Ulric Collette's Split Portraits Reveal Family Resemblance Through Genetics

Quebec-based designer and photographer Ulric Collette has been running his ongoing Genetic Portraits series since 2008, exploring how family members resemble each other through composite images. He photographs two relatives, splits each face in half, and digitally merges them into a single portrait. The results show striking symmetry when siblings, parent-child pairs, or cousins share DNA—cousins share up to 25% of genetic makeup. Many composites look like one person with different hair or aging, while others highlight subtle contrasts. Collette's own family features prominently: in 2013, he paired his mother Ginette (61) with his daughter Ismaëlle (12); in 2024, Ismaëlle (23) was paired with her brother Nathan (22), looking like twins. Most recently, Collette added himself (45) with his father Denis (77). The series underscores how genetics shape physical appearance across generations.