You’ve seen them—those stiff, sepia-toned portraits where everyone looks like they just smelled something bad. A whole family, lined up like grim mannequins, staring blankly into the camera. Even the kids look like they’ve been forced to sit still under threat of no dessert. Compare that to today’s photos, full of laughter, weird angles, and mid-sneeze candids. So why does the past look so dull in pictures?
Blame the Tech (And the Awkward Poses)
First off, old cameras were slow. We’re talking "hold your breath for 30 seconds or you’ll be a blur" slow. Smiling? Forget it. Your face would cramp before the shutter even clicked. And let’s not forget the blinding magnesium flashes that probably left everyone seeing spots. No wonder people looked like they’d rather be anywhere else.
Then there’s the formality of it all. Photography was a Big Deal back then—expensive, rare, and treated like a formal event. You didn’t just whip out your phone and snap a pic of your dog wearing sunglasses. You dressed up, stood straight, and tried not to blink. The result? A bunch of photos where everyone looks vaguely suspicious of the camera.
Where’s the Color? The Life? The Chaos?
Black-and-white (or that weird brownish tint) doesn’t help. Real life isn’t monochrome, but vintage photos make it seem like the past happened in a dusty old book. And because film was pricey, people didn’t waste shots on goofy faces or failed pancake flips. Every photo had to count, so spontaneity was out the window.
But here’s the thing—people back then weren’t actually this boring. Diaries, letters, and newspapers from the time are full of drama, scandals, and ridiculous fashion choices. The photos just didn’t capture it.
The Photographer Who Made the Past Look (Slightly) Less Boring
Not every old photo is a stiff, lifeless portrait. Some photographers actually managed to capture personality, drama, and even humor—despite the limitations of their time. Take Jacques Henri Lartigue, for example.
This guy was basically the original candid photographer. Born in 1894, Lartigue started snapping pics as a kid, and thank goodness he did. While most photographers of his era were busy making wealthy families look like wax figures, Lartigue was out there capturing movement—racing cars, mid-air jumps, his cousin’s ridiculous hat flying off in the wind. His work feels alive, like he accidentally invented the action shot decades before anyone else figured it out.
The best part? He wasn’t even a "professional" at first. He just loved taking pictures for fun. And that’s probably why his photos don’t feel like homework. They’re playful, spontaneous, and sometimes downright silly—proof that not everyone in the past was a solemn statue.
Want to see more of his work? Check out this gallery of Lartigue’s most iconic shots—it’s like stepping into a time machine where people actually enjoyed being photographed.
So Maybe the Past Wasn’t All Bad… Just Mostly
Lartigue’s photos are the exception, not the rule. For every one of his dynamic shots, there are a thousand grim family portraits where everyone looks like they’re attending their own funeral. But hey, at least now we know it wasn’t impossible to take fun photos back then. Just really, really hard.
What If We Could Fix Vintage Photos?
Imagine if someone from the 1800s had Lightroom. Suddenly, those stiff portraits could have better contrast, sharper details, maybe even a hint of color. (And let’s be real, some of those faded originals could use a glow-up.)
Speaking of Lightroom—if you’ve ever tried to edit old family photos, you know how tough it is to make them look alive. That’s where good presets come in. A solid edit can bring out hidden details, fix weird lighting, and maybe—just maybe—make your great-great-grandma look less like she’s judging you from beyond the grave. If you’re into that kind of thing, Legendary Presets has some killer tools to help.
Maybe the Past Wasn’t Boring—Just Bad at Photos
The truth? People haven’t changed much. We’ve always been messy, emotional, and ridiculous. The difference is that now, we have the tech to prove it. So next time you see a stiff old portrait, remember: those people probably had a wild sense of humor, terrible dance moves, and at least one embarrassing story that never made it into the frame.
The past wasn’t boring. It just had terrible lighting.
Sources:
https://www.lartigue.org/
https://legendarypresets.com/
