is Phteven
Image credits: Richerd78
She also mentions, “I tend to avoid having animals wear hats, sunglasses, or other props. It's too common and often not as funny as what the animals do on their own. If an animal is having fun and not feeling stressed, they're more likely to be animated. I let the animals take lots of breaks and never force them to do anything. I'm always patient and ready to snap the unexpected moment!”
#31 My Dog Today
Image credits: Stryder778
#32 He's Mad Because It's Raining And You Won't Let Him Inside
Image credits: raxo101
#33 Our Flowers Have A Lot Of Attitude This Spring
Image credits: MurphyDoge
#34 This Poor Cat In A Cone
Image credits: pangolin_nipsl1p
#35 Miniature Donkeys Never Disappoint
Image credits: michellebsinger
#36 My Friend's Turtles Are Super Happy
Image credits: shlay3
#37 My Dog's Beauty Is Sometimes Hard To Capture On Camera
Image credits: siraelwindrunner
#38 My Cat Finnegan Is Excited To Play With His New Toy
Image credits: c4nyon
#39 Blep In Her Sleep
Image credits: crypt0sam
#40 This Face She Makes
Image credits: AnikaSmithArts
#41 So My Friend Thinks Cows Are Cute. What Do You All Think?
Image credits: HappyMuslim
#42 I Think This Is Derp Enough
Image credits: alamperwira89
#43 The Bear Looks Very Sarcastic
Image credits: RuggedlyHandsome
#44 "You Carved My Image Into Your Flesh As An Act Of Affection And Admiration? Ok"
Image credits: Francisquinhamalhumorada
#45 When You See Your Crush From Across The Bar
Image credits: numnumyummy
#46 Rough Green Snake Caught In South Texas
Image credits: reddit.com
#47 My Friend Is A Pet Groomer And Had A Very Angry Customer
Image credits: LalaLissa
#48 Sassy Dog
Image credits: nks12345
#49 My Silly Goat
Image credits: wombatron123
#50 While Traveling In Indonesia, A Monkey Stole My Camera And Left This Selfie
Image credits: Bingolibro
