When Ann Marie Anthony asked me to send her a picture for this column, I was surprised at my photo. I was not ticked off, angry or upset, or even trying to look stern -- this is just how I look. My attempts to look otherwise in selfies make me look like I am a fugitive from the dufus farm. When I smile on command, I appear to be trying to pass a kidney stone. If you think I look bad here, you should see some of my relatives.
My English and Scotch-Irish ancestors immigrated to Utah via Pennsylvania and then came with their polygamist families to Fremont County, Idaho, where they were given an allotment of land. In that setting, they all farmed and had large families. It is a rich heritage of industry, hard work, and for the most part, successful, happy lives. However, their pictures are evidence of early photography and made most of them look like they had just lost a dog fight.
Photography of the late 1800s was primitive. The problems came from exposure time and chemicals. With an exposure time of around two minutes, any subject motion would turn into a blur. Subjects were told NOT to smile because of the difficulty holding the same smile and pose for two minutes. As exposure time decreased, smiles could be captured. Chemicals used to convert the negative into a single black and white picture were hampered by red-blindness. Any healthy tan or rosy complexion was turned to a grainy gray or black. Some of my ancestors looked better at their viewings than in their pictures. It was during this period of pioneering photography that my Grandmother Tall arranged for my father and his identical twin to be photographed when they were about 5 years old. While the boys did not understand the chemistry or physics involved with posing for a picture, they were clear on the photographer's instructions repeated by family members. For a minute or two, the boys stood there while their relatives repeated the photographer's instructions on absolute immobility. "Asael and Aldon, hold still while he shoots you." A few days later the picture was finished and everyone asked why they had such sad little faces. They explained that they thought the photographer was going to shoot them. Their father often shot game birds for supper and they could not understand why they were going to have the same fate. Imagine what they were thinking as they held that pose for what they thought was going to be their last moment on the earth. Their obedience is documented in this picture and stands as a testament to their character over one hundred years later.
Ever vigilant,
Roger H. Tall, M.D.
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