I really love silly photos from [ancient times]. Most of the ones i see are so serious, it reminds me that people have always been fun weirdos to some degree.
Photographs used to be far more expensive, and a really labor-intensive process. Most people couldn’t afford to fuck around and “waste” exposures. Someone nearby was probably pissed at this guy, which is hilarious to think about.
Photographs used to be far more expensive
Yet there’s plenty of examples of people goofing around in posed shots.
Somewhere in this community (I think it was, anyway) there’s at least one photo of someone posing to look like a disembodied head, which was evidently hugely popular in… I think it was France or Britain, for a while. In the mid-to-late 1800’s, I think.
Honestly thats part of what makes them so special to me
And the exposure time was longer, so all pictures ended up looking serious.
You mean the 19th century?
I mean ancient times. The olden days. The time before our new gods. (yes)
Lol dude probably had to stay in that pose for like 5 minutes
He has Oompa Loompa hair
That was his serious face. He did it out on the battlefield to confuse the enemy. Meanwhile the soldiers in his battalion would light ’em up while he provided the distraction.
His thumbs are huge!
“Ulysses S. Grant is a Goober Grabber” - Civil War soldier
probably.






