The holiday season isn’t complete without a few essentials. We are baking some gingerbread cookies for Santa. Eat endless delicious meals that barely make you move (unless you’re willing to wobble and twirl). Some fiery drama with loved ones over nothing in particular. And of course, the awkward family photo that you can proudly put on a Christmas card or hide in the deepest, darkest recesses of your album.
Weird hairstyles. A strange garment. Peculiar expressions. Chances are, you have that exact photo you posed with your loved ones for a seasonal photo shoot at home or at a professional studio.
Awkwardness is one of those universal things that can make people cringe and cringe, no matter what part of the world they’re from. And today we’re bringing you a healthy dose of awkward family Christmas photos shared by adorably silly Awkward Family Photo Projectalso separate but also incredibly interesting r/awkwardfamilyphotos subreddit. Vote for your favorite photos, tell us which ones you liked the most, and share your photos in the comments, dear Pandas.
Boring Panda contacted with Mike Bender, Co-Founder author of Awkward Family Photos and NYT Bestsellers. We also turned to professionals photographer Dominic Sberna. Both interviews can be found below.
Hope you’re ready for some confusion! And remember, it’s fun to be stupid. So embrace it.
More information: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com | Board game
The awkward family photo genre is incredibly popular online. And we’ve talked about it many times here at Bored Panda. When you’ve enjoyed this list, consider checking out some of our best posts about this type of photo here, here, hereand here.
Awkward Family Photos is a full-fledged brand. He is so popular that he even released a board game – Awkward Family Photos, Greatest Hits.
asked a bored Panda Mike, co-founder from the Awkward Family Photos project, some follow-up questions about awkwardness, letting go of perfectionism, and surviving the holidays.
“I think Christmas photos are particularly awkward because the family members are more likely to be wearing matching sweaters or pajamas and as we know, matchy-matchy=awkward,” he said. And we couldn’t agree more. Wearing matching clothes really ups the weirdness level in any photo.
According to AFP founder Mike, the first step in combating perfectionism is “simply letting go of any need to look a certain way in front of the camera.”
“The hair doesn’t have to be combed, the outfit doesn’t have to be perfectly ironed. I think a nice candid shot of everyone just waking up on Christmas morning is perfect. We want to see the head of the bed, the rumpled pajamas and the glum faces,” he told Bored Panda.
When it comes to his tips for getting through the holidays in one piece, it’s very simple. “Don’t go home,” he said. “But if you do, make sure there are plenty of egg nuts.”
Meanwhile US photographer Dominic Sberna shared her insights on timeless photos, helping people feel comfortable in front of the camera, and how to know when your photos are finally “good enough” and stop working on them.
“I think the awkwardness is what makes them [the photos] stand the test of time! It’s amazing to look back at what was fashionable or what was socially acceptable in terms of what someone might wear or what expression,” Dominic told Bored Panda.
“Photographs are like time capsules in a way and they imprint a memory on us. Good or bad, they are the only way to freeze a moment in life. So in a way, the sharper the better to stand the test of time and be remembered.”
The professional photographer noted that there isn’t one thing you can tell someone to help them relax in front of the camera.
“You, the photographer, just have to make them feel comfortable. Talking and showing them that it’s okay to be yourself. When someone is comfortable with you, they’re more likely to open up and take memorable photos,” he said, adding. that although he doesn’t do many portraits himself, he’s seen it happen more than once.
However, according to Dominykos, the perfectionism of the past can be quite difficult. “It all boils down to knowing when to stop editing a photo. It comes with time and because we make the mistake of “refining too far,” he said.
“Everyone has a different threshold, but I think it’s just something you learn over time. You know your job, you know what you want from a shot, so you know when it’s done.”
If you don’t cringe even a little after seeing these pictures, congratulations dear Panda, you’ve clearly mastered your heart, mind and spirit.
It takes a strong individual not to feel the secondary confusion that comes with these images of stupidity.
However, a little irritation, a little quirks and unpleasantness should not prevent you from having a good time with your loved ones.
Look, at the end of the day, life is short and time with your nearest and dearest is precious.
So instead of worrying about what everyone else will think, just pretend. Be gloomy. Pose for some of the most objectively unaesthetic photos known in human history. Much beauty lies in imperfection and learning to let go.
Perfectionism and the idea that you and your family “should” be and look “perfect” can really backfire. If parents constantly make decisions for their children without letting them decide anything for themselves, they become more passive and timid as they grow up.
A little discomfort and mild confusion are inevitable parts of life. But by constantly protecting your children from these things, they are not prepared to face them when they move out. Resilience is essential when you’re an adult, and you’ll hardly develop it if someone is always making decisions for you. For example, what to wear, what (not) to do.
This is the added stress of trying to create the illusion of “perfection” in your life. What you see on social media is (mostly) far from reality.
Content creators may feel like they have it all, but it’s all a carefully crafted image. No one’s family life is “perfect”. Almost everyone faces more or less the same problems and frustrations. Just to a different extent.
One thing these awkward family Christmas photos remind us of the importance of traditions. Getting together with your loved ones and doing something every year is a great way to keep your family strong. You renew your connections with everyone. You keep in touch. And you do silly and playful things that make you all laugh and smile.
Traditions don’t have to be super serious. You can definitely focus on taking an incredibly embarrassing holiday photo of everyone wearing their ugliest Christmas sweaters. The real prize is spending quality time with your family, not what everyone else thinks.
So, dear Pandas, which of these pictures made you laugh the most? What do you have planned for the holidays? What Christmas traditions do you and your family follow? What’s the dumbest Christmas photo you’ve ever taken? Hit the comments and tell us about it.
“My parents just got a hot tub and they were very happy with it. So my grandmother hired a professional photographer to take a photo of the family in the hot tub. For some reason they posed with wine and candles even though the kids weren’t old enough to drink… and sent it to 150+ friends as a Christmas card.
Comments are closed.