Smiling, especially that wide, was not a common thing to do back then. Stern looks were common because people like George Washington had their faces painted and they had to pose for a very long time. It pretty much stuck around until the cameras got faster. I also think it’s another part being foreign to Euro/American influences so there was no “gentlemen” way of posing for reference.
This has a really modern feel to it. Looks like a cool dude.
Smiling, especially that wide, was not a common thing to do back then. Stern looks were common because people like George Washington had their faces painted and they had to pose for a very long time. It pretty much stuck around until the cameras got faster. I also think it’s another part being foreign to Euro/American influences so there was no “gentlemen” way of posing for reference.
I’ve heard that too about old photography.