Manners of the past demanded that the mouth be carefully
controlled, and a small mouth was considered beautiful.
controlled, and a small mouth was considered beautiful.
Big smiles
were viewed as silly or mean.
were viewed as silly or mean.
That’s why a serious expression was
common in most painted portraits, both in the East and West.
common in most painted portraits, both in the East and West.
Even after the invention of photography, the tradition continued.
The spread of cameras and camera companies’ advertising
campaigns changed the trend.
campaigns changed the trend.
Early photographers were not
very good at getting people to relax in front of the camera,
so they were not satisfied with their photos.
very good at getting people to relax in front of the camera,
so they were not satisfied with their photos.
To popularize
cameras, the companies tried to change this by launching
advertising campaigns that associated photography with
celebration.
cameras, the companies tried to change this by launching
advertising campaigns that associated photography with
celebration.
Companies wanted to show customers that the
camera was a tool for capturing happy moments.
camera was a tool for capturing happy moments.
They also
found that happy images helped their sales, so they began
using smiling models in their advertisements.
found that happy images helped their sales, so they began
using smiling models in their advertisements.
Official images followed suit, and by the 1950s,
presidents were smiling in their portraits.
presidents were smiling in their portraits.


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