Hey, that's my stance as well! I'm from Eastern Europe and I don't think it was customary here until very recently (now things are changing as we become America

Hey, that's my stance as well! I'm from Eastern Europe and I don't think it was customary here until very recently (now things are changing as we become Americanized...) to smile in photographs. I too prefer to not create a fake, infantilized version of reality for the photo. For me, it's part of the American obsession/oppression of having to hide your real feelings and pretending to be happy and successful at all times.