Dutch-Colonies-L Archives

Archiver > Dutch-Colonies > 2002-08 > 1028647220


From: "Willora Glee Krapf" <>
Subject: Re: [D-Col] Smiling for the camera (off topic)
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 11:22:16 -0400


I believe that it is very difficult to paint a smile. Also people were
posing for the picture and it is hard to hold a smile for a long time so no
smiling faces in old paintings.
Now the old cameras where you had to hold a pose for a long time duing the
exposure procress making holding a smile for a long time was hard for people
to do. So straight faces on old photos. Think that this carried over till
little held hand box camaras came in and exposure time was short. I remember
the old box cameras of the 40s that made it easy to take pictures for the
everday person and not have to hire someone to do it. I am no expert on this
subject just a few things I remember hearing over the years.
Glee
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Billard <>
To: <>
Date: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 11:00 AM
Subject: [D-Col] Smiling for the camera (off topic)


Hi folks,

Yes, this is way off topic, but I just have to throw
this out there. I scanned in and was examining a photo
of my grandparents, John Lott Bergen & Caroline Van Sinderen
Wyckoff. Fascinating photo of them on a 'tour bus' circa
1910 in Boston. The thirtyish guys (almost all) wearing
white 'skimmer' hats, the slightly younger 'kid' with a
felt hat, the slightly older accountant looking type with
a 'bowler'. ALL the guys wearing ties, and all in jackets,
except the workers (driver & owner?, no hats, sleeves rolled
up). I realized that NOT ONE person is smiling. That started
me thinking about the hundreds of other old photos I've
looked at. They DID NOT smile. With extremely few exceptions,
NOBODY smiled for the camera. It would be interesting to
narrow it down, but it seems to me that WWII was about the
turning point. I would actually consider this a social
phenomenon.

Even with the dozens & dozens of photos of my mother that
I have, not until her wedding in 1945 do I find any with
her smiling. Seems that the 1940's signal the change.

I'm not knowledgeable enough. Did the Old Masters paint
anyone smiling? (Let's not count the Mona Lisa<g>)
Was this carry over from portrait artists telling people
to look serious and not move? I'm curious.

Any thoughts?


Bob Billard



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