Revealing GIFs Show What People Look Like Before And After Coffee

The world before coffee. 🌎
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

Whether we want to admit it or not, we are slaves to our morning coffee. A cup of java holds the promise of a brighter day, thanks to its mood-lifting properties (and let's not forget what it does for your digestive system). We wondered just how real coffee's perking-up powers are, so we photographed folks around New York City in their homes, first thing in the morning before they've had their morning cup. And then for good measure, we compared those "before" photos with contrasting "after" shots.

See the portraits and GIFs below to check out the brave souls who faced the gauntlet and came out the other side, caffeinated and happy!

1. Oliver

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
Two to four cups.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
I get it on my walk to work, which is anywhere between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
Going out for coffee in the morning is sometimes the only reason I have to put on pants, which is important. I've drank so much coffee at this point that its effects are minimal. It's more about the ritual that anything else now.

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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2. Adrian

Gabriela Landazuri Saltos/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
Three to five.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
Between 8-8:30 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
I love coffee! Its rich smells are invigorating, and perhaps in a strange way make me feel slightly nostalgic, for what I don't know. Coffee is a necessary part of my morning routine, helping me transition from incoherent and totally inert to a productive and upstanding member of society. It allows me to go from Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll.

Gabriela Landazuri Saltos/Huffington Post

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3. Jacques

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
I try to do one on Monday to Friday and two on the weekends as a treat.
On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
At around 7:30 a.m. after I wake up and meditate.
Explain your feelings about coffee.
I think coffee represents one of my closest connections with my mother. I used to hate the taste but one college winter break where I spent a lot of time with her I started drinking it. It's been love since then!
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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4. Molly

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
I usually drink three cups. Though full disclosure, at least one of them is a double shot of espresso.
On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
I drink my first cup when I get to the office between 8:30 and 9 a.m.
Explain your feelings about coffee.
I've had a long, intense relationship coffee that has definitely suffered from some dependency issues over the years. I began drinking it when I was 14, and have really never strayed -- though when I begin to get withdrawal headaches in the afternoons I usually try and cut back a bit, take some "me" time. Generally speaking, though, coffee brings out the best in me!
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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5. Damon

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
Usually three our four. I try to limit myself to two in the morning and one after lunch, but sometimes I need an extra boost.
On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
If I'm being good, I'll have a cup at 7 or 7:30 a.m. before I head into work. If I'm running late and don't have time at home, I'll usually grab one at the office at around 8:30. It's basically imperative that I have one before I really start the day.
Explain your feelings about coffee.
I am passionately pro-coffee and leap at any opportunity to espouse the
health benefits of the black elixir to skeptics. It's delicious, makes me feel warm and helps break the day up. But I do kind of hate that it's essentially a requirement in my life: Early flights turn into more of a pain because I have to figure out when and where to grab a cup. Do I gulp one before I get to the airport? Find a Starbucks when I'm there? It's annoying, frankly. I feel noticeably worse if I don't have coffee, and ideally I wouldn't be so reliant on it.
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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6. Julia

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
I usually drink about three cups on a workday. On the weekends I abstain so I can trick myself into believing I'm not addicted. It's not going well so far.
On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
On a weekday, I try to make it all the way to the office before I drink my first cup. I get in around 9 a.m., check my email and do some early morning work things, and then I grab coffee by 9:30 a.m.
Explain your feelings about coffee.
Coffee is my constant companion and friend. Coffee is a lover when I have none. Coffee runs thicker than blood. I'm not addicted. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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7. Tiara

Gabriela Landazuri Saltos/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
One cup a day.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
Right when I get in the office at 9 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
I was a barista for six years, through college and grad school. There was a point I became so addicted to caffeine I would drink two large iced coffees with a double shot every day. Obviously that habit was not sustainable, so I slowly weened myself to one cup a day. I really have never felt much of a caffeine stimulation from coffee which is why I ended up having to drink so much. Even now the one cup I drink every morning is just because I enjoy the taste. I'm just lucky I'm a morning person so I normally don't need it to wake up feeling energized!

Huffington Post

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8. Alyssa

Gabriela Landazuri Saltos/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
Three cups.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
9 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
Coffee is great, but it's also the reason I'm both hyper and exhausted almost daily. I associate drinking coffee with writing or doodling at coffee shops, so I do that late at night after work, making me too caffeinated to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. So I wake up tired and drink coffee to combat the sleepiness throughout the day and evening, starting the cycle all over again. Maybe I should switch to decaf.

Huffington Post

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9. Kate

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
One to three cups a day.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
I usually have my first cup by 10 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
Coffee has taught me a lot about myself through the years, and it's been supportive of my needs, judgment free. There have been times when I've been down and have had more trouble getting out of bed; drinking more coffee helped me get through the foggy moments. There have been other days when I've gone without coffee and didn't realize until nighttime. My negligence didn't make coffee any less willing to be there the following morning. Man, I am thankful for coffee.

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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10. Suzy

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
I usually drink one cup of coffee (one espresso drink) per day.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
Between 7:30 and 9 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
As a fairly new coffee drinker, I think I look forward to my daily cup more than most people. It definitely helps me to get out of bed -- thinking about a warm, steamy treat is very motivating! I see why people have been doing it all along.

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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11. Eva

Gabriela Landazuri Saltos/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
One to two.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
Usually, hopefully, before I get into work around 10:30 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
Coffee gives me energy, makes me happy and productive. I think it's a great part of my day to look forward to, especially when it's extra hard to get out of bed.

Eva Hill/Huffington Post

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12. Vici

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

How many cups of coffee do you usually drink per day?
One to two cups.

On the average weekday, what time do you have your first cup of coffee?
Usually around 10 to 11 a.m.

Explain your feelings about coffee.
I love coffee and exploring coffee shops! Coffee is my daily treat that wakes me up in the morning and gives me a nice energy boost in the afternoon. Definitely a thing I look forward to every day.

Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post
Damon Dahlen/Huffington Post

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