Not a T but ...

[wjytexas]

My mother is the second from the right. The rest are her cousins. Taken mid-late '20's.

 

[jeffcat]

Boy is that ever a happy looking crew! All grumpy pusses.

 

[Steve@Advance]

I was reading somewhere, may have been on here...

As to why people didn't smile for early photos.

A couple of explanations, they were not familiar with photography, not sure what it was all about or the purpose of it, some were even superstitious that maybe it was bordering on magic or somehow sinful.

Another was the process was difficult. They sometimes had to pose for a long time while the photographer got everything ready. There were many failures before a successful photo was produced, by then the photographer was running out of patience and so were the subjects.

Smiling was the last thing they wanted to do!

As the equipment improved, some of the best photos of people were taken when they didn't realize they were being photographed!

 

[wjytexas]

probably wool underwear. nobody smiled in pictures back then

 

[fixerupper]

That picture looks like Marilyn’s brothers. None of them smiles for a picture. They look plain grumpy. The girls all smile though. Then I look at their family picture it’s an even combination of smiles and frowns. 8 frowns and 7 smiles. LOL

 

[Goose]

My great grandfather seems to be smiling in this picture.

 

[wjytexas]

my great-great grandfather. according to stories he was a little grouchy.

 

[JerryS]

He has the look of an old Confederate veteran; Hood's Texas Brigade, perhaps?

 

[wjytexas]

RE: Hood. not to my knowledge. another g g grandfather was in the 3ed Ala. Inf., wounded twice including at Gettysburg, mustered out as a POW at Appomattox and went home then moved to Texas. according to my mother would never talk about his experience. never owned a slave.

 

[Bob Harvey]

You sure that is not George "Gabby" Hayes ? ;^)

 

[730 virgil]

a friend and I talked about this once he made the remark think about the life they had.
nothing was easy water from a well outdoor toilets most of the farm work was done by hand with horses mud roads wood stoves.
there didn't seem to be much time for rest or fun.

 

[dcarp]

"Wool underware" that makes me cringe just hearing that. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[oldhammerhead]

(quoted from post at 01:07:05 03/10/18) "Wool underware" that makes me cringe just hearing that. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.

Yes and they wore it all week till Saturday bath, whew whats that smell.