Revealing Split Portraits of Immediate Family Members

Family Tree Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Wendy, 60, mother | Lisa, 23, daughter

Aging is a visually recognizable occurrence, as we've seen in photographer Bobby Neel Adams' AgeMaps, but there's something even more fascinating about comparative portraits between relatives. That is perhaps why Adams followed his last project with Family Tree, a photo series that juxtaposes the portraits of two relatives. Rather than simply seeing a before and after shot of one person, we see two people in the present day that display a feasible version of themselves from the past or the future in their own kin.

While the series does also address the aging process, it takes an additional look at the likeness between individuals who share bloodlines, specifically those that are immediate family members–father/son, mother/daughter, father/daughter, mother/son. Even if the coloring is a little off, silver on one side and brunette on the other, there is an undeniable resemblance. Using his signature method of piecing together two torn photographs, Adams presents a intriguing look at “the visual DNA passed from generation to generation.”

If you like this series, you should also check out Ulric Collette's Genetic Portraits and Frauke Theilking's Generation.

Bobby Neel Adams explores just how much people within the same family look alike in an eye-opening series, Family Tree.

Family Tree Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Russell, 77, father | Greg, 46, son

Family Tree Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

John, 41, son | Ronald, 69, father

Family Tree Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Sarah, 45, daughter | Mary, 79, mother

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Bernadette, 47, mother | Alec, 14, son

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Hayden, 7, son | Matt, 27, father

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Nancy, 63, daughter | Dorothy, 87, mother

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Karin, 38, mother | Natalya, 10, daughter

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Greg, 46, father | Isaac, 7, son

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Sarah, 45, mother | Isabelle, 11, daughter

Look Alike Family Photos Bobby Neel Adams

Walter, 84, father | Andy, 50, son

Bobby Neel Adams: Website
h/t: [Faith is Torment]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata (she/her) is the Editorial Director at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. She also runs her own art & culture newsletter called The High Low. She first joined the My Modern Met team in 2011 as a Contributing Writer, pitching and publishing articles about a wide range of topics. Her expertise in visual media lends itself to in-depth analysis of varied art forms, including but not limited to painting, illustration, sculpture, installation, design, and photography. Pinar has a particular affinity for spotlighting up-and-coming artists, affording them a platform and offering a voice to lesser-heard individuals looking to break through, especially BIPOC creatives. She has helped multiple artists make a name for themselves and reach a wider audience over 10+ years as a writer and editor (both through long-form articles and short-form videos). When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching films and TV, reading, crafting, drawing, frequenting museums and galleries, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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