Side-By-Side ‘Genetic Portraits’ Of Family Members Show Just How Strong Family DNA Is (30 Pics)
Ulric Collette's work asks the essential questions about our own identity. Who are we? Where do we come from? How much do family members resemble each other, and how do they differ? What is the role of genetic traits in the physical appearance of a person?
Ulric is a graphic designer and photographer from Quebec City in Canada. He has created this unique photo series, where he explores his ideas by illustrating the genetic similarities between different members of the same family. From father to son (it was when photoshopping his own son's image that this ingenious photo idea came to him) to siblings, grandparents, and cousins, Ulric explores the power of genetics across many different branches of the family tree with side by side comparisons.
Scroll down below to see Ulric's interesting photos work for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
More info: Website | Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
Grandmother/Granddaughter: Ginette, 61 And Ismaëlle, 12, 2013
awesome. Kind of get an idea of what you will look like at the older age.
She’s going to age beautifully - IF she takes care of that fair skin.
Load More Replies...Amazing. 61 and 12. Grandma seems younger and granddaughter older
I have always wondered what it's like to see another you in the world. I've never had kids so I have no idea what it is to look in the face of your child\grandchild and see your exact self looking back?
"I started doing this genetic portrait photography series in 2008 while doing a photo per day challenge," Ulric told Bored Panda. "I had made a lot of self-portraiture at the time, and made the first one of me and my 7 year old son a little bit by accident while trying something really different in photoshop."
"I published the photo manipulation on Flickr at the time and the response was great so I decided to try it out with other people, family and friends at first, and so on… The project went viral a few time since then."
"’I've made a few exhibits around the world, in Montreal, Belgium and the U.S. and featured in a few art books and magazines," Ulric continues. "I’ve also made the final at the Canne Lion in 2012 for a foundation project. My work is currently on display at the Transportation Mall Photography Exhibit at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta."
Brothers: Christophe, 30 And Ulric, 29, 2009
Wow they look so alike and I thought it was just a person then I saw the nose and lips and realized ah yes it's two people
I would have never known this was two people. It just looks like a cute guy with a quirky but charming nose.
Sisters: Véronique, 32 And Catherine, 26, 2014
I thought so too. Talk about strong family genes!
Load More Replies...Ulric would love to release a book of his work one day, although he hasn't gotten around to it just yet. "It would be great to do this with famous people and their family, maybe it could make a great book!" he said. We agree!
"There's a lot of detail in my photographs, and I've learned a lot over time on how the best light the subject and what I need in my photo for it to work," he continues. "I've received a lot of photographs from families over time and for the most part, It would not work if people just sent their photos to me."
"Most of the time the photos are too small, there are no details or the lighting is really different in the two photographs. For me, it is really important that I do the entire process by myself."
Father/Son: Claude, 54 And Benoit, 23, 2013
Hmmm, I think Dad has a detached earlobe and Son has an attached earlobe.
Now he know just what he will look like when he is his father's age.
Sisters: Anne-Sophie, 19 And Pascale,16, 2011
Although Ulric is no scientist, his experience in photographing families in this way has really opened his eyes to the physical manifestations of family DNA. "I've learned a few generic facts on genetics along the way but really had no way to prove anything, unfortunately," he says. "For example, I've been told that daughters tend to look a lot like their grandmother from the father's side of the family."
Do you have a family member that you strongly resemble? What do you think about Ulric's revealing photography? Let us know what you think and feel free to share your own stories in the comments!
Son/Mother: Kristof, 19 And Madined, 41, 2017
If it wasnt for the eyes being different I'd think this was one person
Mother/Daugther : Mireille, 37 And Maxim, 16, 2016
The right. Just put your hand up to the left side of the face so you can tell.
Load More Replies...Mom is on the left. So far the people have shown up the same as in the titles.
Sister/Brother: Ismaëlle, 12 And Nathan, 11, 2013
This really reinforces the strength of family genes and physical resemblances.
Load More Replies...Jaw on floor!!! WOW!!!! :-O Are they fraternal twins? That's cheating, just a little if they are, because wow!
Brothers: Éric, 39 And Dany, 31, 2013
My thoughts exactly! Tie-dyed shirt and half a toupee haha
Load More Replies...I know this is 2 different people but I'm digging the hairstyle like it's 1 person's.
Twins: Laurence And Christine, 20, 2009
Definitely fraternal. Pay attention to the nose and the shape of the mouth. Similar, but not the same.
Load More Replies...Identical, but even identical twins sometimes, have very subtle differences! My dad was an identical twin, but I could ALWAYS tell which one was my dad! Always. Plus, their personalities were so different. They are both now passed on, but we noticed that, when they were young and then as old men, they looked the most alike. During their twenties on, the tiny differences became more visible, my sisters also say, they knew who was our dad,too.
Obviously fraternal. Some of the other pics look more like twins than this one.
Brother-Sister twins are nearly always fraternal. Identical, or monozygotic, twin pairings with both genders are extremely rare.
Identical twins are created when the egg splits making they're genetic makeup pretty much exactly identical, therefore they will both always have the same gender. Brother sister twins are always going to be fraternal because they're formed when two separate eggs are fertilized. So identical twin pairings in brother sister twins is not extremely rare, it's impossible. I'm bored, and yes I wasted my time responding to your comment. Have a nice day.
Load More Replies...Brother/Sister: Jean-Philippe, 29 And Véronique, 27, 2013
It would have looked weird to cut off her hair, they want it to look natural. Only the faces are blended in the center.
Load More Replies...It’s weird because the pictures with boy/girl make a face that don’t reallu look any gender
Sisters: Élodie, 24 And Audrey, 30, 2014
Mother/Daughter: Julie, 61 And Isabelle, 32, 2011
“Just run me through the oversized Xerox machine please, I need to be two places at once,” gone wrong.
Cousin: Justine, 29 And Ulric, 29, 2009
Not seeing it so strong. Ulric has bushier eyebrows, wider eyes, wider nostril & nasal passage, thinner lips, lower/bigger ears, and the jaw is more square.
Daughter/Mother: Geneviève, 33 And Marie-Andrée, 55, 2013
With such amazing similarity at least the girl already knows how she'll look like in 22 years.
Mother/Son: Ginette, 61 And Mathieu, 30, 2013
It shows how two people can look drastically different, but basically the same.
Daughter/Mother: Marilène, 35 And Réjeane, 64, 2013
They do look alike and are pretty women, but I do have to wonder if Mom did smoke, as someone else pointed out. The daughter is 30 years younger, but it seems like she may have inherited better skin characteristics from her Dad’s side if it isn’t smoking issues.
Sister/Brother: Pascale, 45 And David, 36, 2013
She's a well known actress here, and very (if not conventionally) pretty...
Load More Replies...Brothers: Loyd, 30 And Jean-Philippe, 27, 2013
Twins: Christine And Laurence, 25, 2014
I love seeing twins express the differences in their personalities and not do that cloying “twinsy” look.
Sisters: Justine, 34 And Émilie, 36 2013
Brothers: Dany, 31 And Éric, 39, 2013
Amazing how the photographer is able to line up the subjects to achieve just the right pose.
Sister/Brother: Geneviève, 33 And Jean-Michel, 30, 2013
I don't like Jean-Michael's neck beard, I feel it would be more comfortable to look at if it were neatly cut straight, you know?
Sisters: Catherine, 23 And Véronique, 29, 2010
They both are pretty but their eyes make it a little creepy. I put my hand over one face and then another and then you see their beauty.
Daughter/Mother: Marie-Andrée, 55 And Claudette, 81, 2013
81 y.o. has beautiful skin and has been taking great care of herself.
Brothers: Mathieu, 26 And Ulric, 29, 2009
These two have very little in common! Eyes different sizes, different set (sockets), nose, mouth very different, even the cheekbones and shape of the jawline are different, and the ears set at different heights. Weird how people still seem to think they are similar
Reminds of Moriarity from the current Sherlock Holmes tv series.
Poor Ulrich looks like he could use a good night's sleep. Wonder if he and his wife have a new baby (and subject of a future photo mashup).
Ulric did not want to be in this third picture initally. Hence the black eye :D
Cousins: Ulric, 34 And Justine, 34, 2013
Sisters: Gabrielle, 28 And Léa, 25, 2011
Mother/Daughter: Johanne, 54 And Roxane, 22, 2012
Father/Son: Laval, 56 And Vincent, 29, 2009
I think partly because the eyes are pointed in different directions
Load More Replies...These are amazing, I would love to see one of me and my mom or daughter!!
These are SOOOO incredible WOWEEEEE. I am adopted and just met my sister at age 48. Everyone says we do not need the paperwork so I find genetics particularly incredible having not known anyone that looked like me before! So thank you <3
I couldn't unsee the damage the 00's did on some of those poor eyebrows...
This would look weird with me and either of my parents since I'm a mix of their skin colours (my dad is aboriginal, with darker skin and black hair and my mum is pasty white with mousy blonde hair)
These are amazing, I would love to see one of me and my mom or daughter!!
These are SOOOO incredible WOWEEEEE. I am adopted and just met my sister at age 48. Everyone says we do not need the paperwork so I find genetics particularly incredible having not known anyone that looked like me before! So thank you <3
I couldn't unsee the damage the 00's did on some of those poor eyebrows...
This would look weird with me and either of my parents since I'm a mix of their skin colours (my dad is aboriginal, with darker skin and black hair and my mum is pasty white with mousy blonde hair)
