Shots of questionable alcoholic beverages: We’ve all been there. That’s why I'm pretty sure most of us can relate to UK-based photographer Tim Charles’ series “Shot Face,” which captures the precise moments before, during, and after a bunch of people knock back a shot. If you’ve ever experienced an intense moment of regret right after doing a round of tequila with your besties in college… this one’s for you.
Why attempt to catch these very specific moments on film (or, y'know, digital, as the case may be)? Well, besides the fact that the results are hilarious, Charles explained it to ViralSchool as follows:
“The idea of going through a moment of temporary mental and physical discomfort to reach a potentially better end result is interesting and something I wanted to explore. Not only that, but doing a shot is probably one of the only times people will pull a somewhat ugly face in public and are stripped of any image of self we try to convey.”
I like to look at it as the Claire Danes ugly cry for non-celebrities.
The end result also ends up being an exploration of all the emotional stages we all go through during the act of taking a shot. First, you’re all, “Man, this is going to be awesome!”:
And then you knock it back:
Then there’s that moment right after you get it down in which your shot kind of kicks you in the face:
And lastly, there's the “OMG why did I just do that to myself?” phase:
Speaking of the “OMG why did I just do that?” phase, this moment can take many forms; in fact, I think that's my favorite thing about “Shot Face”: It shows the huge variety of reactions people have when confronted with something equal parts fun and unpleasant. There’s this guy and his look of mild surprise:
This gal, working a poker face that might betray her at any second:
This dude, who seems to be saying, “Yep. Definitely shouldn’t have done that”:
And this woman, who… well, someone just get her some water, STAT:
I feel you, lady.
See the entire “Shot Face” series at Charles’ Tumblr — and don’t forget to check out his other work at his website while you’re at it. He photographs everything from stunning locations to deeply personal objects, all with the same sense of personality he captures so brilliantly in “Shot Face.”
Bottoms up!
Images: Courtesy Tim Charles
