Case in point — we have previously published not one, but two articles featuring awkward family photos from around the world and there were still enough photos out there for us to create a third installment. Get ready for another dose of some entertaining cringe. And remember — don’t use digital copies of your awkward family photos if you want to keep your awkward to yourself.
Let's Go Through This Again, Shall We?
"Everybody, please pay attention. Not you, Becky, you're doing great, honey. I'm going to take another picture, and this time I want you all to both look directly at the camera AND smile. At the same time. That means simultaneously. Together. Think you can do that? Great. Ready? Three, two, one." *click*
*deep breath* *closing eyes and pinching nose bridge* "You know what? Sure."
Halloween Night to Forget
We can't believe we have to say this, but apparently, it's not a matter of common sense to all people — siblings should not know what their other siblings look like in their undergarments.
It doesn't matter if it's Halloween and you've dressed up as... umm... What is this costume even? Marilyn Manson's girlfriend? No wonder little bro is frozen with fear.
Look Out
This mother-daughter duo isn't synced with the photographer but at least they are in sync with each other. You know, looking at the camera is so outdated, anyway. We should all switch to just half-look at the camera. Or better yet, we should just look somewhere else.
Well, ladies, we'll do you one better — let's look for ice cream and call it a day.
Keepers of the Baby
We all know that animals can sometimes be better judges of character than most people and it looks like that's exactly the case with the two pooches right here.
Trying to save the little innocent baby from the hands of the big red man (Satan Claws, maybe?), they will pay whatever cost to make sure their job is done. Even if that cost is ruining the family photo. And besides, it looks like the photo would have been ruined one way or another with Dad's creepy smile.
Just Trying Their Best
Getting a kid to sit still can be challenging. So getting three of them to pose nicely for one picture sounds harder than trying to fit into your high school jeans.
The best these parents could do was one cooperative baby, a distracted toddler, and a kid that would much rather be playing Minecraft and isn't afraid to make it known. And that's completely fine.
Posing With Pets
This family of five has two humans, two furries, and one shell dude. Apparently, it's a shell dudette. And while human subjects can be tough to manage, we can't even imagine what it must be like to fit two dogs and a tortoise into one frame.
Sources from behind the scenes tell us that the pooch on the left kept trying to steal the little red hat from the tortoise and the bandana from his furry brother. Who knew he had such a passion for accessories?
Oh Cool, a Floating Baby
This ghostly family wanted to have a fun Halloween photoshoot. Putting on their best sheets, they tried to recreate something cute they saw on Pinterest. There is one thing they forgot, though — kids are terrified of ghosts.
This is how they ended up with two ghosts holding a baby skeleton and a kid who will have nightmares during the next two-to-six weeks.
Merry Christ-Mess
We're going to let you take the lead on this one. Look at this family that was just trying to get a nice picture after Christmas mass and zoom in on the face of each of the children.
Oh, the cornucopia of emojis that could be created out of these kids — emojis we never knew we needed! Our favorites are "I'm a walrus," "I will stare daggers at you until you let me go home," and "I was promised fun. This is not fun."
Now Let's Hunt Some Pillows
This picture was taken after an Easter egg hunt that left the kids more tired than a day at Disneyland.
What started as a bunch of kids excitedly looking for colorful eggs ended with a mini-version of the girl from "The Ring", a girl that can't wait to get to bed, a boy who doesn't need to get to bed since he can sleep standing up, a toddler with an actual egg basket who can call it a day, and a clueless baby. Somehow we are all of them.
Is That What They Call a Power Pose?
The girl is still learning how to pose. She is in that awkward phase when you start being aware of the way you hold your body, which, obviously makes you hold it in the most unnatural ways.
Don't worry, kiddo, this will blow over in no time. And until it does, collect all these photos. This way you can warn your own kids about the dangers of puberty when the time is right.
What Do You Mean It's Not My Birthday?
Big sis over here is having a hard time coming to terms with the celebrations not being around her. She is at that age when birthdays seem like the absolute best holiday of the year.
Just give her a few years to wrap her head around the concept of time and growing old. The festivities will not be as festive anymore.
Ohana Means (Awkward) Family
Though, to be honest, making a bunch of matching family t-shirts with Stitch's face on them is the opposite of awkward. It's about as wholesome as a family Christmas moment can get and you know it.
This creature taught us acceptance, friendship, love, and tolerance and we're so not crying, it's just allergies. We're allergic to... umm... Christmas ornaments. That's definitely a thing.
Mommy and Me
This mother-daughter duo sure is sweet in a way that transcends the awkward 80s fashion demonstrated here. The love is apparent and the smiles are bright, but why, oh why couldn't Mom look at the camera?
Was she distracted by the handsome photographer maybe? Was she trying to guess what the future holds for shoulder pads? Was she daydreaming about Magnum P.I.? Oh no, now WE are daydreaming about Magnum P.I., and honestly, we can't blame her if that's the case.
Human People, Demon Pets
When Mom posted this picture on Instagram she wondered how other people manage to keep their pets so still for family photos. The answer to this question is easy — treats. Also, making sure no supernatural being is inhabiting their body usually helps. Except it doesn't help with cats. It's too late for them anyway.
Plus, next time, try to make sure the stockings behind you don't make it look like you're dressed up as the Cat in the Hat.
Eyes up Here
How hard is it to miss a camera? It's RIGHT in front of your face. Even the little girl's Raggedy Ann doll can look straight. When the inanimate object in the picture is doing better than you, this calls for some deep introspection.
We're sure the blame lies somewhere in preschool. We hope everybody grew older and wiser and more capable of posing properly.
I'm SCARED
if there has ever been an absolutely frightened baby, this is the one. Now, as to why she is so scared, our guess is as good as yours.
We brainstormed a bit but so far our best speculation is that she's still learning how to use her face. She needs to log into her little baby brain that fully-open eyelids, raised eyebrows, and downward-pointing lips mean "scared". We hope the data is all there now.
Nursing Home Nativity
Is this some kind of Nativity Scene? Are we looking at a manger with some barnyard animals coming to greet the son of the Lord? In that case, where is baby J?
Also, why did this picture make the cut into the photo album when two out of the four people there don't have their eyes fully open? That doesn't sound like Christmas spirit.
Yeah, Yeah, Happy Whatever, Can We Go Home Now?
The older couple sitting at the front isn't having it. They've had enough photos of them taken over the past few decades and all they want is to get out of their formalwear.
Pantyhose and button-downs — out, getting to a bed where they can comfortably watch Perry Mason reruns — in. And honestly — we want the same thing. Very relatable, folks.
Where's Your Costume, Dad?
Did Dad miss the memo about the family dressing up as Teletubbies today? From left to right we have Po, Laa-Laa, Dipsy, and a certain SOMEONE who was supposed to wear purple and be Tinky-Winky but decided to spoil the fun.
At least it looks like Laa-Laa man has had too much fun on his own to notice the lack of cooperation.
The Family That Gets Distracted Together...
This article is full of people not looking where they're supposed to look, inadvertently creating an awkward moment, but this is by far the strongest example of the bunch.
What was it out there that so deeply captured this family's attention? Was it a bird? Was it a plane? Was it an optional backdrop that had even more floral patterns?
Merry Christmas, Mein Herr
This photo is awkward for all sorts of reasons — only about half the people are looking at the camera, two faces are too blurry, one guy has his eyes fully closed, and one smile needs the urgent care of at least five dentists — all the classics.
A closer look will tell you that this 1938 German family is on the wrong side of history, which is honestly the most awkward reason on this list.
I Thought I Was the Princess Here!
This little dog is used to being pruned and pampered like a princess, which is why she is so confused upon seeing this tiny human wearing a tiara. We can only hope that these two will hash things out back home.
Maybe they will decide to split the queendom — the little girl gets her bedroom and living room while the pooch will get the backyard (for zoomies) and the kitchen (for treats).
The OG Pregnancy Shoot
Aww, look at these two lovebirds with their exciting pregnancy and their... unfortunate taste in fashion. Honestly, though, this picture might be better than many of the modern pregnancy photoshoots we've seen.
Sure, today we have better camera technology and better fashion, but back then the new mother didn't try to pretend she was happy to be posing in lingerie in a meadow when all she wanted to do was go to the bathroom for the 342nd time today.
Multi-Leveled
This photo has two levels of awkward. The first, and more apparent, is right there in the visual. Anyone with even a semi-functional eyeball can see it. But it was intentional! The two brothers here are the Smothers brothers, who took this picture to promote their comedy tour.
The second level of awkward here lies in the fact that one of them is called Dick. Dick Smothers. And that's his legit name, not the stage name of an adult film star.
Just Following Orders
It can be hard to pose for pictures. Most of the time it feels forced and unnatural. That's why many people blindly follow the photographer's orders. We trust that their professional knowledge of things will help us get through the experience in one piece.
But sometimes the orders need to be more specific. In this case, the photographer told the kid to show more teeth. Technically, she did. Both the girl and the photographer learned an important lesson that day.
Dad Is Getting a Lump of Coal From Us
No matter how hard these kids' dad tried to get them to cooperate for that year's Christmas card, nothing worked. And then he got mad.
"You kids are gonna pose whether you like it or not." Well, they did not like it. Congrats Dad, now you have the saddest Christmas card in history. Next time, if you want a Christmas card, pose for it yourself.
Definitely a Setup
"Kids, the local sheriff got a call about a bank robbery. You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?" Honestly, we don't see why they would have anything to do with the case.
Sure, they are holding weapons and money bags but just look at those innocent looks and blue eyes! It doesn't matter if the suspects were described as 3-6-year-old kids in cowboy hats. They were obviously framed.
Peak 90s Fashion
This picture screams 90s. It's so 90s we can hear MMMBop playing in the background. It's so 90s we can't think of any president later than Clinton. It's so 90s we get a sudden urge to join a boy band. It's so 90s we need to book a hairdresser appointment to get frosted tips.
It's so 90s we will probably need someone to be off the phone so we can use a dial-up connection to publish it.
What Were They Even Going for?
Okay, now we're feeling a little awkward because maybe there was a joke we didn't get? It's not your typical, intentionally silly family pic we see all the time. It's not a regular picture pose either. What is it, then?
Without asking those people directly, we are left to guess for ourselves. And the only answer we were able to come up with so far is the Illuminati. Prove us wrong or accept it.
It's Like Reverse Evolution
You know that picture demonstrating how we evolved from hunching on our fists to walking upright? We think that's the concept this family had in mind. It's like that but in reverse, with the human becoming closer to the ground as you go right.
The baby on the right is cheating, though. Let go of mom and just embrace the ground, buddy!
Suiting Up
You don't see many teenagers in suits anymore these days, do you? Maybe it's a testament to how we did, in fact, evolve as a species after all.
These two kids seem to be the last of their kind, and that's probably a good thing if you ask us. We wonder if their career as door-to-door salesmen ever took off.
One Look, Two Stories
When uploading this picture to Instagram, these brothers (who you might know if you listen to the podcast "Two in the Cooler") captioned it "The top half says poetry reading but the waist down only drinks Bud heavy."
Honestly, we could say we can think of a better caption but we would be lying. We humbly bow our heads when facing our superiors.
All That Jazz
Not every kid has what it takes to be a successful performer, yet they all end up getting signed up for one after-school program or another where they can wear awkward costumes and try to grow up into being Liza Minnelli.
You know who did grow up to be Liza Minnelli? Liza Minnelli. And if you ask her about what it takes to grow up into being Liza Minnelli, you might want to politely thank her and go take a nap.
Scary Santa
This awkward photo is brought to us courtesy of actress and model Amber Valletta. While this girl grew up to be very comfortable in front of the camera, the same thing cannot be said about her baby brother.
We might be a little unfair here, though. Looking at this Santa, we think sitting on his lap would have made us look even more awkward than this little boy.
Matching Bedtime
The year is 1954. The time is Christmas. The pajamas are matching and hand-made by Mom. The hearts are happy. Except ours, because you can always trust us to find something to be bitter about.
In this case, we're bitter about how the men's PJs look so much better than the women's. We also have things to say about the wallpaper but we'll save it for another time.
A Hairy Situation
Even sports personality Jim Duquette had his awkward moments. Like this haircut. The poor thing really walked around like that. And on his first day of school, no less!
But it looks like we can't blame him when we take into account that this photo was taken a good several decades ago and that his father wore his hair as a helmet.
Hairy Christmas
We could have said something about the matching outfits. We could have said something about how Dad decided to opt out of the seasonal Christmas clothes. We could have also said something about the baby who obviously doesn't want to be there.
Sadly, we couldn't see anything past Mom's fierce hair. Is it Bonnie Tyler? Is it Dolly Parton? Guess we'll never know.
As Happy as Pigs in the Muck
This picture was taken in Suriname, which is a country in South Africa. If you go to the beach in the Bigi Pan Nature Reserve you'll be able to enjoy a mud bath just like these two.
While we have heard that these types of baths can be very healthy, we most likely would not want to run into such an image of our parents in the family photo album. We'll have our parents mud-free, thank you very much.
One Set Wasn't Enough
This girl in the middle had her siblings give her a very special birthday present — a t-shirt featuring pictures of everyone in the family making their worst possible faces.
While this might be a nice gag gift, we fail to see why they had to do the live demonstration as well, giving the world double the dose in one picture.
Coordination Practice
Careful now, this type of endeavor requires some serious planning, the kind of planning these people obviously didn't think of. This is how we end up with this ice cream twister.
The sister on the left is learning the hard way that she doesn't have the tongue of a giraffe. Dad is fighting the other sister over cone dominance, and the poor thing in the middle somehow has too much ice cream on her cheek and not enough in her mouth. Nobody wins. Except we win.
Not This Camera, the Other One!
The woman on the right is Bollywood actress Neena Kulkarni, and as her IMDB page tells us, she has nearly 100 acting credits to her name. However, it seems like even someone with her record around cameras can't get her family to just focus on one lens at a time.
Good thing the other people in this picture don't have their livelihood depend on knowing where to look.
But... How Do They Know?
Staging a picture where the subjects pretend to be scared of something is about as old as your middle school Tamagotchi. But somehow, this family seems to have missed one thing to execute it correctly.
There is one thing this family is missing and that is common sense. In order to be scared of the object you need to SEE the object. No matter how fake-scary this lake monster is.
Don't Drop the Baby
This guy had one simple task: just hold the baby and don't drop it. Not ever, but especially not while the family photo is being taken. But, alas, many times it's exactly the thing that we wish would never happen that ends up happening.
And so we have this half-funny half-terrifying vacation picture. The baby is ok, but it's still a not-so-great holiday photo.
You Literally Had the Clicker
This family of three was just trying to take cute pictures for their Christmas cards on their own. They did all the right things: get in their matching jammies, make sure their hair is on fleek, and set up a camera timer. Somehow, this is what they ended up with.
The thing the girl in the middle is holding is the camera remote, which begs the question: how did you not sense the sneeze coming before you pressed that button? This is why you get a pro, people!
The Dragon Boys
Any "Game of Thrones" fans out there? We need someone to back our theory. If there's a mother of dragons there must be a child of dragons, right?
Are these baby Targaryens we're looking at? The brave soldiers defending their scaley ancestors? Actually, they are a little young to be real warriors. They must be knights in training. Yeah, that must be it.
Go With the Blow
Kids' birthday parties are always a hoot. There's music, there are presents, and most of all — there's cake. The ritual of killing the lights, making a wish, and blowing out the candles is the closest thing to divinity a child gets to feel. This is why the two blasphemous creatures sitting on the sides needed to be reined in.
Wanting to fly close to the sun, there was a real risk of them robbing their older brother of his once-a-year catharsis. Thank god grandma and grandpa stopped this sacrilege on time.
Easter Sunday Funday
Taken on Easter Sunday, this picture could have been the epitome of the Easter spirit. Look at this dandy family and their fancy clothes. Look at the mom and her winning smile.
Even the baby looks excited (probably psyched for the egg hunt planned for later that day). Too bad the brother on the left had to be so sour-faced about it.
Who's Child Is This?
Oh, the treasures that you find when you dig through your parents' attic. Sometimes it's the teddy you used to cuddle with, sometimes it's your 6th-grade report card, and sometimes it's a 1970s picture of your mom wondering if she really had you.
Just like in this picture with this confused mom trying to understand how this little girl got to her lap.
One Big NOPE
Forget about the baby. He's still learning how to use his eyes. He can be forgiven. What can't be forgiven, though, is that hell-sent, Antichrist of a dummy.
It is a well-known fact that all ventriloquist dummies were forged in the bowels of the underworld and put upon this earth to haunt us, humans. This one seems to have landed in the hands of a skilled master who knows exactly what she's doing. Please excuse us as we slowly back away.
But I Don't WANT to Be in the Picture!
Oh, kid, we feel for you. We really do. Sometimes you just don't want to have your picture taken. Maybe there's a zit. Maybe there's a bad hair day. Maybe you're just not having fun and want to go home.
Sadly, it looks like the family didn't care much, but at least the kid got the last laugh. You do you, kiddo!
Sea Sick
Those of you who have been on family cruises know the drill of having your picture taken on the first day. You pose in front of the backdrop and make sure you get a souvenir from the trip. Simple.
Unfortunately, the first day is also the day when first-timers come to terms with what being at sea can do to your stomach. Just like that little kid there sandwiched between mom and dad. He's about to see his literal breakfast sandwich all over again.
Runs in the Family
This picture was put on Reddit by that little girl featured in it. Now all grown up, she looks back at this photo and remarks that she "Inherited her mom's forehead."
While we all carry our own genetic baggage (for better or for worse), some things we do have control over. For example, we can control ourselves to NOT look at the photographer as if we picture him on our dinner plate later tonight.
So, Like, Nobody Wants to Be in the Picture?
Oh sweet lord almighty, give this family strength. The bright blond hair, the field of lavender (we think), and the setting sun can only take you so far.
They won't really help if Dad was raised by androids, Mom learned how to smile from a book, and Daughter #1 is still recovering from losing her hamster to the vacuum cleaner.
Here, Now Smile
Can you really blame Mom? She made three beautiful kids that she carried inside her body for way too long and now she just wants them to pose in a twin sandwich. Is that too much to ask? Well, at least according to Teenage Daughter, yes it is.
And for the record — we can always blame Mom. It's ingrained into our DNA to always blame our parents for anything that's wrong with our lives.
Cool, No Swimming Then
Let's go on a little hike, they thought. Let's hang out by the lake, they thought. Let's take a completely innocent picture by that totally not gator-infested body of water, they thought.
We aren't sure how, but Dad and his undeniably glorious beard might know something the daughters don't. Maybe photographer Mom was giving him directions while doing a heck of a job keeping the apex predator in the background a secret.
Food Coma
That post-lunch fatigue is nothing foreign to us. But it is usually caused by something very big and carb-heavy. As the now-grownup man testifies about his younger self, this case of food coma was prompted by a crustless peanut butter and honey sandwich and maybe a chip or two.
We do hope he had since built up better stamina or he would have to pack up a yoga mat whenever he eats at a restaurant.
His Eyes Rolled So Far Back
How far back did they roll? They roll so far back he could see his brain. They rolled so far back he could see yesterday's math exam. They rolled so far back they were looking at the family van in the parking lot.
They rolled so far back that the incoming crowd from behind them felt an unexplainable urge to scream "Mind your own business, Kelly!"
Toddlers and Tigers
Thanks to the hype around the Netflix show "Tiger King," pictures like this one are about to be a thing of the past.
And it's a good thing that they are because, for the life of us, we can't understand why those parents (or any parents, or any semi-functional human) would think it's a good idea to put a baby the size of a cupcake next to a jungle cat that can swallow it whole.
Not Every Top Is Worthy of Cropping
This picture was taken a long time ago. During a time when whatever the man here is wearing was considered a legitimate outfit. The kind you wear when you go outside your house to a place people with eyes might be looking at you. And apparently, even during Christmas!
Those were dark, scary times, but it seems like the people in the picture were blissfully unaware of how scary they were.
The Chronicles of the Haunted
Gather around this picture, boys and girls, as we're about to see some rare documentation of the different stages you go through when a demon grabs a hold of your mortal soul. The demon's original habitat is, naturally, in the creepy doll.
The girl in the front demonstrates stage 1: being unaware of the curse. The little boy on the right is in stage 2: partially possessed, still thinking there could be a chance to fight this. And finally, the big sister, all the way in stage 3: the demon has taken full hold of her. There will be no escape.
Why You Really Cry at Weddings
Weddings are usually a happy occasion, right? What's a better event to attend than a celebration of love? Well, actually, we can think of a few. Like the Nobel ceremony where you're awarded your own prize. Or being given a backstage tour of a Beyonce concert by Queen Bey herself.
And for this only singleton in the family, we bet even standing in line a the bank could beat having the volume dial of his lonesomeness turned all the way up.
Winning Is Fun
Everybody seems to be very happy and proud. Everyone but the winner, that is. We can't see what's engraved on the trophy but our guess is it was won for something intellectual, like a Chess tournament or a math competition, which can be just as exhausting as a good run.
The winner takes it all? More like the winner takes to the nearest shower for a quick wash and a good nap.
Twinning Never Stops
Some parents need to know when to stop dressing their children in matching outfits. Once they hit a certain age, the matching sets veer from cute to awkward. And you can see the girl on the left knows awkward when she sees it.
It is common knowledge that girls' intellectual development is quicker than boys, so her twin bro has some time to go until he figures out the awkwardness on his own.
Hats Fit to Burn
This picture is more awkward for us than it is for the family. These guys look pretty happy with their paper hats, blissfully unaware of how the internet is tearing them to shreds.
Don't get us wrong, we're all for being goofy every once in a while, but we, unlike the guy on the far right, know how to keep the goofy to ourselves. Our picture with a paper hat that says we need some chemical help keeping the Mrs. happy is safely protected in an underground bunker.
Ho, Ho, Who's Fault Was That?
Everything in life is about timing. From catching the bus to finding the love of your life. And yes, it applies to photography too. The cosmic timing here happened to bring together a camera click along with grade-A flatulence.
While Mom is trying to maintain a photogenic smile, Little Bro is having none of it. Big Bro better expect a counterattack. Mom better get herself a gas mask. Photographer better leave — this is going to get ugly.
This Dad Joke Has Gone Too Far
It looks like dad jokes have been making the rounds since as early as the 1920s. The woman kneeling in the center was crowned a "hare above" her sisters, and for some reason, everybody seems thoroughly amused by it.
Especially the guy on the left. He must be the dad. Not just her dad, but the mythological Dad who started the whole genre.
A Classic
The classic matching outfits, the questionable expression on Dad's face, and the little kid who wants nothing to do with Picture Day — it's the trifecta of awkward family photos, especially from the 70s and 80s.
This is a by-the-book kind of awkward. But let's not beat around the bush here. We came to this article for awkward and dammit, awkward is what we're going to get.
Choices Were Made Here
The fact that this picture is a thing that exists in our world means that several choices were made: someone chose to position the family in the most random placements. Someone chose to have the guy on the left squat instead of standing up like everybody else. Someone also chose to have the family face the sun so they can hardly look at the camera.
Now, who do we speak to about getting that specific someone to never make another choice ever again?
Posing With the Family Pet
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but somehow, we are looking at this picture, and not even a single letter comes to mind, let alone a full word.
Seriously, what is the proper comment to a picture of a family casually posing with four of their little ones riding a literal ostrich as if it was the house pet?
Why the Goat?
Some things just need to be in a picture to make it Christmas-card-able. Surprisingly, as this article teaches us, an occasional awkward face doesn't mean scrapping the picture. The family needs to be there, the tree needs to be there, and the holiday color scheme needs to be there.
Things like ornaments or presents are nice to have but not mandatory. A toy goat does not need to be there, but it didn't stop this family from having one.
Picture Day Is Hard
The more people you have in one picture, the harder it is to make sure they all look good. Add a couple of dogs into the mix and it gets even harder.
Someone is always caught mid-blink, mid-sneeze, or mid-wanting to be anywhere else but in front of the camera. Just like the girl in the middle, who somehow seems to have combined all three.
Don't Be Silly, Babies Don't Wear Clothes
Okay, there must be a story here, right? Nobody just casually wears these outfits and goes to have a family photoshoot. Not anybody we know, anyway.
Maybe the couple is just very passionate about... umm... let's say jousting and witchcraft. Yeah, that sounds about right. Our only question is why was the baby excluded from whatever narrative they were going for?
Who Is Hunting Who?
The words "Easter Egg Hunt" get a much, much creepier meaning in this picture. Those poor little girls are uncomfortably posing with a bunny that looks like it can star in the next movie in the "Saw" franchise rather than playing with kids at the petting zoo.
In our mind, this demon of a bunny isn't happy about getting his eggs picked up by little girls so he's about to offer them a trade: the eggs for their souls.
Murdered? Here? No Way
If any picture on this list has a serial killer aura it's definitely this one. It has everything.
The dark jackets (so blood stains aren't that visible), the dry field of reeds (where you can easily hide the body), the non-smiling smile (to keep people from guessing the true psychopath behind those eyes) — it's the perfect package to be featured in the next episode of your favorite true-crime podcast.
The Color Purple
Ask every kindergartener what their favorite color is and you'll get a clear answer. However, at some point, most of us grow out of one color and embrace the rainbow. Not this mom, though. Anyway, while we can get her loyalty to her favorite color, we really don't understand the random collection of items here.
At first, we thought she was going for a picnic theme but then we took a closer look — alongside the flowers and plastic plates there are also CD boxes, an oven mitt, and a ball of yarn, which, for the life of us, we couldn't find any common theme for.
Underwater Santas
We're going to ignore the fact that the son on the right is clearly a vampire and ask one question: Why is Dad not wearing a hat?
One option is that he doesn't wasn't the hat to block Mom from view. Another option is that he is fully aware of how stupid this all looks and that's as far as he was willing to cooperate. We're gonna go with option two.
Hosing It Down
Getting all dolled up to get your picture taken? Nothing wrong with that. Posing with a family member for a special occasion? We get it. Finding a nice spot to serve as background? Completely valid.
Making a face that makes the photographer think you have a dead body stashed in your Lego box? Standing there with a running hose? Not vibing with your mom in the slightest? Now you've lost us.
Cue the Crying Emoji
We know the promise here was of awkward family photos — not sad ones — but here we are. Let's put aside the fact that too many elements of this image look photoshopped together (the kids in the tub, the note on the wall) and face the sad truth — nobody is really going to the beach.
Staycation is all fun and games until you realize the sunblock won't be blocking any sun and your tub can only hold one of your flippers at a time.
Zoom Life Has Gone Too Far
2020 marked the beginning of standardizing remote work protocols. After too many people became used to attending classes and meetings via video chat, dressing their bottom half seemed useless.
Business suits — out. Button-downs with boxer shorts — in. This family took the concept a tad too far if you ask us. Nobody needs to know the horrors that Dad's camping booties have seen.
Turtle King
To cap a trip to the zoo with her parents, this girl wanted to get a nice picture of the three of them. So far so good. The only thing is we don't see the actual girl.
What we can see is a couple of elderly people riding a tortoise, which we are pretty sure is illegal in at least one state. Though we've never seen a tortoise with hair. Must be a rare one.
Well, It's SOMEONE'S Family
We're going to put the fake bookshelves aside for a second, to tell you the story of how this picture ended up on Instagram. When asking his uncle for a family picture of his mother with her parents, this Instagrammer was given this three-by-four feet canvas with people he's never seen and isn't related to.
Apparently, the uncle found this random photo and decided to keep it strictly for awkward value, which we can totally relate to. He especially enjoyed the girl to the right who is about to rip her own fingers off.
Power Puff Kids
Ah, the 80s floating head with a black backdrop. A true classic. We imagine that wasn't the intention but the first thing that came to mind when seeing those kids was the Power Puff Girls.
Going from right to left, we have Buttercup — anxious to punch something; Bubbles — living her best life; and Blossom — wondering why she was doomed to be around these fools.
Somebody Give Them a Trophy
This couple was trying to do some fake 80s awkward glamour shots, but they could have fooled us into thinking we were looking at real vintage.
Hubby is trying to live his Austin Powers fantasy and wifey is doing her best not to show it makes her die on the inside. *Chef's kiss* That's top-notch acting if you ask us.
It Runs in the Family
Some things run in the family. For example, the things that run in the Hemsworth family are acting talent and the looks of a Greek god. The things that run in the Kardashian family are money and the ability to create drama out of things as mundane as a side salad.
The things that run in this family are poor eyesight and a lack of awareness of what is or isn't awkward.
Not as Funny as You Think
We can't judge this family because at some point we all were this family. We've all been there. We take a few photos where everybody tries to look nice and smiley, and then they decide to do a funny one. *Sigh*
Somehow, the funny picture is never as funny as you think. Which makes it kind of awkward. Which makes this photo the perfect match for this article.
Taylor and Taylor
Okay, so get this — Taylor Lautner married a girl who is also named Taylor. And apparently, she isn't even the first Taylor he's been romantically involved with! That honor goes to Taylor Swift. After he got hitched to his current Taylor, she changed her name from Dome (her maiden name) to take his last name, effectively making herself Taylor Lautner too.
This specific kind of cringe is only enhanced by their picture here — same name, same outfit — are they slowly morphing into one being?
Why Is This Doll Blinking?
When finding out she was pregnant, this girl's mom gave her a little doll to prepare her for the upcoming changes.
While the girl seemed to have embraced the doll, holding it and taking care of it, she wasn't expecting how much heavier the eventual human baby is going to be. Not to mention lifelike! Thank god Mom was there to help.
Okay, Here Us Out
We don't have evidence better than our hunch but we believe we know the story behind this photo. What we think happened here is that these two brothers lost an awkward childhood photo that was just as awkward as anyone's childhood photo.
Instead of embracing the fact that the picture is thankfully out of their lives, they decided to recreate it as adults, which is somehow both a good and bad decision.
No Honey, You Can Stay in the Chair
The main awkward thing about this photo is realizing that we as humans used to think that this hairstyle and this wallpaper looked good. Other than that, it's a pretty sweet picture.
We assume everyone wanted to keep the new mom comfortable, which is how they ended up kneeling and creating this very confusing perspective that makes them all look like casually dressed-up garden gnomes.
Should We Call PETA?
People these days love to refer to their pets as their furbabies, which many human parents to human babies tend to frown upon. But what about when the actual dog frowns upon the nickname?
This family right here thought the dog should be included in the picture alongside his humans but the little pooch seems to be much more interested in chasing whatever squirrel is running on the other side of the lawn. Leave your human photos to yourself and the running around to your pets.
All the Questions, No Answers
Oh god, where do we even begin? Why does the mother have a blanket on? Why can't the kid stand looking at his mom? Why does he look like he has the face of a 30-year-old man on the body of a 10-year-old boy?
Why does the father look like he has a secret box full of memento body parts from his victims? We would really like to know, but we also kinda thinking we shouldn't.
Blown Away
It’s heartwarming for parents when kids in a family get along long enough to take a photo. This one was almost Christmas card perfect until a strong wind or sneeze got the best of the girl on the far left.
Getting the right facial expression on everyone in a group photo is a whole other challenge. Hopefully, they eventually got that perfect shot!
Foreshadowing
Sometimes, a child's special talent will shine through at a very early point in their life, making the kid's future pretty clear. In this picture, we can see just what the future hold for each of the three kids.
The little one will grow to become a standup comedian, the one hugging her will become a social worker, and the little psychotic one in the back will be the curator of his museum where he presents sculptures he made out of human flesh.
Just Act Like It
For those of you who don't recognize, the man in the middle is actor Reg Varney ("On the Buses"), and the girls beside him are his wife and daughter. While some families have the acting bug running in the family (we're looking at you, Baldwins), other families will just have to accept the kids won't follow in their parents' footsteps.
In this case, it seems like no matter how hard the daughter tried to act like she was enjoying being there, it was never going to be convincing. Some people just aren't into forcing smiles for whatever magazine photographer who insisted on them posing awkwardly.
Baby Blues
Why is this little baby so sad? Is it because she's not enjoying the trip? Is it because she is coming to realize she will probably need glasses too?
Is it because she is trying to come to terms with the fact that she has a few more good decades to go before the internet is a thing and she can watch Netflix instead of waiting for her favorite tv show to be on TV for one single episode per week? Yeah, we bet it's the third one. We feel you, kid.
We Like to Think They've Evolved
To this family's defense, we're sure there was a time when this photo wasn't awkward for them. Sure, that time may have been the week when it was taken, but we shouldn't underestimate it.
They had no way of knowing that bowl cuts are a scam and that the dad's shoes are a crime against humanity. We hope they learned.
Mom, Where Do Turkeys Come From?
This boy's face is the face of someone understanding that the turkey used to be an actual bird rather than just an item in the supermarket.
Mom also seems like she's trying to put on her best face despite the fact that this turkey is overcooked, undercooked, or smells funny. The dad and the little sister don't seem to mind the bird's origin or its time in the oven.
Two? Are You Kidding Me?
Some kids are happy being only children. Except parents usually don't consult with them before having another baby. This girl had absolutely zero interest in being a big sister, let alone being a big sister to TWO little babies.
Try as her parents might, she will NOT be coerced into taking part in this narrative. "I have to hold them? Fine, but I will NOT be enjoying it."
This Little Piggy Went Behind the Glass
You see a child being awkward, we see a child being a child. Raise your hand if you've done this yourself when you were little. You in the back too, don't be shy. It's just a thing that kids do.
It goes into the same list as singing in front of the fan, making silly voices with helium balloons, and embarrassing your parents at Walmart.