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Archiver > VINTAGE-PHOTOS > 2006-12 > 1167607659


From: "Dora Smith" <>
Subject: Re: [VINTAGE-PHOTOS] Old Photo Question
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:27:39 -0600
References: <BAY110-DAV16BE41BE294CEACBCDEAE3D0C40@phx.gbl><45975118.2040302@earthlink.net>


I've heard that many a time. But there were still differences in facial
expression!

Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, TX

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill and Glenna Jo Christen" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 11:56 PM
Subject: Re: [VINTAGE-PHOTOS] Old Photo Question


> Donna Lee wrote:
>
>>I can answer your question of why people in old photos like in the 1800's
>>look so grumpy . An elderly man told me years ago that it was because most
>>of them had no teeth . The teeth would rot and fall out and so they kept
>>their mouth closed and it made them look grumpy also the photos took a
>>long time to be taken and they were not comfortable and maybe tired and
>>thirsty .
>>
>>
> While that may be true for some of the older folks in those early
> photos, there are a variety of other reasons for the serious expressions
> so many people wear in early photographs. One is the longer exposure
> times. I've sat for a few collodian photographs in my years as a Civil
> War reenactor and it is very hard to hold a natural looking smile for
> even the shorter few second exposures. The one time I tried, I ended up
> looking more than a little crazed.
> The other reason is probably that having your photo taken was serious
> business. It was how you showed yourself to others in a permanent form.
> With paintings as their model, smiling was not the 'thing to do' at that
> time. People wanted to look like serious, responsible people. Having
> read enough diaries and seen the pictures of the people who wrote them I
> can tell you they were just as happy or sad, serious or fun loving as
> anyone today.
>
> Just my $.02 worth.
>
> Happy New Year!
>
> Glenna Jo Christen
> --
>
> Visit our web site, "The Curiosity Shop"
> http://home.earthlink.net/~gchristen/
>
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