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Prior to 1826 – 1827 there was no photography, so people who wanted portraits of themselves had to sit for hours, sometimes days posing before a portrait painter. Oil painting on canvas was incredibly expensive, so only the rich and famous could afford a portrait. Add to this the fact that life expectancy was short...
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Best answer: Prior to 1826 – 1827 there was no photography, so people who wanted portraits of themselves had to sit for hours, sometimes days posing before a portrait painter. Oil painting on canvas was incredibly expensive, so only the rich and famous could afford a portrait. Add to this the fact that life expectancy was short -- thus most wanted their portrait made as a legacy. It was commonplace to have a silhouette made. You sat adjacent to a window so that your shadow played on a placard. The silhouette artist traced the outline of your face, most often using a lens and or a mechanical device. A miniature silhouette, black on white, was the result. These were cheap -- thus very popular.
The first picture made took 8 hours to expose. Soon after the sensitivity of the light-sensitive plates increased, now the exposure occurred in about 4 to 5 minutes. To sit for a portrait was an ordeal. You dressed in your finest and the photographer applied clamps and braces that prevented you from moving during the exposure. As time passed, the exposure time was reduced to about 1 minute. The portrait studio moved indoors to a room with a skylight.
As film speeds improved so did the studio lighting. By the 1940’s, it was common to pose before hot, bright lights. The subject was uncomfortable plus sweaty. People often fainted because of the hot lights and the nervousness of these sittings.
No, people did not smile much, the session was uncomfortable and they were spending money. The good news, photography and portraiture was available to the masses. Now we have cell phone cameras, what a progression!
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5 days ago