{"id":905,"date":"2013-04-10T18:32:19","date_gmt":"2013-04-10T18:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lakeoconeedentalblog.com\/2013\/04\/some-history-about-smiling-in-photographs\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T14:40:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T14:40:42","slug":"some-history-about-smiling-in-photographs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakeoconeedental.com\/blog\/some-history-about-smiling-in-photographs\/","title":{"rendered":"Some History About Smiling In Photographs"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/p>CAN YOU IMAGINE HOLDING YOUR SMILE<\/strong> perfectly still for 15 minutes until the camera clicked? That\u2019s how long it took for a photograph to expose in 1839.\n\nLater, exposure times were significantly cut back, but it still took at least 20 seconds. To make sure pictures weren\u2019t ruined, photographers asked their subjects to stay completely still and not adjust their bodies or facial expressions. No wonder people were so stiff and serious in old time photos!<\/strong> They were probably frustrated, tired and bored!\n\nNow, snapping a photo takes no time at all. In fact, most people have an HD camera in their pocket all the time (called a smartphone). Today, when someone whips out a camera, it\u2019s just second nature for us to flash a quick smile. But it wasn\u2019t always that way. Why?\n

Why People Didn\u2019t Smile In The Early Days of Photography<\/strong><\/h3>

The Serious Nature of Formal Occasions<\/h4>\nPhotography was rare and expensive. Most people only had a few opportunities during their entire lifetime to have their photo taken. Therefore, when the rich were being photographed, they treated the \u201cevent\u201d with the utmost seriousness. They preferred the thoughtful, tortured look to the playful kissy-face look that\u2019s so popular today.\n

Poor Dental Health<\/h4>\nIn the 1800s good dental care was not widely available. Modern dental procedures designed to help people keep their teeth for life were unavailable\u2014so, most people had missing, broken, chipped, or rotten teeth. Even if the technology would have allowed them to show their smiles to the camera, they may have preferred to keep their mouths shut.\n

When Did Things Start Changing?<\/strong><\/h3>\nStarting in the 1900\u2019s, we see more natural-looking, relaxed poses. But why did we start smiling<\/strong><\/a>? Well, we\u2019re not really sure. But one theory is that a picture is our introduction to someone new, and when we meet someone new, we usually make a good impression with a welcoming smile.\n\n\n

Keep Your Smile Camera-Ready<\/strong><\/h3>