Join the Fun!

#2

"1984, France. The Only Picture I Have Of My Grandma And She Looks Like Grambo."

122points

POST

Tucker Cahooter 19 hours ago

After the photo was taken she chopped a pile of bricks with her hand

37points

#3

“Skipped Preschool To Go Get Glamour Shots With My Mom. Think It Was The Right Decision.”

115points

POST

Lotekguy 20 hours ago (edited)

That young lady may not always be right, but she's never in doubt.

46points

Familial relationships are complex, to say the least. We’ve all had our fair share of drama and unresolved issues, which, according to Knox College psychology professor Dr. Frank McAndrew, could be why many family photos turn out awkward.

"You bring in all of these people together with their grudges and their histories on the very day where you want everything to be perfect,” he explained. "We all have to appear to be civil here, so you soldier on in some awkward way."

#4

"My Absolute Unit Of A Baby Brother. For Reference, My Sister Holding Him Was Four."⁠

109points

POST

Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 20 hours ago

The poor mother!

88points

#5

"This Old Picture Of My Great-Grandmother, Far Left, Makes It Look Like The Cameraman Just Stumbled Into A Secret Meeting Of The Grandmas..."⁠

105points

POST

Chuckie 20 hours ago

grandma on the left says dont leave any witnesses

47points

#6

"Hi, I’m Jenn And I Sold My First House At Only 3 Years Old."

103points

POST

sdorph 18 hours ago

Somewhere today she's running an HOA

50points

But awkwardness is still a theme in many family photos, even if there aren't lingering tensions. According to Dr. McAndrew, this is likely because of the generally unique family dynamics that are different from other relationships we develop throughout life.

"Because we share genes with these people, we care about them in a way that we don't care about anyone else.”

#7

“During A Cousins Photo Shoot, My Brother Fell Off The Stool Mid-Temper Tantrum And The Photographer Managed To Catch All Of My Cousins’ Reactions.”

103points

POST

CoMa4 19 hours ago

Damn it Kenny, we can’t take you anywhere!

46points

#8

"There Was A Moth In Our Kitchen."⁠

99points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

And all the animals in the house got a bead on it at the same time.

22points

#9

"My Mom Was Amish In The 90s. Apparently, When This Picture Was Taken She Was In Trouble With The Church For Breaking Off Three Engagements."⁠

96points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

Bet she left for Rumspringa and never went back.

51points

Many people experience anxiety, which is why they inadvertently look awkward in photos. Fortunately, there are solutions to this. Veteran wedding photographer Laura Oswald suggests focusing on the photos' outcome.

“When your focus is on how you appear in pictures, you are going to miss out on the experience and not really let yourself be natural,” she wrote in a blog post for her website.

#10

“My Senior Photo, 1989. I Remember The Photographer And His Helper Had To Move Their Set Up Back In Order To Capture My Whole Head. Side Note: This Picture Got Me Voted Greatest 80s Hair By National Geographic TV’s Contest.”

“My Senior Photo, 1989. I Remember The Photographer And His Helper Had To Move Their Set Up Back In Order To Capture My Whole Head. Side Note: This Picture Got Me Voted Greatest 80s Hair By National Geographic TV’s Contest.”

95points

POST

malleymac84_1 18 hours ago

He must have grown up to be a British Guard

68points

#11

“I Used To Get Really Bad Stomach Aches That Would Keep Me On The Toilet For Hours. I Would Also Get Really Lonely And Apparently Sleepy. Luckily My Mom Was There To Keep Me Company.”

90points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

THAT’S love, right there.

72points

#12

"I Really Love Those Quirky Space-Themed Family Photos. My Dog Max Was Less Than Cooperative, But We Managed To Snag This Wondrous Beauty." ⁠

89points

POST

Sandra Angulo 19 hours ago

WE ARE GOING TO DIE, CAROL

61points

Photographer Aimee Liz shares a similar sentiment on the mindset shift. She suggests pretending you’re in a movie to allow the emotions to shine through.

“Laughter is just as beautiful as romance, so either way, pretending you’re in a movie about your family’s love is a win-win,” she wrote in a post for her personal blog.

#13

“My Sisters And I Were Professionally Photographed With Identical Dolls In Matching Prairie Dresses.”

86points

POST

Sue Denham 20 hours ago

The photographer still requires counselling.

92points

#14

"My Husband’s High School Goth/Emo/Photoshop Phase Is An Untapped Goldmine."⁠

85points

POST

Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 20 hours ago

"It's not a phase mom!"

61points

#15

"My Friend's Grandmother Went White Water Rafting..."⁠

84points

POST

Lost Panda 20 hours ago

It doesn't say she came back...

67points

People often say, “When you look good, you feel good.” Your appearance influences your emotions, which is why Seattle-based photographer Neyssa Lee suggests wearing something comfortable if you’re having a photoshoot.

“If you aren’t a short dress girl, or showing off your arms makes you cringe, avoid those things altogether,” she wrote on her website.

#16

"My Mom Said This Was One Of My Favorite Things To Do As A Child."⁠

83points

POST

Tha Monkey 20 hours ago

Hell, I still do that as an adult!!! (Or, a 60 y/o teen who still thinks fart jokes are funny.)

38points

#17

“We Were Doing Family Photos For My Sister’s Bat Mitzvah. The Photographer Told Us To Make Funny Faces But My Mom Took It To The Next Level…”⁠

81points

POST

Sue Denham 20 hours ago

Mom wins.

39points

#18

“My Grandmother And Great Grandmother Around 1992 Or 93. According To My Grandma, ‘We Went To One Of Those Photo Places In The Palm Desert Mall And They Duded Us Up Like Floozies. We Howled When We Saw These Pictures.'”

“My Grandmother And Great Grandmother Around 1992 Or 93. According To My Grandma, ‘We Went To One Of Those Photo Places In The Palm Desert Mall And They Duded Us Up Like Floozies. We Howled When We Saw These Pictures.'”

81points

POST

Pamelot 17 hours ago

Gorgeous grandmas. 💗

15points

We’d like to hear your thoughts, too. Do you have a lot of awkward photos with your family? How do they make you feel? Comment below, and perhaps share some of those snapshots, too!

#19

“As A Child, My Boyfriend Loved Appliances And In His Eyes, All Other Appliances Paled In Comparison To The Vacuum Cleaner. When He Was Around Five, His Mom Took Him To A Photography Studio To Get His Portrait Taken. He Asked The Photographers If They Had Any Vacuums He Could Take A Picture With. They Found One In A Broom Closet And Brought It Out For Him… The Rest Is History.”⁠

“As A Child, My Boyfriend Loved Appliances And In His Eyes, All Other Appliances Paled In Comparison To The Vacuum Cleaner. When He Was Around Five, His Mom Took Him To A Photography Studio To Get His Portrait Taken. He Asked The Photographers If They Had Any Vacuums He Could Take A Picture With. They Found One In A Broom Closet And Brought It Out For Him… The Rest Is History.”⁠

80points

POST

Ziggyc 19 hours ago

This is so cute

33points

#20

"My Mom's Bed Hung From Chains, And She Had A Mini Bar For A Headboard. 1972."⁠

78points

POST

Damned_Cat 20 hours ago

Livin' the life in '75!

30points

#21

"My Daughter Was Having A Tantrum, And Hid Her Face Under A Pillow. The Results Were Divine!"⁠

78points

POST

ॐBoyGanesh 18 hours ago

At least it’s an awesome pillow!

12points

#22

"My Dad, The Morning After Finding Out My Mom Was Pregnant With My Brother. 1982."⁠

77points

POST

The Queen Of France 20 hours ago

Sums it up perfectly.

27points

#23

“I Was About Seven Years Old When My Favorite Betta Fish Died. I Was So Devastated That I Insisted On Hosting A Full Blown Funeral For It. We Dressed In All Black And Even Said Nice Words. My Mom Took This Photo In Our Back Yard Before We Buried It. My Older Sister Is Trying Her Hardest Not To Laugh While I Stood There Holding My Dead Fish On A Paper Plate."⁠

“I Was About Seven Years Old When My Favorite Betta Fish Died. I Was So Devastated That I Insisted On Hosting A Full Blown Funeral For It. We Dressed In All Black And Even Said Nice Words. My Mom Took This Photo In Our Back Yard Before We Buried It. My Older Sister Is Trying Her Hardest Not To Laugh While I Stood There Holding My Dead Fish On A Paper Plate."⁠

74points

POST

zims 18 hours ago

That's a supportive family.

44points

#24

"Daughter’s First Camping Trip. This Is How She Woke Me Up At 6:15 In The Morning."⁠

73points

POST

Teutonic Disaster 7 hours ago

Someone wants to go home by the looks of it. 😂Poor darling. 😊

11points

#25

"Not All Heroes Wear Capes."⁠

73points

POST

MartiBob 13 hours ago

That dad is a hero!

11points

#26

“He Always Posed For Photos In The Past. Maybe He Didn’t Like The Photographer.”⁠

71points

POST

Sue Denham 20 hours ago

He looks kind of awestruck to me.

9points

#27

My Friend Mike’s Rock Star Mullet When He Was Two Years Old In 1989 In Fairbanks, Alaska. I Think It’s One Of The Best Photos On Earth

70points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

Let me guess, the ring around his mouth and nose is from the chocolate milk that was served in a wide mouth cup.

12points

#28

"I Was Shooting Family Pics When This Local Obliviously Walked Into Frame."

67points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

Smuggling grapes all the way.

15points

#29

“We Took This Picture At A Friend’s Wedding. It Wasn’t Until After I Posted It And People Started Making Comments About My Husband’s ‘Barbie Arm’ Did We Notice How His Arm Had ‘Shrunk’…”⁠

“We Took This Picture At A Friend’s Wedding. It Wasn’t Until After I Posted It And People Started Making Comments About My Husband’s ‘Barbie Arm’ Did We Notice How His Arm Had ‘Shrunk’…”⁠

63points

POST

Shelli Aderman 12 hours ago

Heh! Perfectly timed photo!

10points

#30

“My 1981 High School Yearbook Photo With Perm And Spiderman Glasses.”

63points

POST

Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 19 hours ago

Some people are effortlessly cool.

20points

#31

"We Went To The Beach To Find Shark Teeth, So When My Daughter Yelled "I Found Teeth!" This Was The Last Thing I Was Expecting."⁠

61points

POST

Tucker Cahooter 19 hours ago

Be on the lookout for a gummy human rather than a gummy shark

7points

#32

“This Photo Of My Family Was Taken As A Christmas Picture In Late 1989, After My Younger Sister (The “Pearl”) Was Born.”

61points

POST

Tucker Cahooter 19 hours ago

Now I have "Rock Lobster" by the B52s in my head

25points

#33

“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.”

“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.”

61points

POST

zims 18 hours ago

I hope they recreate this when they're older.

49points

#34

“My Grandmother, Bless Her Heart, Made This Dress For Me By Hand. However, She Never Noticed The Fabric She Was Sewing Was Covered With Pictures Of A Couple Making Out. She Then Rolled My Hair And Sent Me To School…on Picture Day.”

“My Grandmother, Bless Her Heart, Made This Dress For Me By Hand. However, She Never Noticed The Fabric She Was Sewing Was Covered With Pictures Of A Couple Making Out. She Then Rolled My Hair And Sent Me To School…on Picture Day.”

60points

POST

Marcellus II 20 hours ago

I'd have less problems with the "making out" than with all the creepy recording (video & photo) equipment together with it.

23points

#35

“My Nephew’s First Picture Day. He Tried So Hard To Have The Perfect Smile.”⁠

60points

POST

Annik Perrot 17 hours ago

Grrr!

3points

#36

"A Fly Landed On My Friend's Face As Soon As The Dmv Took His Picture For His Driver's License."⁠

59points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

That’s alright. He’d probably be looking like that anyway when the cops stopped him.

10points

#37

“Me Being An Uber Goth Teenage Posing Next To Tombstones Unknowingly Covering The ‘S’ In ‘Sweeney.’ Kind Of Ruined The Mood Of The Photo!”⁠

53points

POST

StPaul9 18 hours ago

Sweeney Todd's grave?

5points

#38

“When My Parents Were Getting Their Portraits Taken, The Photographer Had An Idea. My Mom Wore A Tube Top And My Dad Took His Shirt Off. The Photographer Even Entered This In A Photography Contest And Won. He Gave Them A Copy Of The Photo For Posing For Him, But What He Truly Gave Us Is An Amazing Captured Moment That Made Me Wonder If This Is What Married Life Is Like. I Saw This Picture Every Day Hanging Up In Their Bedroom.”

52points

POST

The Queen Of France 20 hours ago

I want to know what they’re looking at.

8points

#39

“My High School Senior Photo Has Tortured Me For Years And Now I’m Owning The Embarrassment.”⁠

52points

POST

Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 19 hours ago

The cat took there pet human to their high school senior photo.

5points

#40

“My Husband Spent A Good Amount Of His Childhood Years (Early To Mid 1980s) In A Children’s Hospital Where Well-Meaning Samaritans Would Go To Spread Joy And Lift Spirits.”

52points

POST

Tucker Cahooter 19 hours ago

Can't sleep. Clown will eat me. Can't sleep. Clown will eat me

50points

#41

"My Mom’s 1976 Halloween Costume Sure Was Classy."⁠

51points

POST

Traveling Lady Railfan 10 hours ago

Love the feet!!!

5points

#42

“My Wife Was The Flower Girl For Her Cousin’s Wedding And Decided To Slide Down The Railing While The Bird Seed Was Flying After The Happy Couple Was Married. This Was The Result.”

50points

POST

ggus44 13 hours ago

Everyone is like "wtf is she doing?"

6points

#43

"Grandma Fell Asleep When The Tide Came In..."⁠

48points

POST

JoMeBee 19 hours ago

You sure she's just asleep??

38points

#44

"My Grandparents' First Time At A Japanese Restaurant."⁠

48points

POST

Teutonic Disaster 5 hours ago

I mean, if you don't know what to expect and suddenly there's a big hot "whoosh" right behind you...

1point

#45

“My Daughter And I Had Been Holding Hands And She Was Leaning Away From Me And Our Photographer Caught The Perfect Moment. So The Rest Of Us Are Looking Fabulous While My 2 Year Old Is Crashing Into The Pavement.”⁠ ⁠ … And Later That Day. Seriously.

“My Daughter And I Had Been Holding Hands And She Was Leaning Away From Me And Our Photographer Caught The Perfect Moment. So The Rest Of Us Are Looking Fabulous While My 2 Year Old Is Crashing Into The Pavement.”⁠ ⁠ … And Later That Day. Seriously.

47points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

OP sure got her shape back after having three kids. Kudos. I’ve never had a baby, and I still haven’t gotten my shape back.

13points

#46

“This Magnificent Awkward Moment Was My High School Graduation Photo From 1997. I Remember Thinking To Myself ‘Don’t Fall, Don’t Fall, Don’t Fall!’ While Precariously Balanced On What I Can Only Assume Were Old Books Under A Wrinkled Drop Cloth. When The Photos Were Sent To Me I Was Too Mortified To Give Them To Anyone; In Fact I Still Have The Full Sheets Of Them In A Bin In My Basement. I’m Actually 17 In This Photo, And I Just Recently Turned 40. Not Everyone Gets To Experience Their 40s Twice In Life. I Just Happened To Do It The First Time When I Was In My Teens.”

45points

POST

Shelli Aderman 12 hours ago

I was going to say, 40 seems about right! 🤣

11points

#47

“Our 1982 Family Christmas Pic.”

44points

POST

Jill Rhodry 19 hours ago

time to jump back into the pool before bbq for Chrissy lunch

10points

#48

“Apparently Mom Thought I Needed A Cool New ‘Do For Kindergarten. She Must Have Been Confused.”⁠

44points

POST

Tabitha 19 hours ago

That must’ve been one helluva bowl she used.

27points

#49

“My Cousin Told Me Hooters Was A Donut Shop.”⁠

40points

POST

pineapple87 2 hours ago

Well, in Finnish the same word can be used for boobs and for donuts

1point

#50

“My Sister And My Parents Sporting Their Australia, Gold Coast 1982 Fashion.”

40points

POST

Tucker Cahooter 19 hours ago

Appalling! Not a single mullet on any of them

9points