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Ranked top 10 in the US in 2022, 2023, 2024 (This is Reportage Family)

Family Picture Style Trends From the 1980s to Now

What makes a family picture feel like it was taken 30 years ago? Or 10 years ago? Is it just the clothing and the hairstyles that make it seem to fit in a certain era? Or is it something more?

Just as with clothing and hair styles, family pictures themselves - the way they are taken, posed, and processed -  have changed throughout the years. Here's a look at some of the major trends from the past several decades in the US. Of course there are always going to be examples of families and photographers out there that were behind or ahead of their time, but when you group family portraits by date and look at how they change through the years it is fascinating to see how they evolve. Take a look and see if pictures of your own family would fit in with the trends. Two of the pictures are of my family - see if you can find me!

All images (except my own) are courtesy of the creative commons license or stock photos; hover over the images (or tap if you are on a mobile device) to see their sources and attribution. 

The 1980s

Finlinson Family Picture 1980's by davidmesaaz is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse

SCAN: 1984 - Family Portrait by Thom Watson is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

Bro Family Scanned Pictures by Jordan and Lee is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

Bro Family Scanned Pictures by Jordan and Lee is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

I couldn't find a good example with the rights to repost so I created one using my phone. It was fast, easy and fun. I'll describe how in the next newsletter so click the link below (or this photo) to learn how to make some rad portraits of your own.

Bro Family Scanned Pictures by Jordan and Lee is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

Ah, the 80s. Like the decades before it, a common place for family portraits in the 80s was in a photographer's studio with controlled lighting and formal posing. Studio backdrops were popular, especially patterned designs and matching clothing was as cool as Cabbage Patch Kids. The late 70s and early 80s also brought us the much-parodied "floating head" pictures where an additional family member's head is superimposed onto an image of the remaining family members.

The 1990s

Our family in 1992 by MTSOfan is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Marshall Family Reunion Aug 1991 by kenner116 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Barry family, 1999 by surrealpenguin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

3 Family at Peggy's Cover 1993 a by kylemac is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse

1993-1994 fpc family photo by greenebriar is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse

Family 1999 by Jim, the Photographer is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse

In the 90s, family trips to Sears (or another photo studio) to get a formal portrait were still a popular option for family pictures. We do see the beginning of a trend toward more casual photos in the 90s though, with outdoor settings becoming more popular - especially the beach or other scenic locations. Clothing was often still matching, but the clothing choices were less formal than the 80s. Denim was a very popular choice. The posing in family pictures was still highly directed by the photographer but was also slightly more relaxed than in the 1980s. 

 

The 2000s

You found me! With my lovely mom and sisters and neutral colors for life.

Our family in 2001 by shareski is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse

Family Christmas Picture 2009 by breezy421 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

Family Picture by sinosplice is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse

Phil_Carie_Family 7 by AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse

2002 Family Pic by Michel Curi is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openvers

Family Picture Sears 2009 by adrseattle is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse

2008 Family Portrait 2 by upwiththemooses is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Selective Color

With the rise of digital cameras, photography started to become even more accessible in this decade and there was a more DIY approach to family pictures. Studios shots were still common but many families opted for more candid, outdoor pictures or pictures in their own homes. The trend toward less formal portraits that had begun in the 90s continued to grow in the following decade. Clothing continued on a casual trend and was often coordinated by color instead of everyone wearing the exact same outfits. Neutral colors were especially popular. The beginnings of lifestyle photography can be seen, with families adding props to try to tell more about themselves in their pictures. Families also often oped for more casual poses, like human pyramids or piled on top of each other, to show more character than formal seated poses. Black and white also started to come back in favor. With digital photos comes digital editing and Photoshop effects, such as borders, text and selective color (where an image is black and white with just a selective part in color.) became very popular. 

The 2010s

Laity Lodge Family Camp, June 21-27, 2015 by LaityLodgeFamilyCamp is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?

Family walking down the beach by Ryan G. Smith is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Free Pexels stock photo by Harrison Haines

2013-11-17 Barefoot Portraits Photo Shoot-20131117-IMG_6543.jpg by David Leo Veksler is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Free Pexels stock photo by Marybeth Lambert

Kids sitting behind the Atalaya Castle by Ryan G. Smith is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Brothers holding hands at sunset by Ryan G. Smith is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Family Portraits by JeremyMP is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse.

2010 Portrait Session @ Dowling Photography by lucidialohman is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?

By the end of the 2010s there were many, many options for family pictures. Outdoor settings with natural light (especially golden hour) at places such as parks or beaches were very popular. Studio photos still remained a strong option for many photographers and families. Urban areas became a more common destination for family pictures and minimal backgrounds, such as a plain wall, gained popularity. With the rise of Pinterest boards, coordinated outfits and color combinations became a focus of many family pictures. Creative and artistic shots, such as unique angles and silhouettes, also started to appear more in family pictures in this time. The use of extremely wide aperture settings to create out of focus (or obliterated) backgrounds grew in popularity and use.

Lifestyle photography was a popular option, with families opting for posed candid shots that showed more of their personalities and interests. Documentary family photography also started to become increasingly common as photographers begin to specialize in a photojournalistic approach to family pictures to capture authentic moments. 

The continual growth and expansion of digital pictures meant more and more emphasis on the editing process after a shoot as well. Light and airy editing, where the photographer makes use of flat light and edits with desaturated colors, low contrast and bright exposure, became very popular. Earthy brown tones also become a popular editing technique, as well as post production sun flares and other effects to add more drama to images. 

2020 - Today

Free stock image from Pexels by August de Richelieu

Photo by Danik Prihodko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-with-three-kids-standing-outdoors-in-winter-15878500/

Photo by Sasha Kim: https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-cheerful-father-and-daughter-sitting-on-a-floor-and-playing-with-hairbands-8432273/

Free pexels stock photo by Jordan Bergendahl : https://www.pexels.com/photo/large-family-portrait-in-mountains-14237304/

Free stock image from Pexels by Vlada Karpovich

Photo by Elina Fairytale: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-lace-long-sleeve-shirt-hugging-another-woman-3893734/

2020s

Today family picture styles are a continuation of the style explosion of the 2010s. Outdoor settings and natural light remain the most popular options for family pictures, with locations getting more and more extreme as people look for something to stand out on social media. Non-natural image post-processing remains popular, with colors often being manipulated to convey a certain mood or to give a feel of professionalism. However there is also a movement towards more natural editing. Lifestyle and documentary images are increasingly popular as families try to showcase their personalities in their family pictures. With so many options for locations, editing styles and approaches to a family portrait session, there has never been an easier time to find exactly the style of family pictures that is right for your family. 

If you are interested in a no-pose, natural approach to family pictures that can preserve memories and has an authenticity that lifestyle photos lack, click here to learn more about why documentary family photography is for you.

Let's keep in touch! Click to join my mailing list. Not spammy. Often entertaining. Occasionally educational.

Cover Image: The kids never understand it's not actually a race! by Ryan G. Smith is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. 

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