Question

The extreme long exposure times of the daguerreotype also causes portraitures during this period to lack a smile, a facial expression we often see in contemporary portraits. What is the reason behind the lack of smile in daguerreotype portraits?

1) The long exposure times made it difficult for the subjects to hold a smile for an extended period.
2) The daguerreotype process did not capture facial expressions accurately.
3) The lack of smile was a deliberate artistic choice made by the photographers.
4) The subjects were instructed not to smile during the long exposure.

Answer 1

The lack of smile in daguerreotype portraits was primarily due to the long exposure times required by the daguerreotype process, which made it difficult for subjects to hold a smile and resulted in less expressive portraits.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason behind the lack of smile in daguerreotype portraits is primarily due to the long exposure times required by the daguerreotype process. The exposure times for daguerreotypes were between 10 and 15 minutes, which made it difficult for subjects to hold a smile for an extended period. Additionally, the daguerreotype process did not capture facial expressions accurately, resulting in less expressive portraits. Therefore, option 1) The long exposure times made it difficult for the subjects to hold a smile for an extended period, and option 2) The daguerreotype process did not capture facial expressions accurately, are both correct answers to the question.