1926 Class Photo

I came across this family photo and was amazed by the expressions on the children's faces. Ordinarily I hunt for vintage photos in thrift stores, and the ones I see are of carefully posed people in frozen moments. They have an otherworldly beauty, as if the photographer used his camera to create the image as a reflection of his own artistry. But in this 1926 photograph of a high school class, there is no posing. Well, there seems to be a lot of hamming it up, but for the most part, every child stared at the camera with his or her own moment of personality. No photographer told them how to look, they just seized the moment. Some where having fun, and some weren't. I'm amazed at the expressions on their faces and also at the various fashions. It was a wild mix of class - kids from the farm wearing overalls, city kids in their Sunday Best complete with ruffles or costume jewelry or neck ties. I'll post a few more tomorrow.