Weird 1908 morris dancing pic

Subject: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: EmmaHartley
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 10:41 AM

http://theglamourcave.blogspot.com/2011/10/weird-morris-dancing-picture-from.html

Here's a very old (and I think rather spooky) picture I found at the London Metropolitan Archive plus a request for information.

Subject: RE: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:05 AM

I don't think it's spooky. Old cameras were slow, and the dancers had probably been told to strike a pose and hold it. The facial expression (or lack of it) has the same cause.

Subject: RE: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: BTNG
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:07 AM

There's nothing spooky here. It's actually quite charming, in its own way

Subject: RE: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:15 AM

Check out The Imagined Village (Georgina Boyes) for more such pics and the story of Esperance etc.

Subject: RE: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:45 AM

They were almost certainly asked to hold the pose for the camera - hence the very still and concentrated expressions.

Subject: RE: Weird 1908 morris dancing pic
From: gnomad
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 12:47 PM

The costumes appear to fit those described by Mary Neal in her book 'The Espérance Morris Book Part 1' as having been made popular by the Espérance girls. Somewhat oddly they do not match most of the photographs in the same volume, which show a more summery choice of fabric. Pinnies seem to have been de rigeur.

Most posed photos from that era show a degree of rigidity. Probably due to a combination of less advanced equipment and the sheer rarity of having a photo made, I suspect.