Article is satire, photo is unfortunately real. Source: <a href="http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2011/12/20/4-days-to-awkward-xmas-headwraps/">Awkward Family Photos</a>
Big fan of The Princess Bride? Have one person lie on a table and appear to be receiving torture. Is Pulp Fiction more your speed? So many great options here, depending on the size of your family group.
1. Borrow a child. Whatever your real-life family arrangement, add an extra person into the mix. It's guaranteed to make viewers pay more attention to your shot instead of doing the glance and toss. Even better? You might hear from long-lost family members or friends who didn’t know you’d acquired an elderly woman/baby/angry tween. Bonus points for including this new person in your holiday letter.
2. Match. Don't just coordinate. 100% match. And not just the other people in your photo, either. Think more along the lines of camouflage. Sitting on a brown couch for your portrait? Dye your clothes the exact shade if you can so you’ll blend in nicely. Using more of a candid nature shot? Your choice, but it does make the matching a bit harder, though not impossible with a hot glue gun and lots of fabric swatches.
3. Act Out A Scene From A Favorite Movie. No need for costumes, though you can go as far as you’d like. Big fan of The Princess Bride? Have one person lie on a table and appear to be receiving torture. Is Pulp Fiction more your speed? So many great options here, depending on the size of your family group. Reviving a person from a drug overdose, shooting each other, or simply dancing Travolta-style.
4. Hire A Student To Take Your Photo. No, not a college senior graduating with a degree in photography. A junior high student would be ideal, though you can choose any age as long as it is the first time this person has attempted learning about the photographic arts. You can feel good knowing you helped someone on their road to eventual success, even if your head is not visible in the photo.
5. Family Bath Time. Everyone loves a Facebook picture of a kid splashing in the tub. Extend that for a memorable family photo for this year’s holiday card. Use bubbles strategically, but think of other more creative props to cover the naughty bits — rubber ducks, bars of soap, etc.
6. Don't Choose Just One. Doing this can be hard. Instead, make a collection of 100 special shots from throughout the year. If you’re feeling ambitious, aim for 365. One a day is so passé, so aim to have all the pictures reflect one 24-hour period of time. More is always better.
No more worrying about your holiday photos! With these suggestions, everyone you know will talk about you. Isn’t that what this is about, really? Don’t listen to what anyone who says holiday photos aren’t a popularity contest. Everything is a competition.