People Are Sharing The Most Awkward Photos From Their Family Albums (New Pics)
Interview With ExpertGathering all family members in one place at the same time for a decent photo while also trying to find the perfect spot and lighting can feel like an Olympic sport or managing a kindergarten full of hyperactive kids. And after many efforts, when everything finally falls into place, ready for the shot, someone’s bound to close their eyes, make a weird face, or drain all emotion from their expression.
The families we gathered in the list below definitely know the struggle, as none of them seem to have achieved the cozy and idyllic family photos everyone strives for. All they’ve managed to capture are very awkward and cringy pictures that somehow got exposed online for our entertainment. Scroll down to find them below, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that probably should’ve stayed in the dusty albums in Grandma’s attic.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with luxury family vacation photographer Kirstie McConnell, owner and lead photographer at Christopher Todd Studios, Christopher Griffiths, and wedding and family photographer Kelly Williams, who kindly agreed to share their best tips on how to avoid awkward family photos.
This post may include affiliate links.
This Picture Was Taken At My Daughter’s Preschool Photo Day. I Think The Photographer Thought Having Her Hold A Flower Would Make For A Really Cute And Innocent Picture
My Family Took This Photo For Our Baptist Church Directory In The Late 90s. It Was A Bit Of A Scandal But In Our Defense, Men In Black Had Just Come Out
During Our ‘Perfect’ Beach Photo Shoot, My Oldest Son Jumped On My Back, Propelling My Infant Son Out Of My Arms (As My Middle Son Looked On In Amusement)
My infant son was not harmed, just wet and scared but mommy is forever traumatized.
"An awkward family photo is the opposite of what a professional photographer creates! It’s the kind of photo where everyone looks stiff, the smiles feel forced, and even the viewer can sense the discomfort," luxury family vacation photographer Kirstie McConnell tells Bored Panda.
"The key difference? A great photographer knows how to bring out natural moments—where families look at ease, genuinely happy, and connected."
When I Was A Kid My Family Decided To Take A Vacation To Blackpool, England. This Picture Is Perhaps The Only Family Portrait I Have From My Youth. I Treasure It!
I like the man sitting on the right. By the way, is that a mug of Belfast Black ?
This Was Supposed To Be A Cute Photo Of Me And My Newborn Son
They don't usually give parents that look until they're teenagers.
Pictures don't always turn out the way we anticipate. I see a mom loving on her baby just slightly too hard! The look on the baby's face is the best!
Yes, This Is My Family Photo
For wedding and family photographer Kelly Williams, an awkward family photo is one where attire, posing, smiles, and hairstyles are all wrong in the best way possible. "Normally, these photos are made better by a decade or so of time between when the photo was taken and the present day," she says.
My Dad Liked To Balance Me On One Hand And Sometimes He Used Props
In Hindsight, My Freddy Krueger Shirt Probably Wasn’t Appropriate Attire For My Cousin's Holy Communion
That really depends on how seriously you take the occasion. I would say, just right.
It's tradition to wear a veil and a white dress for first communion. Some Catholic priests encourage a basic white robe, but almost everyone wears white for the occasion in Roman Catholic churches.
Load More Replies...Don't see the the problem..being indoctrinated into a cult should not be a reason to celebrate.
This Family Photo Hung In My Pop And Gram’s House For Years. To Say They Didn’t Like My Aunt’s Ex-Husband May Have Been An Understatement
After my brother's divorce, I was looking at a picture at my mother's house of me and my brother and said, "Mom, where was this, I don't remember being here" to which my mother sweetly replied, "Oh, you weren't." She apparently thought it was a nice pic of my brother but didn't want my sister-in-law in there, so she cut her out and stuck in my head from another picture.
My mother in law did this to all of my sister in law's photos from her first wedding. Ages before I found out her first husband's name, I'd only ever known him referred to as "that little swine"
As for owner and lead photographer at Christopher Todd Studios, Christopher Griffiths, an awkward family photo is all about the oozing stress you can feel immortalized in the picture. "An awkward family photo usually tells a story and not the one you want to remember! You can almost feel the stress. Parents are tense, kids are mid-meltdown (or just recovering from one), and Dad looks like he’d rather be anywhere else," he says.
"Add in mismatched outfits or ones that don’t follow the recommended style guide, and the whole photo can feel disjointed. Often, no one is genuinely smiling. There are either fake grins or no smiles at all, and it just doesn’t capture that natural, happy family vibe."
I Played Keyboard In Elementary School Band And School Photos Were Sometimes Full Of The Rock And Roll That Comes With The Territory
My Sister Wanted To Make Sure Her Eyes Stayed Open For The Picture
We should be able to take legal action against our parents if we have photographic proof of a haircut like any of those.
This Is A Family Photo From The 90s. We Had Coordinated Halloween Costumes And Yes, We Watched A Lot Of Star Trek
so..... let me get this straight: the Mom dressed all the boys in RED shirts 👕 🤪 lol
Nah. Those are TNG uniforms. Red = command. Yellow = operations (security/engineering), Blue = medical and science.
Load More Replies...My God, what dorks! The Next Generation? (Yes, I'm joking. Well, not really but at least I know the irony.)
Hey! You leave TNG alone! Sure, we all know DS9 was the best, but I have a lot of fond memories!
Load More Replies...I know what happens to the guys in the red shirts on Star Trek. Ther's going to be fewer people in next years photo
Not in TNG. That colour of red indicated high rank.
Load More Replies...The family picture might turn out awkward if people feel rushed, uncomfortable, or badly posed, explains McConnell. "It’s easy to tell when a group has been plonked together without thought! The secret to natural family photos is considering dynamics—who should stand next to whom, how to layer different heights, and what will make everyone feel most like themselves.
For example, if grandma is in the photo, she should be seated comfortably. A teenager will look more natural leaning casually against a wall rather than standing stiffly in a row. Young kids? They won’t sit still for long—so let’s get them moving, whether it’s bouncing on dad’s shoulders or playing a little game to bring out their real smiles."
This Is A Picture Of My Grandpa, Aunt, And Uncle On Christmas Morning. You Can See They Are Full Of Cheer And Excitement For The Holiday
I can't say I blame them. It looks like Santa didn't leave any presents in that stocking
The Last (And Arguably The Greatest) Professional Portrait Studio Photo Of My Husband And His Family
I don't get it. It's very 1980-ies (which I expect in 1980-ies pics) but otherwise?
I agree, don't shame a look that was the rage back then just because it's not in style now.
Load More Replies...Me, My Husband And Our 2 Children – It’s Our 2021 Holiday Photo And No Matter How We Tried To Entertain Our Son, He Wasn’t Having It
It’s my fault for drinking while reading this list, now my phones all wet
That's hilarious! Sometimes what we don't plan turns out better than what we do plan!
Dad seems fine with it but you can see the loss of patients in Mum’s eyes.
I don't think having patients in your eyes is a good thing.
Load More Replies...Griffiths adds that not everyone is comfortable being in front of the camera, which can greatly add to a photo's awkwardness level.
"It’s not exactly a natural situation! Unless you're a model, it’s normal not to know how to stand, where to put your hands, or how to give a relaxed, genuine smile. On top of that, parents are often worried about how their kids are behaving or if they’re making silly faces," he says.
"Another big factor? The photographer. If the photographer isn’t experienced with families, it can be tough to guide everyone into natural poses and bring out those real smiles. A great family photographer does more than snap pictures, they help everyone feel comfortable, have fun, and enjoy the experience. That connection makes all the difference when trying to avoid photos from looking awkward."
I Was The Punk Rock / Artist Of The Family
Looks like a happy family! All smiling and looking like they meant it!
I agree. This one actually looks sort of amazing.
Load More Replies...My Aunt’s Wedding Pictures With Her Bridesmaids And Flower Girl
Why wasn't that censored? Oh, you meant the hand things. Moving on...
Load More Replies...This Is A Photo Of Me Faceplanting Into The Ground After What Looks Like My Sister Pushed Me Off The Top
Those slides cause that to happen. The legs will stick while your butt is sliding, providing a fulcrum to flip you on your face. Depending on the severity, it can be horrifying or funny. (Wear long pants when going down any sort of slide.)
Most people would like to avoid awkward moments in their photos unless they're participating in a recent trend and trying to recreate cringy family pictures. For the former, photographers have a few tips on how to make any photoshoot less awkward. The first one is seeking out a professional photographer.
"To me, a photo is always a reflection back on the person taking the photo. Do people look stiff and scared in the photo? Well, that's probably how the photographer made the people feel on the other end of the camera," says Williams.
"Are the family members all over the place and not in sync with one another? Do they look like they aren't having fun? Again, that's probably the fault of the photographer. Think of a good photographer as a guide who brings out the best in your family and then captures those happy memories for you to share with your loved ones."
My Brother, Chris’s 1998 Senior Picture. He Really Loved Batman
This Was Taken In 1976 On Our Country’s Bicentennial. I’m The Little Guy That Resembles A Puppet
This Is A Picture From My Sister’s Wedding. My Daughter Is The Flower Girl And My Son Is The Linebacker. Please Laugh And Enjoy. We Did!
I think you mean AWESOME crazy professor vibe.
Load More Replies...It also helps to be prepared for the photoshoot in advance, notes Griffiths. "Pick and prep outfits 1-2 nights before. No scrambling on the day of the shoot means way less stress and more fun. Give yourselves extra time. Avoid rushing or squeezing too much into the day. Let the photoshoot be the main event so everyone’s relaxed and in a good mood."
This Pic Is My Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister And Her Husband, Me And My Demonic-Looking Son. This Family Portrait Was Taken In The 80s… We Were Really A Scary Crew
The Church Directory Photographer Created This Of Me And My Mom And My Parents Bought A 5×7. I Always Hated It
I have a camera that can do double exposers and in High School I tried one to make my sister look like she was thinking about her horse. When it was developed it looked like my sister had horse ears.
I Think The Stuffed Animal Possessed My Older Brother When He Was 7 Months Old In 1973
"Consider the timing of your family photos for the best results," adds McConnell. "The soft, golden light near sunrise or sunset creates the most flattering, natural glow. Instead of squeezing in a rushed session after work, plan for a relaxed weekend shoot—or better yet, book a vacation photographer. When you’re already together, feeling your best, and dressed in outfits you love, it’s the perfect recipe for effortless, natural portraits—no awkwardness in sight!" she concludes.
This Is My Parents On Their Wedding Day In 1975. She Was Always On His Mind Then And She Still Is Today
We Just Wanted One Picture With All The Cousins
Well, it looks like everyone's in the frame so, Mission Accomplished!
My Swiss-American Great-Grandparents On Their 40th Wedding Anniversary Sometime In The 40’s. So Happy Together
They remembered from 40 years before that you had to hold really still for a picture.
They may have been very happy. It was the way they took photos. and no one smiled.
Australia, 1979 Mother’s Day. We Fought And We Needed To Take Photos To Remember
My Daughter Was Super Sad Because She Couldn’t Eat Any Cookies Yet. Oy Indeed.
This Was The Only Bench Around To Rest After A Long Hike, So We Sat And Took Five
I guess that bench is there for when they paint it next and you can sit and watch it dry
To Make Sure Our Three Month Old Would Stay Still For The Photo Session, We Needed To Get Creative
I don't think Rami Malek is that young. Could be wrong, though.
Load More Replies...1993. My Siblings And I (The Blonde) Got The Great Idea To Take A Portrait Of Ourselves For A Surprise Christmas Present For Our Mom
However, none of us were in the mood for photos on that particular day.
Me And My Mom With Our Matching Christmas Mullets
Different times, different trends.Probably half the pop bands I remember from the 1980s had at least one member with hair like that. And Bowie was pioneering it as far back as 1973 (IIRC).
Load More Replies...Other than the christmas tree behind, what makes them christmas mullets rather than any other time of the year mullets? Was it a christmas tradition?
Part mullet, part afro = Mulfro. They're gonna love this in the south.
Bring Your Parents To School Day In Kindergarten 1990. Apparently, I Wasn’t So Pleased About Who I Brought
Well if it was "Bring Your Parents" day I guess you really didn't have much choice
The rental place was out of them. All the other kids got there first.
Load More Replies...Christmas 1985. Every Time I See This Photo I Wonder How On Earth I Sat There Calmly? I Mean Look At The Dude On The Left
Let me guess, Russia? (based on how Santa looks in the photo, which resembles more the actual St. Nick)
Doubtful, Latin alphabet on the box to the right.
Load More Replies...This Was Taken On A Beach In Connecticut. My Photographer Was Screaming And We Had No Idea Why. Then She Showed Me The Picture And I Saw What Was Coming Out Of My Son’s Nose
What was the photographer screaming? This is confusing. Why did they take the picture? Y'all don't look like someone is screaming at you.
Screaming with laughter, perhaps, just after he'd hit the button?
Load More Replies...I Don’t Think Anyone Is Prepared For The 90s Masterpiece Of My Mom, Her Boyfriend, Me And My Brothers. Those Mullets. The Lasers. And So Much Denim
My 3 Stepsisters From A Dance Recital In Garland, Tx In 1983
Choose your own adventure. Aaaand uh I hope the one on the left was like that naturally and not from being under “dancer” pressure.
Load More Replies...This Was From One Of My Dance Recitals. I Was Dressed Like A Fly And Buzzed Around The Stage Until The Other Dancers Trapped Me With A White Parachute (Their Spider Web)
"Possibly the most embarrassing photo of me ever.”
This Is A Photo Of Me And My Family Celebrating The Holidays In 1987
At Christmas, the family that spas together fa-la-las together.
Load More Replies...This Is A Picture Of One Of My Cousins In The Early 80s Hanging Out In The Kitchen And Blissfully Watching How Sausage Is Made. ‘Cause That’s How We Roll
Me (Mom) And My Family, Minus Our Oldest Daughter, Who Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead In This Photo
Ha. Yeah the apparently eldest son doesn’t look thrilled either… Neither do the two youngest. Whose families did this? Mine certainly didn’t.
Load More Replies...Just Me, My Sister, And Our Dragon. Nbd
1986 Senior Pictures. So Much To Unpack Here. The Phone, The Boots, The Ornamental Side Clip In The Very Bottle Blonde Hair
I Spent Much Time In A Leotard During The Late 1970s/Early 89s
Evidently much to the chagrin of my grandmother and sister, both giving me the stink eye here. Mum seems not to care. Thanks, mum.
I only liked the soundtrack, not the movie, but I still cut up so many sweatshirts…
Load More Replies...Yup, It Was A Hole In The Ground
"Road trip!" ! think every single one of my friends wound up on all the stupid "roadside attractions" available in the 1960s except ours, and remember this hole from several slideshows. For those too young, everyone who went on trips back then would show the neighbors all their slides, one of the *deadliest* annoyances of being a kid back then. Turtles got bored.
My grandad specifically designed his lounge room for slideshows. At one end was a blank wall for the screen and at the other were two cupboards built into the wall that opened from the top so the projector could be set up on them. I'm too young to have been subject to them though. I do have a box of the old slides though, most of which have been scanned to my hard drive.
Load More Replies...The Time My Sister Put Me In The Dryer And Fed Me Dry Cat Food
What's the statute of limitations on that? Seems like solid photographic evidence.
This Is… Uncle Michael
How fitting that is name is Michael or Mike for short. Is the last name Meyers?
2013, American Fork, Utah. My Mother-In-Law Wanted A Huge Family Photo
For some reason she put us all in ugly bright colored sweaters in the middle of the summer and wanted us all to stand in random spots on the steps and smile. I was on camera duty and so I pushed the timer and hauled it back to my spot but wiped out just as the photo was snapped.
My grandmother's family have a reunion every year so we have gotten pretty good at the timer run, but there have definitely been some wipeouts at times! It's also funny each year trying to work out which of the 3-6 cameras to look at!
Tried To Take Nice Family Photos And As The Photographer Said ‘Alright, Serious Faces For This One’ My Daughter Turned And Bit Me On The Shoulder
Our Very 80’s K-Mart Photo Session Taken In Michigan In 1988 And I’m The Chunky Baby
That is a perfectly acceptable family picture! And that is not a chunky baby!
My Oldest Son Was Ready For Our Church Photo Shoot. The Rest Of Us, Not So Much
Gotta make sure there's no boogers in the picture! Not sure what's going on in the middle? Seems the photographer was ready too.
I need to ask, seriously: what IS a "Church photo shoot"? (Here, I don't attend any church, and "nice family photos" we have at a photographer's or do them ourselves... ) Like, what's the occasion?
Churches will put together a directory of their members, for the other members. It helps match up which kids belong to which parents, or a refresher on someone’s name, when you recognize their face but forget their name. Some of them have contact details (in my day, was a phone number; now I imagine an email) for the various families.
Load More Replies...1980. El Segundo, California. My Grandmother And Her Fourth Husband On Their Wedding Day
A friend of mine had a segundo wedding too. Also a tercero one and a cuatro as well.
Fourth? Wow. She looks rather young for that kinda' churn (not that I have a lot of room to talk XD)
He looks like he is contemplating his life choices and asking himself - why? Just why?
My Daughter Was Thrilled To Meet Santa
This Was Taken In New Orleans Circa 1986 During A Family Vacation. I Am Pretty Sure It Was 105°f That Day
My mother told my Dad and I to pose in front of the mausoleums. This picture is a reminder why Jam shorts and midriffs went out of style.
If it's 105 in New Orleans, it's smart to visit a cemetary. It will probably save you a trip.
It Was The 80s & Hot Sticks And The 'Burning Bush' Hairstyle Was The Latest Craze And My Beautiful Sister Was Rockin’ It
Flames. The flames, at the side of my face. I, I hated her…
Load More Replies...We Were At A Restaurant In 2000 And There Was A Birthday In Another Area Of The Restaurant And The Man In The Chicken Suit Was Entertaining At The Party And Going On A Bathroom Break
My father asked if he could take a picture of him with us, he said “sure” and then my father handed me the camera and told me take a picture of your siblings with the chicken. So I did it.
My Little Sister’s First Holy Communion. She Was Over Getting Her Picture Taken And Wanted To Get Out Of That Dress. We Were Like, "Just One More In The Parking Lot!"
Are you sure it was the dress bothering her and not something she ate ?😉
This Is My Uncle Leonard And His Family. Aunt Loujean Was A Great Seamstress, And Just Had To Make Shirts And Pants For The Whole Family Every Time We Had A Reunion
Someone else should have picked out the fabric. Did she go for the discount bin.
I was going to make a comment about people named Leonard and then I remembered it's my grandad's name! (He went by Len so I forgot) I could also see my grandma making those clothes. She was a good seamstress but also quite excentric and some of the things she made for herself I wouldn't have been caught dead in. My mum said that one day she had a school excursion, where they were allowed to wear casual clothes (otherwise it was a uniform) and she got really embarrassed when she got to school and everyone else was in things that were definitely more casual, while she was in bright orange hotpants her mum had sewn!
Didn't they get the hint that Aunt Loujean didn't want them coming around?
Uncle Leonard looks like he wishes she wasn't such a great seamstress.
Me On The Far Left With My Cousins And My Mother’s Best Friend’s Kids In The Mid 80s In Quincy, Massachusetts
The second from the right looks like he should be in a horror movie as the villain.
This Was Taken By My Mother On Father’s Day 1986. My Sister (Far Right) And I Are Less Than Thrilled To Be Missing Morning Cartoons
"Not to mention our king-for-a-day dad obviously scored the only tray in the house so my eggs were precariously balanced on my lap. As for my sister’s cereal…that most likely ended up in the bed as well.”
The dad looks more like Frank Zappa than Tom Selleck
Load More Replies...Things looked so brown and drab and just ugly in the 80’s. I know there was neon in there somewhere, but when I see pics like these…
Late 80s. It’s Me, My Sister, My Best Friend And A Bunny With A Mustache
Bunny standing upright holding a basket but you zero in on bunny has a moustache?
I Was Barely A Month Old And My Parents Decided My First ‘Outing’ Should Be A Trip To The Local Mall To Meet These Disturbing Characters
From that moment on, I was cursed to live my life as a NY Jets fan.
My Sister At Her Chuck E. Cheese Birthday Party. I Am The Child On The Right Doing Absolutely Nothing To Console Her
A Vacation From 1989 To The Luray Caverns In Virginia. It Was A Beautiful And Magical Day
I got my family thrown out from there when I was four. Kept going off the path
One Year Old Me, Santa In Furry Slippers And The Most Disturbing And Scary Befana Ever
Italy, 1996 (In Italy the Befana is supposed to be an old, kind woman who deliver gifts to kids on Epiphany eve).
Me And My Siblings And Lots Of Big Hair Taken Near Provo, Ut In The Late 80s. My Mom Scoured Dozens Of Department Stores Looking For The Matching Red Shirts
My Mom Went To Dance School With Me In The 80s
Our Family Is Italian And Proud Of Our Heritage. One Of Our Favorite Traditions Has Always Been Having Stuffed Artichokes On Special Occasion
When my first daughter was born we decided to take a family picture with the newest addition to the family with my cousins. While deciding on outfits one of us suggested we should all hold an artichoke…and for some reason the rest of us agreed it would be a fantastic idea! I think it’s clear from the photo that my daughter was the only one who found it a little odd.
The Time We Were Celebrating My Dad’s Birthday And My Mom Wanted To Make Sure We Got My Sick Brother In The Picture
Every Year For Thanksgiving My Brother And I Drink Several Cocktails And Deep Fry The Turkey
This was the year I decided to brine the turkey in apple cider and my grandmother declared that I ruined Thanksgiving.
My Mom Holding My Sister Up For A Photo Op With Chester And Big Bob In 1985
It Was The Girl Scout Father-Daughter Dance And My Dad Was Not Happy About Having To Go
If you lived through the 70s and 80s you saw pretty much everything.
Load More Replies...If you lived through the 70s and 80s you saw pretty much everything.
Load More Replies...
