Pig Pen Scenery

With the advent of roll film, photography became affordable to the masses. No longer did one have to hire a professional to have a picture made, though the pro's still made a better photograph. People took to casual photography with enthusiasm, snapping images of everything in sight. They were so casual about it that a strange thing happened, they began to smile for the camera. The dour poses of old were forgotten; one could always take a serious picture later on. This explosion in image making has been a boon for historians and the such, who now have millions of pictures from the last hundred years to mull over. Even from the picture above we can learn that, A. Small Southwestern framers raised pigs, and B. Yes, pioneers did smile - at least occasionally.

Photo: "Pig Pen Scenery" Quay County, New Mexico ca. 1913.