Every once in a while, a photoshoot comes along that reminds me photography doesn’t always have to be polished, serious, or perfectly posed.
Sometimes, it just needs to be awkward on purpose.
These three beautiful sisters are also my nieces! My oldest niece, Hailey text and asked if I was up for an awkward Christmas photoshoot inspired by old-school JCPenney portraits… with full-on Step Brothers energy. And yes — I said absolutely without hesitation.
My nieces ranging in age from 17 to 26 and Hailey came in with a clear vision and none of them had any fear of leaning into it. They weren’t hoping for “cute.” They weren’t aiming for “normal.” But they are related to me so you know that’s not even possible.
They wanted intentionally uncomfortable poses, forced smiles, and that unmistakable vibe that makes you laugh and slightly cringe at the same time. Think classic mall portrait energy with a holiday twist.
They had ideas. I had ideas. And together, we leaned all the way in.
This session was inspired by:
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Old-school JCPenney Christmas portraits
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Step Brothers-style seriousness
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The kind of photos you pull out every year and laugh harder each time
These girls mirrored the Step Brothers look beautifully — from expressions to posture — and absolutely nailed it. Every pose felt ridiculous in the best way possible.
At one point, I was laughing so hard I had to consciously steady the camera. No exaggeration. Keeping it together behind the lens was a real challenge.
We kept the setup intentionally minimal so the girls could be the stars.
The session used:
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A clean white backdrop
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A classic Christmas backdrop
No distractions. No over-styling. Just three sisters, fully committed to the bit, giving their parents a gift they will never forget.
And honestly? That simplicity made the photos even better. The awkwardness had room to breathe.
And they were awkward for sure. The combination of the Step-Brothers movie poster made it even better.
What surprised me most wasn’t how funny the session was — it was how spot-on the final images turned out.
Every expression. Every pose. Every forced smile. They understood the assignment and executed it flawlessly. These are the kinds of photos that become legendary in family group texts.
If you’re part of a family with siblings — teens, adult kids, or a mix — and you’re looking for West Valley family photography that goes beyond the standard holiday card, this is your sign to schedule a photoshoot this summer while the studios are open and air conditioned!
Photos don’t have to be traditional to be meaningful. Sometimes, the ones that make you laugh the hardest are the ones you treasure the most.
So yes — bring me your weird ideas. The awkward ones. The ones you’re not sure will work. The ones inspired by pop culture, inside jokes, or pure chaos.
Those are usually my favorites.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer – Kim
PS – It’s always good to get some sweet photos in the middle of the awkward and we did that too.
