Meet the Toronto-based studio thats Capitalizing on personality pics

July 26, 2024 | Written by Christine Bradshaw
Graphic Design: Sierra Madison

Over the past decade, social media has become ubiquitous, and so too has the need for content to fill it with. The ‘market’, as it’s wont to do, has responded to our demand with its innovative supply: Instagram photo walls like the (now peeling) Calii Love angel wing wall, interactive photo experiences like The Museum of Ice Cream, and article after SEO article about where the most Instagrammable (sic.) places in any city are. We’ve become mini marketers for ourselves; brand managers, photographers, copywriters, and creative directors for our social media image.

Take a moment to reflect on what your brand’s identity is: How do you decide what to post? What makes a post Feed-worthy versus just a Story? And will you post just one photo or will it be a ‘dump’? Will you put a filter on it or is that so passé? Or is it so passé that it’s now chic? And will you crop it so it’s square? Horizontal? God-forbid: Whitagram-ed?

Do you Photoshop? Facetune? It’s okay if you do, I’m just curious.

How does your brand choose a caption for the photo? Is it a pun? An Emoji? An anecdote? And how has your brand changed over time?

I’ve had some form of social media since I was 10 years old—15 years of self-marketing experience. Today, I don’t post content like I did when I was 10 (pictures of One Direction and horses), or 15 (dark, grainy pictures of rap concerts and neon signs), or even 20 (Facetuned pictures of me at clubs or bars in my best Fashion Nova fit) because I feel like it wouldn’t reflect my brand, that is to say, who I am as a person at 25.

As we crossed over into the 2020s, I’ve seen myself strive to contrive an image of authenticity online. Why? Because I’m copying content creators I admire, creators like Emma Chamberlain and Enya Umanzor, who have pioneered and perpetuated this brand image.

In this period of the internet, at least in North America, the focus of content is to show off your personality, not just your physical and material assets. That’s not to say physical and material assets are undesirable— I think the point now is to look candid (not plandid) and personable in photos that just so happen to show off your physical assets.

Evolution of the content I’ve posted on my social media from 10 to 25 years old

In an age where personality pics are sooo in, the market is starting to catch on and once again is responding with solutions to help us fulfill our content creation needs. Enter Awkward Portrait Studio, an end-to-end photo studio located in Toronto, brought to you by the creators of Awkward Family Photos. The studio provides customers with access to a professional photographer, camera and lighting, tons of cheesy backdrops, awkward props, set pieces, costumes, and awkward pose options.

Sierra initially caught wind of this place while scrolling TikTok and liked the concept, recounting to me: “mostly i liked the nostalgic factor it brought and that the concept was really fun and pushed people outside their comfort zones.” We reached out and asked to collaborate with the studio and as the ball started rolling, we connected with the guys of Lost Faculty, who we met at NXNE, and decided to loop them in on the collaboration as there was a natural connection between the silliness of the studio and the band’s boyish charm.

On a sunny July Sunday, we all linked up early at the studio, located on the second floor of a converted Victorian home on Richmond Street. As we waited for our session time to commence, we forced politely directed the guys through some of our content ideas, recreating some iconic 2010 One Direction stair interview videos and Minion TikToks:

After deciding which backdrops we wanted, we were then invited into the studio space by our photographer and the shoot commenced. The camera started flashing and Sierra and I started directing the guys through a series of awkward poses as silly props and wigs and laughter bounced off the walls.

Here are the results:

After having such a lovely time at the studio, we reached out to the founders to answer some of our most pressing questions:

SYNT: Can you tell us a bit about the studio? 

The Awkward Portrait Studio is unlike any other– it’s the first photo studio dedicated to the pursuit of awkward photos. The studio has vintage backdrops, unusual props, and a complete guide of certified awkward poses to guarantee a hilarious experience for families, friends, couples, co-workers, pet owners & their pets. 

SYNT: What inspired you to open a studio dedicated to awkwardness?

We’ve received so many submissions over the years of people trying to recreate some of the photos they’ve seen on our page that we thought it was time to create an actual studio complete with every element required to create an awkward family photo. Believe it or not, we’ve put research into this :)  

SYNT: How do you help people loosen up before a session and really channel their inner awkward child?

In the waiting room, we’ve framed some of our classic Awkward Family Photos for inspiration. Then guests can look through an iPad with all the different backdrops, pose ideas, and props that are waiting for them in the studio to get the ideas flowing. And finally, our amazing photographer brings them into the studio and guides them through the process, and the next thing you know, everyone is getting loose, trying out different poses and props, and laughing through the whole experience.   

SYNT: Do you think we should bring the term “awko taco” back into the mainstream?

Wait, that’s not still mainstream? 

SYNT: Would you consider yourselves awkward people?

Extremely, and that’s how this all started. We’re all awkward so let’s celebrate it. 

SYNT: What's your favourite awkward pose? 

The pile-on. Something about a family or group of friends showing how close they are by literally stacking on top of each other is hard to beat!

You may be thinking: ‘I don’t need to spend money to get awkward pictures of myself’. That’s true, you could stop whatever you’re doing right now and take some pictures of yourself on your iPhone, trying your hardest to appear awkward. But the result wouldn’t be the same as what you get at the studio because you would look truly awkward. The photos wouldn’t translate the same as the portraits from Awkward Portrait Studio.

The studio provides overtly awkward portraits that are attempting to capture the essence of the meme-able awkward family photos from decades past. Their service is to provide high quality, ironically awkward portraits, as well as the space, time and props to create them. When you post these photos, it is very clear to viewers that you’re trying to be awkward, that you’re trying to be silly and light-hearted, and the response is positive (more likes! increase your standing among your digital social circles! attract potential mates!). If you were to post one of those aforementioned awkward selfies, well… results may vary.