Family Portraits: A Tangible Legacy You Leave for Others
Why Printed Portraits Matter for You and the Ones You Love
By Diane Dultmeier | Stuart, Florida Family Photographer
1966 outdoor family portrait of parents with four young children in front of a mid-century brick home – nostalgic vintage photo inspiration for Stuart Florida family photography
This snapshot of my family is the first official record of my existence.
I’m the one sucking my thumb. It’s a tiny photo—just 3.5x5 inches—and was likely taken by one of my grandparents during a visit. There are a few other images from that day, but sadly, none that include all of us together. This one is the closest we ever got to a complete family portrait. And it’s the only one we have.
I used to study that photo as a child, flipping through our albums and wishing I could see it more clearly. I wanted to understand who we all were in that moment, but the image was too small, too faint, too hard to read.
And now, I understand just how rare—and important—that single portrait really is.
Why Don’t We Have More Family Portraits?
As a kid, I never understood why I didn’t have a baby portrait hanging on the wall like my brothers did. It felt like I had been forgotten. But now I’m a mom, and I get it. My mother had her hands full with three wild boys—and then me. Taking a baby (plus three older brothers) to a photography studio was just too much at the time.
That one family photo of the Galen and Lorna Dultmeier family became more than just a picture—it became proof that we were here. And heartbreakingly, it’s the only full family portrait we will ever have. My father passed away shortly after it was taken, when I was just three years old.
A Photo Without Closeness
As glad as I am to have that one photo of our family, it doesn’t show love, relationship, or connection. No cuddling. No hand-holding. My brother is lifting his hand awkwardly, my shirt’s untucked, and only my oldest brother has a smile. We all look a little dumbfounded, to be honest.
It’s a far cry from the portraits I create for my clients. When I started photographing families here in Stuart, Florida, I didn’t set out to be different. But I naturally gravitated toward posing families in a way that shows closeness. I gently encouraged cuddles, laughter, and real connection. Maybe because I’ve always longed for that in my own family.
“On top of having one of the smallest family portraits ever, there are no baby portraits of me.” — Diane Dultmeier
Portraits Should Show Love, Not Just Faces
When I became a family portrait photographer, most portraits were stiff and formal. Everyone stood in rows and smiled at the camera, but the connection was missing. It felt like such a missed opportunity.
With my background in photojournalism, I had a different take on things. I did posed portraits, but I made sure to always focus on relationships. And if it wasn’t a “perfect” portrait, I still considered it a win if it truly captured who that family was. I told people to get “closer, closer, awkwardly closer,” which almost always resulted in laughter and true expressions.
Eventually, people began telling me, “You can always spot a Dultmeier portrait.” That’s when I realized—I wasn’t following rules. I was following my heart.
Over the last 25+ years, I’ve photographed countless families across the Treasure Coast, and far too many of those portraits became the last ones ever taken with a loved one. I know what it feels like to lose someone suddenly. I lost my father as a toddler. My oldest brother passed away in a car accident at 17. And in 2015, we said goodbye to my mother.
I am so deeply grateful to have preserved these fleeting, irreplaceable moments for my clients.
Thank You, Olan Mills
When we were older, my mom took advantage of the free portrait sessions offered by Olan Mills Studios—a now-closed national chain. We always laughed about what we call the “Mom Hovering” photo. It’s cheesy. We’re all stiff. But it still captures something meaningful about who we were in that moment, and I’m glad we have it.
Portraits Are Meant to Be Printed
This is why I do what I do.
Creating family portraits isn’t just about taking pretty pictures—it’s about helping families hold onto what matters most. When you work with me, I’m not going to hand you a gallery of digital files and wish you luck. I’m here to walk you through the entire experience—from planning the session, to photographing your family, to designing professional artwork for your walls.
I believe portraits should live in your home, not buried in a hard drive or lost on your phone.
You—or your kids—shouldn’t have to dig through folders or scroll through phones to find your family photos. You shouldn’t be squinting at a tiny image in a scrapbook, like I did all my life. And you definitely shouldn’t risk losing those files to a computer crash.
Your portraits should be printed, preserved, and proudly displayed.
Portraits Belong on the Wall, Not in the Cloud
Family portraits aren’t just for Christmas cards or social media. They’re for you. For your kids. For future generations.
They don’t belong on a USB stick or in the cloud. They belong on your walls—visible and accessible reminders of the people you love most.
After a long day, when you walk into your home and catch a glimpse of your child’s smile, your family gathered together in your beautiful wall portraits—you remember why it all matters. Even if, at that very moment, those same people are driving you crazy.
I’ve helped families in Stuart, Palm City, Sewall’s Point, and beyond turn their images into heirloom artwork that stands the test of time. And I hear it again and again—how much joy it brings to simply walk by a portrait each day.
You Won’t Regret It—Not Now, Not in 20 Years
After all these years, I don’t say this to brag—I say it because it’s true: I’m an expert at creating timeless portrait artwork that honors your family. And I know you’ll be so glad you took the time to do this. Your kids and grandkids will thank you someday.
Even if they don’t say it now, the appreciation will come.
“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson
This Moment Will Never Come Again
No matter what else happens, we can’t go back to today. We can’t relive this chapter, this milestone, this season of life.
Whether your children are small, just entering their teenage years, heading off to college, or returning home with families of their own—these moments are worth remembering. I love looking back at portraits of my boys at every stage of life (even if it makes me a little wistful that those days are behind us).
I can’t stop time. But I can help you hold on to it.
That’s why I consider myself not just a photographer, but a visual historian. I’ve been documenting families here on the Treasure Coast for over two decades. And I think it all started with that little photo I’ve been squinting at for so many years.
Vintage family portrait from the 1960s featuring grandparents, children, and grandchildren in front of a brick home – classic multigenerational family photography.
Ready to Preserve Your Family’s Legacy?
I’d love to help you create printed portraits that reflect your story and bring joy to your everyday life.
Click here to schedule a call and let’s talk about your family.
