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Why is it that when we’re at our most defenseless and socially awkward — our early teen years — so many pictures are taken of us? It seems cruel, especially because the worst of them are usually displayed on mantles or sent to family friends in annual holiday cards — only, years later, to go viral on the internet. No matter who you become, they’re an indelible reminder that you were once dorky. Because you were a teenager, however, you can always blame the awful sweater you had to wear on your parents or the braces on genetics; dorky parents are another matter. They are forever.
Much like Laser Portraits, Awkwardfamilyphotos celebrates the awkwardness, and invites readers to submit their own awkward photos. Don’t be shy! They couldn’t be more awkward than these:
Awkward photographer timing.
Awkward hand placement.
Awkward everything.
Awkward costumes. And why is Mom the naughty bunny?
Awkward compound bows.
This isn’t a family photo, but it’s just wrong.
Comments (18)
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*shudder* soooo many memories. I always hated our family portraits, not because we looked awful (even though we invariably did) but because we were posed to look all close and happy. The akwardness for me is knowing the truth. That a picture is worth a thousand words- most of them lies.
posted by karen on 5-14-2009 at 12:18 pm
sorry- awkwardness. Misspelling a word that is in print inches above the box is so awkward ;-)
posted by karen on 5-14-2009 at 12:20 pm
This….is….AWESOME.
posted by Ophelia on 5-14-2009 at 12:33 pm
My family’s problem was never the way we looked (although some of those hairstyles from the early 90s are regretable!). No, our problem was the crazy photographer who inevitably had terrible breath and tried too hard to be funny. The photographer was always the cause of the awkwardness.
posted by andrea on 5-14-2009 at 12:34 pm
Karen – might you be the woman at Baskin Robins who went into her family history when I switched my order to peppermint ice cream? Also, are you sure the awkwardness did not occur when people came over and you revealed to them the family pictures were a sham and went on to tell all your family’s problems? Think real hard; the truth is often surprising.
posted by Chris on 5-14-2009 at 12:58 pm
I bet you money – MONEY – that many of these awkward photos were deliberately taken by a bored photograper.
posted by Anthony on 5-14-2009 at 12:59 pm
I bookmarked this the other day. There’s one in there called The Wonder Years. Warning: Some things once seen cannot be unseen.
posted by Johnny Cat on 5-14-2009 at 1:09 pm
Most puzzling about the bunny picture, is that the mom is holding a reindeer…
posted by N on 5-14-2009 at 1:24 pm
I concur with Johnny Cat. Although the comments for that one are entertaining…
posted by Tom in GA on 5-14-2009 at 1:27 pm
@Johnny Cat – Are you talking about the cow costumes? That’s way wrong! I’ll never unsee that now!
I have to say though, the mommy cow was kinda cute….
posted by crocostimpy on 5-14-2009 at 1:36 pm
Is the cow costume referencing the furry nude suits where the daughter is…well, whatever they are doing?
That was sooo strange. I would LOVE to know the backstory on that one.
posted by Karen on 5-14-2009 at 4:00 pm
Oh. My. God.
That “Wonder Years” photo is so wrong on so many levels. Especially with the daughter doing… THAT to her father. That image is going to be burned in my retinas for a looong time.
What the hell were they thinking (or smoking)?
posted by Steve In San Diego on 5-14-2009 at 4:27 pm
JohnnyCat,
Thanks for the warning. In spite of it, I looked at it. Oh how I wish I had not. Thank you for your good intentions all the same. :)
posted by kate on 5-14-2009 at 5:08 pm
Hahahaha I love this site, I discovered it a few weeks ago and it has given me endless email forwards since…
Wearing matching clothing was about as awkward as it got for our family photos. Although there was one stunner in the 80’s in which we all had garishly UN-matching clothing – my sister was wearing fluoro (she was always the most trendy of the siblings!), mum was in purple and sporting an enormous perm, my brother was in brown corduroy, Dad was in a Christmas cardigan complete with snowflakes and rudolph, and I was wearing a tartan dress complete with lace trim. My boyfriend gets a kick out of it every time we visit my parents.
posted by dangermouse on 5-14-2009 at 5:18 pm
HAHAHAHAHA!
the furry nude suits are my favourite! so wrong. but so, so funny!
HHEHEHAHAHAHAH!
posted by the creature on 5-14-2009 at 5:29 pm
@ Karen – Yeah, I don’t know why I called them cow suits. Maybe it was that big tail.
posted by crocostimpy on 5-15-2009 at 8:47 am
Ever since I read the article about awkwardfamilyphotos.com here, I have had the site bookmarked.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears that “The Wonder Years” photo (aka, the family in the anatomically correct cow costumes) was removed. I tried to search for it, all to no avail.
But, you have got to check out “The Bon Family” pics! Can you say ’80s flashback?
posted by Steve on 5-28-2009 at 5:58 pm
That guy on the bottom is a RIOT!
posted by Justine on 9-24-2009 at 4:45 pm