I read somewhere that getting a photograph in those times was considered of great importance. The closest that you had back then to something like this was comm

I read somewhere that getting a photograph in those times was considered of great importance. The closest that you had back then to something like this was commissioning an artist to draw a portrait of yourself, very expensive and out of reach for common people. These are pictures mostly of rural folks, and even the ones with some kind of position like the emir were probably very poor. Therefore when somebody comes along and wants to take your photograph, you put on your best clothes, sit in a dignified pose and take it seriously, because it is a big deal.