this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2026
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HistoryPhotos

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HistoryPhotos is for photographs (or, if it can be found, film) of the past, recent or distant! Give us a little snapshot of history!

Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Foster a continuous learning environment.
  4. No genocide or atrocity denialism.
  5. Photos MUST be at LEAST 10 years old, and ideally over 20. We appreciate that we are living through events which will become history, but this is ultimately not a comm for news or current affairs, but events which have occurred some time in the past.

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[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 1 points 15 hours ago

That was his serious face. He did it out on the battlefield to confuse the enemy. Meanwhile the soldiers in his battalion would light ’em up while he provided the distraction.

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 1 points 16 hours ago

His thumbs are huge!

[–] ThunderQueen@lemmy.world 30 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I really love silly photos from [ancient times]. Most of the ones i see are so serious, it reminds me that people have always been fun weirdos to some degree.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Photographs used to be far more expensive, and a really labor-intensive process. Most people couldn't afford to fuck around and "waste" exposures. Someone nearby was probably pissed at this guy, which is hilarious to think about.

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 1 points 17 hours ago

Photographs used to be far more expensive

Yet there's plenty of examples of people goofing around in posed shots.

Somewhere in this community (I think it was, anyway) there's at least one photo of someone posing to look like a disembodied head, which was evidently hugely popular in... I think it was France or Britain, for a while. In the mid-to-late 1800's, I think.

@thunderqueen@lemmy.world

[–] ThunderQueen@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Honestly thats part of what makes them so special to me

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

And the exposure time was longer, so all pictures ended up looking serious.

[–] Rothe@piefed.social 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You mean the 19th century?

[–] ThunderQueen@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I mean ancient times. The olden days. The time before our new gods. (yes)

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 day ago

Lol dude probably had to stay in that pose for like 5 minutes

[–] Major_Tsiom@fedia.io 20 points 1 day ago

He has Oompa Loompa hair

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago
[–] bulwark@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

"Ulysses S. Grant is a Goober Grabber" - Civil War soldier

probably.