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Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

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Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#201

Post by aaronbrethorst »

inglor_cz wrote: post #110
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Properly exposing the plate—or whatever—took several seconds, and it's way easier to look dour for five seconds than to hold a rictus grin. Source: Among other things, I've sat for a tintype portrait before. https://twitter.com/aaronbrethorst/photo

Tintype is a different technology. By the 1890s, it would have been as obsolete as rotary landline phones are today. I think the reason is different, because even I, as a kid in the early 1980s, was taken to a photo shop for "official shots", well dressed and told to behave. It was a bit unnatural, yes. People in staged shots are generally a little stiff.

Of course a tintype is a different technology from fast film or plates, or whatever this photographer was using.

However, you're incorrect about the lack of usage in the timeframe specified: "Tintypes enjoyed their widest use during the 1860s and 1870s, but lesser use of the medium persisted into the early 20th century" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tintype

Besides, the GP comment referred to the era, to which I was responding.

Your explanation is not without merit, however: "One common explanation for the lack of smiles in old photos is that long exposure times — the time a camera needs to take a picture — made it important for the subject of a picture to stay as still as possible. That way, the picture wouldn't look blurry." — https://www.vox.com/2015/4/8/8365997/smile-old-photographs

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#202

Post by aaronbrethorst »

Markoff wrote: post #91
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Properly exposing the plate—or whatever—took several seconds, and it's way easier to look dour for five seconds than to hold a rictus grin. Source: Among other things, I've sat for a tintype portrait before. https://twitter.com/aaronbrethorst/photo

no, this is myth as clearly proven by these photos, it took pretty much no time to expose film/plate already in 19th century

Photographic technology developed rapidly between the heyday of tintype (1870s'ish) and when these pictures were made (1890s). See my other reply for some readings to learn more about late 19th century photography.

(Also, photography was invented in the 19th century. I'm not sure why you make such sweeping claims about a whole century when exposures went from taking hours to fractions of a second over the course of it.)

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#203

Post by Markoff »

bhelkey wrote: post #198
Markoff wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you read at least the title right, it's SPY cam, so obviously if someone is taking secret photo of you, you don't smile for camera and we don't know who are these people, if it's complete strangers or his acquintances, though some of the photos are clearly staged anyway you could get same reaction even nowadays depending on country, obviously you wouldn't have much success in Eastern Europe, where (many) people consi…

> you read at least the title right, it's SPY cam, so obviously if someone is taking secret photo of you, you don't smile for camera and we don't know who are these people, if it's complete strangers or his acquintances, though some of the photos are clearly staged anyway I think you misunderstood their point. In the past people who knew they were about to get photographed tended not to smile. Now people tend to smil…

I disagree, back then people were smiling to strangers and not to camera, now people smile in both situations, he was greeting these people so obviously if he greeted them with smile people smiled back, I doubt you would have any different result nowadays from most likely good looking well dressed 19yo kid.

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#204

Post by tagoregrtst »

GoodbyeMrChips wrote: post #142
socialdemocrat wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is definitely culture. While Norway is Protestant it long been very progressive. It is the first country establishing government watchdog for protecting children’s rights. Britain is kind of infamous for strict child raising and because of the dominance of British in history they color our perception of the past. I have several family members who lived in Britain for years back in the day. They all describe the tr…

> family members who lived in Britain for years back in the day. They all describe the treatment of children in ways what would horrify Norwegians In which case, you *must* read Roald Dahl's autobiography 'Boy' (and the follow up, 'Going Solo'). He moved from Norway as a child into the English public school system, and a treatment that horrified his parents. Incidentally, the biographies are aimed at children but ver…

Or Orwell’s essays on British education, or Pink Floyd’s “Brick in the Wall part 2”, or Supertramp’s “Logical song”

British grammar school is brutal.

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#205

Post by bhelkey »

Markoff wrote: post #203
bhelkey wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you read at least the title right, it's SPY cam, so obviously if someone is taking secret photo of you, you don't smile for camera and we don't know who are these people, if it's complete strangers or his acquintances, though some of the photos are clearly staged anyway I think you misunderstood their point. In the past people who knew they were about to get photographed tended not to smile. Now people tend to smil…

I disagree, back then people were smiling to strangers and not to camera, now people smile in both situations, he was greeting these people so obviously if he greeted them with smile people smiled back, I doubt you would have any different result nowadays from most likely good looking well dressed 19yo kid.

> I disagree

That's fine. I am not arguing one way or the other. My point is that it is easier to get a response if you focus on the main point of disagreement.

In this case, the disagreement is, 'Is it common nowadays to smile at strangers on the street in Oslo, Norway (Where the original pictures were taken)?'

TheSocialAndrew says no, Markoff says yes.

Edit: Maybe a better question would be, 'Where in the world is it currently common to smile at strangers?'

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#206

Post by throw10920 »

tagoregrtst wrote: post #154
nickpp wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

Lol. Touche It might be a fabrication, but then its fantasy and not deliberate. You see, it really is the other way around with respect to my comment. My suspicions about the past are what drives me politically. Obviously we are better than our forefathers in many things - listing them would be trite. But, on the whole, are we better off (never mind better)? These pictures were taken before industrialized genocide, w…

Not just touche - GP has an agenda. From their bio:

> Respecting Nature's laws and abhorring religions.

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#207

Post by tagoregrtst »

throw10920 wrote: post #206
tagoregrtst wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol. Touche It might be a fabrication, but then its fantasy and not deliberate. You see, it really is the other way around with respect to my comment. My suspicions about the past are what drives me politically. Obviously we are better than our forefathers in many things - listing them would be trite. But, on the whole, are we better off (never mind better)? These pictures were taken before industrialized genocide, w…

Not just touche - GP has an agenda. From their bio: > Respecting Nature's laws and abhorring religions.

That’s OK, it was still a good jab

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#208

Post by eloeffler »

pmg102 wrote: post #146
eloeffler wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a side-by-side video of the Wuppertal "flying train" from 1902 and 2015 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7TqqdOcX4dc

Every single tree lining that road in 1902 gone and not replaced by 2015.

By three cars each X-D

But there is green lining added to the river at least. That river looked very sad in 1902.

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#209

Post by nickpp »

throw10920 wrote: post #206
tagoregrtst wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol. Touche It might be a fabrication, but then its fantasy and not deliberate. You see, it really is the other way around with respect to my comment. My suspicions about the past are what drives me politically. Obviously we are better than our forefathers in many things - listing them would be trite. But, on the whole, are we better off (never mind better)? These pictures were taken before industrialized genocide, w…

Not just touche - GP has an agenda. From their bio: > Respecting Nature's laws and abhorring religions.

Hmm I do not remember having any agenda when I wrote that in my bio. But please, enlighten me: what do my words make you think of?

Re: Student photographs people with hidden spy cam in the 1890s (2018)

#210

Post by zuminator »

executesorder66 wrote: post #153
goodcanadian wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's usually, "the fine article," but yours works, too.

No it's not usually "the fine article". That is just a euphemism. TFA originates from RTFM, which stands for "read the fucking manual". And it is "fucking" and not "fine", because people would be frustrated by noobs not reading manuals.

While that's 100% correct as the origin of the acronym, it should be noted that using TFA doesn't necessarily imply any frustration or condescension. It may, but often or usually these days it really is just shorthand for "the article" and nothing more.
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