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Let’s talk about photos! Nowadays, people capture every moment, whether big or small, in their lives. It begins with the special occasions they share with family, moments they want to remember when they look at these photographs in the future. Some photos are posed, while others are taken spontaneously. Then, there are all those snapshots taken for various reasons that often end up unused but consume a significant portion of our smartphone storage.
Today, we'd like to focus on a category of photos that encompass a wide range of moments - both staged and candid, taken without warning, resulting in humorous images. Awkward Family Photos is dedicated to curating the best images where the photographer has managed to capture hilarious family portraits. Some of these shots haven't aged well and look cringe-worthy today. On the other hand, others freeze time in the most awkward of moments, earning their place in the selection of images we've prepared for you today.
For more insights into family photos, we reached out to Ian Weldon, a British photographer who specializes in documenting weddings in a very original way. To learn more, scroll down and read our interview.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Our Deaf Cattle Dog Has No Idea He Farts All The Time And Here's Our Daughter Reacting To His Latest Burst Of Gas
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#2
This Picture Was Taken At My Daughter’s Preschool. I Think The Photographer Thought Having Her Hold A Flower Would Make For A Really Cute And Innocent Picture
Bored Panda got in touch with Ian Weldon to discuss his perspective on awkward photographs. If you're not familiar with his work, this UK-based photographer has a distinct approach to capturing wedding moments. In an age where many tend to create a somewhat artificial reality in their photos, often staging shots, overlooking details, and eliminating flaws, more people are realizing that these images may lack authenticity.
Through candid shots, Ian Weldon captures the most natural moments of the events he documents. If you're curious about how Weldon's photos differ from the majority of other wedding photographers, be sure to check out some of the Bored Panda posts where we've previously featured his work.
The Awkward Family Photos page on Instagram frequently showcases photos that resonate with nostalgia and relatability. We asked Ian if the candid wedding photos can also evoke these emotions. Weldon told us: “Yes, definitely. Candid photography can certainly have unexpected elements that evoke nostalgia. I think we are so used to seeing perfectly crafted photographs - especially from weddings - that when we come across one that isn’t perfect it stands out, it can be reminiscent of a family snapshot or amateur holiday photograph.”
#7
Our Parents Used To Tell My Only Brother And Me That We Used To Have Another Brother Who Turned Into A Mushroom From Not Taking A Bath. Even Added Him To The Family Albums
#9
My Family Went On A Trip To Maine During The Summer And Decided To Take Family Photos. Maybe It Was Very Windy But Everyone Looks Catalog Perfect And Then…there’s Me
We were wondering how the photographer from the UK interprets the term "awkward" within the context of candid wedding photos. Ian shared with us: “Awkward can come in many forms, from a look to a gesture to an uncomfortable situation, but it's mostly down to our own perception. I have many seemingly ‘awkward’ wedding photographs but in reality, they are from very normal situations. A moment caught by the camera that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. I just happen to enjoy finding those moments, those unexpected elements that can elevate the photograph to something else and ultimately make you laugh.”
Awkward Family Photos often highlight humorous and unscripted moments. We wanted to know if Weldon could describe a candid moment from a wedding he’s photographed that he found particularly funny or endearing. We found out that: “I have a couple of favorite photographs that, often because of the situation, seem even more awkward. Funny faces being pulled during speeches can always make you wonder what had been said or stern looks during the ceremony can make you question whether everyone is actually that happy about the union.
When lots of people drink lots of alcohol silly things tend to happen, but it's just people being people. It's just life, and that's awkward enough.”
#13
Junior High Is Hard Enough Without Your Mother Buying You A Bright Red Monogrammed Sweater With Your Initials
#14
I Show My Boyfriend One Picture From My Childhood And Suddenly Reproducing With Me Is Off The Table
#15
My Mall Glamour Shots From 1997 Where I Look Like A Woman Who Just Cashed Her Husband’s Life Insurance Check
#17
My Daughter Was Having A Tantrum, And Hid Her Face Under A Pillow. The Results Were Divine!
#18
My Sisters And I Were Professionally Photographed With Identical Dolls In Matching Prairie Dresses
#23
We Didn’t Have Much Money In 1977 But That Didn’t Stop Mom From Giving Us Our Wish To Be C3p0 And R2-D2 That Halloween
#24
I Won A Cutest Baby Award At A Local Health Foods Store And This Was The Photoshoot That I Won. Thank You, Mom And Dad
#25
This Is How I Found My Husband And Son After A Diaper Change. Neither Was Aware Anything Was Amiss. It Still Makes Me Laugh 10 Years Later
#26
My Great-Grandmother Worked For A Photography Studio In The 80’s. She Was Watching Us One Day And Decided To Surprise My Mother With Professional Photos Of The Three Of Us
This gem was one of the pictures. It’s safe to say that my mother never put this one in a photo frame and it’s the center of family laughter when we bring out the photo albums around the holidays. I love how my sisters look so cute in the corner of the photo while I am in a food coma floating in the sky
#27
My Brother And I Took A Pony Ride At The Whaling City Festival In The 80s And The Pony Ride Operator Had Swagger
#29
My Halloween Costume In 1992: Spaghetti And Clam Sauce. There’s A Big Plexiglass Fork On The Side Sticking Up. My Dad Dribbled Real Clam Juice All Over Me So No One Would Get Too Close At The Middle School Dance
#30
This Was My Christening, June 1971. I’m The Baby Obviously, My Godmother Is Holding Me, My Parents Are Next To Her. Their Hideous Outfits Aren’t The “Awkward” Part Of This Photo. In The Background, My Grandmother Is Pulling My Sister’s Hair While My Brother Is Recovering From A Smack! All Of This Right On The Front Steps Of A Church
#31
This Is The Epic 1984 Egg Hunt Fight On My Aunt And Uncle’s Front Lawn In Long Beach, Ca Between Me And My Brother
#33
My Dad (Sitting In Bench, Right) With His Rock Star Wedding Party Just Rockin’ That Hair. 1987
#34
My Dad Hid A Camera To Find Out Why The Cats Kept Sneaking Into My Old Bedroom After I'd Left For College
#35
Me Being An Uber Goth Teenage Posing Next To Tombstones Unknowingly Covering The ‘S’ In ‘Sweeney.’ Kind Of Ruined The Mood Of The Photo!
#36
This Was The Gem Of My High School Senior Picture Portfolio. At The Time, The Effect Was Cutting Edge. Now I Like To Tell My Kids That I Had To Skate Really Fast To Look That Dumb
#37
My Husband’s 6 Sisters. I Believe They Were Going For A Serious Pose, A ‘Sears Sophisticated’ Style
#38
This Is A Photo Of My Daughter And Her Father Riding The Tennessee Tornado Roller Coaster At Dollywood. When We Saw The Photo At The Sales Kiosk, We Laughed So Hard We Just Had To Buy It!
#39
Here’s My Mom And Dad In September 1970. This Was Always My Favorite Photo From Their Wedding Because It’s Just So Cornball. You Have To Give Credit To The Photographer For The Picture Of My Dad In The TV. This Was Years Before Photoshop, So I’m Not Sure How The Heck He Pulled This Trick Off
#40
My School Photo From The 80s. My Mullet Was Fashioned After The 1982 Happy Birthday Barbie And My Glasses Are Decorated With Decals Picked Out From The Decal Book At The Optical Shop
#41
My Husband Presenting The “Gymnastics” Themed Birthday Cake To Our Daughter But The Cake Looks More Like A Party Cake For A Private Club
#43
My Younger Sister Was Taking Family Pictures For Me, And She Managed To Catch The Exact Moment That A Bug Flew In My Face!
#44
This Is My Pre-School Picture. I Had A Fit And Would Not Get My Picture Taken Unless I Could Put My Belt On My Head. So My Mom Did What She Had To Do
#47
This Miraculous Photo Is Of My Darling Dear Mother, In The 80’s, With What Is Obviously A Cutout Of The Great Thomas Sullivan Magnum. The Best Part Of This Photo Is The Glasses, But, The Second Best Part Is The Fact That My Mom Refuses To Admit That It Is A Cutout
#48
My Beautiful Boyfriend’s School Photo When He Was A Teenager…glad I Did Not Know That Hedgehog At That Time
#49
My Son Made A Nice Little Mother’s Day Booklet For Me When He Was In Grade One. I Must Have Been Having A Rough Month
#50
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
#54
During Our Wedding Vows, While My Husband Promised To Love My Kids As His Own, My Kids Were Whisper-Screaming At Each Other The Whole Time
#56
When I Was 7, I Brought This To Show And Tell And Told My Class, 'I Went To Africa Over The Weekend And Got To Pet A Lion.' I Lied
#59
My Dad Had A Medical Procedure The Day Of My Prom And Was Out Of His Mind On Pain Killers When My Mom Insisted That I Pose With Him Before Prom. I Like To Think He Would’ve Put Down The Hose For The Pic If He’d Been In His Right Mind, But In All Honesty It Could’ve Gone Either Way. He Has No Memory Of Taking This Photo
#60
My Brother And His Ex Wife Separated. Afterwards, We Didn’t Have A Family Photo Without Her That Included My Son. This Was My Opa’s Solution: Cutting Out A Photo Of My Son And Pasting It Into The Family Photo That Was Taken The Year Before The Ex Came Around
#61
My 14 Year Old Daughter Forgot It Was School Picture Day. Normally Would Have Fixed Her Hair And Dressed Nice. On This Day She Wore A Nike Shirt That Said ‘Just Do It.’ Good Thing For Us, Her Hair Covered The Rest Of The Shirt And Only Left A Few Letters Visible
#62
This Was Taken After My Sister’s White Coat Ceremony For Vet School. We Didn’t Realize We Probably Shouldn’t Have Posed Like This Until After The Pic. Not Exactly The Style We Were Going For
#63
My Daughter Kicked One Of Her Brothers In The Privates, Felt Bad After, And Wrote Him A Sorry Note With An Illustration. The Note Says ‘Sorry For Hitting You In The Jimmies!’ Take Note Of My Son’s Face In The Picture, She Was Spot-On With Her Illustration. She Was 6 Years Old
#64
We Had Just Moved To Arizona And Our Parents Took The Three Of Us Out To The Desert To Get A Nice Christmas Card Photo With The Family Dog. This Was The Photo The Card Company Printed On 200 Cards
#65
This Is Me With My Younger Brother, Our Grandparents, And Our Father In Hot Pants. Circa 1985, Australia
#66
The Year Was 1992 Or 93, The Place Olan Mills. I’m The One With Glasses, Braces And The Mushroom Cut. My Sister And I Were Wearing Matching Dresses My Grandmother Made. There Is So Much Going On In This Picture, I Don’t Even Know Where To Start…it’s Cringeworthy All Around!
#67
Just What Every Kid Recovering From An Elbow Reconstruction Wants: A Huge Promotional Fish From Long John Silvers Stopping By With A Care Package Of Coloring Supplies And I Can’t Remember What Else. The Early 90s Were A Strange Time
#68
My Wife And I Just Had Our First Baby. My Father Drove 3 Hours To Visit Us In The Hospital. The Excitement Was Palpable
#69
1986 In A Nutshell. Badly Done Dorothy Hamill Hair. Socks With Jelly Shoes. Dad With His Smokes In His Pocket. And Lots Of Rattan
#70
For My Daughter’s 12th Birthday Party, We Made Masks Of Her Obsession, George Michael, For All Of The Little Girls. Didn’t Realize How Scary It Would Look When They Pulled Them All On At The Same Time
#71
This Is A School Photo Of My Older Sister From 1988. The Monstrosity Upon Her Head Is Reflected In Her Expression. The Lasers In The Background And Applique-Roses Sweatshirt Only Add To The Epic-Ness
#74
We Hiked A Lot In The Early 80’s, Whether I Wanted To Or Not. The Balloon Apparently Did Nothing For My Mood
#75
For My High School Yearbook Photo, I Wanted To Stand Out. I Brought It Home And Proudly Showed My Grandma Who Broke Down Crying In A Way I Have Never Seen Before
#76
This Is A Picture Of My Grandmother, Older Brother, And My Dad. The Photo Was Taken Well Before I Was Born And I Can Guarantee This Was My Dad’s Idea
#77
At Our Wedding In Qld Australia In 1993, The Photographer Took A Lot Of Photos With Our Eyes Closed But She Said It Would Be Fine Because She Could Get The Eyes Painted On Which Cost Us A Fortune. But I Guess It Was Worth It?
#79
This Is My Father In 1980 In Front Of The Christmas Tree Wearing His Favorite Pair Of Shorts (That He Had In Several Different Colors)
#80
“We Had To Wear Our Christmas Gear All Day And Stand In Line For Hours. Needless To Say, We Were Sick Of Each Other By The Time We Met Santa.” - Olivia
#81
“This Is My 2nd Grade School Picture From 1989. I Actually Still Own That Crimper.” - Lee Ann
#82
When I Was In New Zealand My Family Wanted To Wish Me Happy Christmas And Give Me Some Of That Holiday Cheer All The Way From Sweden. Well It Made Me Laugh. I Look At It Every Christmas
#83
Our Loving Mother Scheduled Our Youngest Sister’s Wisdom Teeth Extraction On Her Sixteenth Birthday. Here She Is Celebrating Afterwards. Cake, Anyone?
#85
I Liked To Take Naps With My Plastic Potty. My Parents Told Me I Literally Carried It Into Bed And That The Plastic Potty And I Had A Special Bond
#87
The Photo Is Myself, My Brother, And My Mom In Sacramento, 1987. I Had That Cut For About 2 Years To Identify As A Skateboarder. I’m Still Skateboarding, And Just Celebrated 40 Years Since I Started
#88
My Grandma Made My Grandpa Match Her For My Cousin’s Wedding. We Called Them ‘The Peaches.'
#89
Celebrating My 2-Year-Old Birthday Party In 1988, In Brazil With My Dad And His Friends. My Dad Took The Photo While His Friend Was Teaching Me An Important Life Skill
#90
My Dad Larry Opened One Of The First Cell Phone Stores In Houston Texas And Was Known As “The Cell Phone Kingpin.” I Wish You Could Have Seen The Commercial That Ran With Him On A Unicycle
#93
In The Early 80s My Dad Took The Family To The Grand Canyon. I Guess He Thought The Bare Midriff Was A Good Look
#99
My Family Owned An Internet Service Provider When I Was Growing Up, And This Was Our Big Promo Shot
#100
My Mom Attempted The Barbie Cake For My 8th Birthday. A Neighbor Gave Her General Instructions, And My Brother And Best Friend Were Clearly Unimpressed With The Results
#103
Classic Sugar Grill. Story Goes That I Chewed On My Bottle So Much That It Ruined My Teeth. My Neighbors Used To Chase Me Around The Yard With Pliers Saying They Were Going To Rip Out My Teeth And Sell The Silver
#104
Not Only Did My Dad Enlist Our Help To Take Pics Of Mom’s Butt, There’s Also An Entire Page In A Photo Album Dedicated To It Entitled, ‘Buty Call.'
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What do you think ?
Goose of the Ahonkalypse 2 years ago
You bet. I suspect overlined lips, duck face selfies, and the mom jeans resurgence will be part of it. But really anything super trendy often ends up being a bit funny years down the road.
Load More Replies... Goose of the Ahonkalypse 2 years ago
You bet. I suspect overlined lips, duck face selfies, and the mom jeans resurgence will be part of it. But really anything super trendy often ends up being a bit funny years down the road.
Load More Replies...
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