We're Crying at These Poorly Edited Photos a Family Actually Got Back From a Photographer

Updated on 6/1/2018 at 11:00 AM

Pam Dave Zaring

Pam Dave Zaring learned quite a few lessons about hiring a professional photographer after a hilariously bad experience with a woman who she paid to take photos of her family. In a post to Facebook, the mom shared the six photos she was given by the photographer, which were clearly (very badly) photoshopped — and the internet is collectively crying hysterical tears over them.

"OK. This is NOT a joke," Pam wrote. "We paid a photographer, who claimed to be a professional, $2-250 for a family photo shoot. Please see these FOR REAL photos she delivered to us. She said the shadows were really bad on the beautiful, clear, sunny day and that her professor never taught her to retouch photos. . . I literally have not laughed this hard in YEARS!!!!! You can't make this stuff up. Again, this is NOT a joke — final product."

In the photos, Pam and her family look like creepy, featureless cartoon characters, but what a few commenters pointed out is that the two family dogs actually look pretty fantastic. Pam told POPSUGAR that the photographer had actually mentioned before sending over the photos how great the dogs came out (which maybe should have been some sort of hint about what was to come?).

This isn't satire. Just a very funny experience. These are the photos we received on a disc. Sooo many people have asked if we've edited theses in any shape, way, or form. I literally moved these photos directly from the disc, unretouched. Not to mention, I have zero knowledge in photo editing. Her explanation was mainly that she really struggled with shadows and that she had not been properly trained in photo editing. We did not get a refund, as she stated all sales are final, but in all fairness, she did offer us a reshoot. We respectfully declined her offer.

Pam says that her family has definitely gotten a kick out of the photos, especially her two sons, Cade and Connor. "It's a kid's dream to go viral, apparently!" she said.

All jokes aside, Pam and her family learned a few lessons about hiring a "professional" photographer, which she's now passing on to other families: "If I could offer any advice, it would be the obvious: do more research when you spend money on a professional service, but also wait until the final product to pay . . . Every customer should be happy with the final product."

Pam told POPSUGAR that she spoke with the photographer about getting the original, unretouched photos from her. "She said she would provide the originals to us. We haven't received them yet, but we definitely feel an obligation to be sure to update folks on those when/if they come in!"

Until then, see the hilarious retouched photos ahead.