US3 min(s) read
Published 11:50 10 Aug 2026 GMT
The photographer who introduced millions of people to the Whittaker family has opened up about his unsettling first encounter with the West Virginia family, revealing the bizarre behaviour that has stayed with him years later.
The Whittakers became widely known after photographer Mark Laita featured them on his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly.
His documentaries explored the family's isolated lifestyle, alleged history of inter-family relationships and the disabilities experienced by some members.
According to accounts from the family, their history allegedly traces back generations, with relatives marrying within the family.
Laita has previously described his encounter with the Whittakers as “one of the most disturbing interviews I’ve ever done”, and said one particular aspect of the visit has remained etched in his memory.
He eventually gained access to the family's remote home after dealing with protective neighbours. Accompanied by police, Laita travelled down increasingly isolated roads before reaching the property.
Speaking on the Koncrete Klips podcast, he recalled the strange scene that greeted him.
“We came around to this road, which turns into a country road, which turns into a dirt road.”
He continued: “Then we come to this trailer and then a little shack on the other side of the road.
"And there's these people walking around and their eyes are going in different directions and they are barking at us.”
Laita compared the experience to the movie Deliverance, which depicts a disturbing encounter in rural America.
“One guy, you would look him in the eye or say anything and he would just scream and go running away, and his pants would fall around his ankles, and he would go running off and go and kick a garbage can.”
He said the behavior repeatedly occurred during his visit.
“And this would happen over and over. It was out of control - the craziest thing I have ever seen.”
Laita first documented the family in his 2020 documentary Inbred Family - The Whittakers, although he acknowledged that communicating with them could be extremely difficult.
He later returned to film more aspects of their lives, including their Christmas celebrations, trips to the state fair and visits to their family cemetery.
Despite spending more than two decades documenting the family, Laita has admitted to having complicated feelings about his work.
“It feels exploitative but I think it's good for us all to know that these things exist,” he explained.
He compared the situation to everyday transactions, arguing that exploitation exists in many aspects of life.
“The hotel I'm staying at, they're exploiting my need for sleep," he said.
"The restaurant I ate breakfast at is exploiting my hunger.
"Everything is exploitative. Photography and video are especially by nature exploitative.”
Laita's relationship with the family has not always been straightforward.
In 2024, he reportedly donated around £1,000 toward the funeral expenses of Larry Whittaker, only to subsequently discover that Larry was actually still alive.
More recently, the Daily Mail reported that authorities removed several members of the family from their home in Odd, West Virginia.
Ray Whittaker, 72, his sister Lorene, 79, and her son Timmy, 46, were reportedly among those removed. Relatives Betty, 73, and Larry, 69, claimed they were given little explanation for the decision.
“They said they were helping them, and they couldn’t live here no more,” Betty said. “I miss them a lot, I raised them.”
