Using the Picture My Heritage feature in Family Search, you can put your face on old black-and-white photographs that your ancestors may have taken.

Why Didn’t People Smile in Old Photos?

Ever looked at an old, black-and-white photograph and wondered, “Why the long face?” You might have heard that it was because the camera’s exposure time was too long, or maybe you were told that poor dental work meant that fewer people wanted to show their teeth.

While these explanations may play a part, the main reason why people didn’t smile in old photos had more to do with culture than it did with poor technology.

Learn more about the history of long faces and smiling in portraits.

Using Picture My Heritage, you can choose whether you want to smile or not and superimpose your face on old photographs. Read instructions on how to do it.