Ideology: The Perfect Family

The idea of a perfect family is ultimately an age old tradition, however from culture to culture over the centuries what makes a family "perfect" has changed. The photo to the right is of the Obama family and the current president. The idea of a perfect nuclear family, the 'traditional american' perfection is completely captured in this single photograph, and may be partially responsible to Obama's respect and success in the last presidential election.

This photo is perfect because it tries to express each family members unique individuality, while showing the togetherness and blissful "family whole". Each member's smile is unique and true to their character. The balance of the two children resting on their father brings great direction and closure to the space within the picture. Interestingly even though she is definently included within the family ring, Michelle Obama is definently secondary in the picture. Her black shirt contrasts with Baracks and the childrens white apparall. The choice of the photograph being done in black and white also heightens the contrast of the photo and 'bring out' the family from the background.

Just as the idea of the "perfect family" has not changed significantly within America's last few centuaries, neither for the most part has the design of the family portrait; Which almost always depicts the family placed relaxingly, embracingly and lovingly often non-casually within an often dream-like beautiful envireonment. Also of much importance is the capturing of each family member's smile. Think, originally when photographs began being developed people in portraits did not relax or smile. The idea then was that it was a much more formal "preservance" of a single identity in a proper acceptable state. Since then the ideas of 'capturing happiness' have become more common. In this photo of the Obama family, not only is everyone relaxed and happy, but their smiles seem completley natural and convincing making the photo appear very "real".

I think this is the overall interesting fact about the whole western family portrait ideology. Its total goal is to try to create an almost surreal happiness and comfortability depicting members happy and relaxed, in incredibly close proximity all simultaneously enjoying something or another immensely. This type of a photograph is centered around the idea of communicating "feeling" of happy family, even though the chances of all the family members coming together in literal bliss to share a moment like this together (with the exception of taking a family portrait) are not likely to ever happen.