Vintage Photo Trends That Would Go Viral for All the Wrong Reasons

Boy, did we have some interesting ideas about photography back in the day! Looking through old family albums recently got me thinking about all those quirky photo trends we thought were perfectly normal in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. From dangerous poses to questionable props, these snapshots might make today’s social media managers break out in a cold sweat. Let’s take a nostalgic (and slightly embarrassing) look at some photo trends that definitely wouldn’t fly today.

1. Babies on Scales at the Grocery Store

Back in the ’60s, it was completely normal to plop your baby on the produce scale at the grocery store for a quick photo op. We thought nothing of placing our precious bundles on these less-than-sanitary public scales, often surrounded by vegetables and fruit. Today’s parents would probably need a whole container of hand sanitizer just looking at these photos!

2. Smoking While Holding Babies

Before we knew better, it wasn’t uncommon to see proud parents posing with a cigarette in one hand and their newborn in the other. These photos were so common in family albums that nobody batted an eye. The ’50s and ’60s were filled with these shots that would make today’s pediatricians faint.

3. Kids Riding in the Back of Pickup Trucks

Nothing said summer fun like piling a bunch of kids into the back of a pickup truck for a ride around town. We’ve got countless photos of grinning children bouncing around in truck beds, without a seatbelt in sight. These days, such pictures would probably trigger a visit from Child Protective Services.

4. Dangerous Christmas Tree Decorating

The family photos of Dad precariously balanced on a chair stack while decorating the Christmas tree would give today’s OSHA representatives nightmares. We’d often create makeshift towers from furniture, with zero concern for safety. Those tree-trimming pictures now serve as perfect examples of what not to do.

5. Birthday Cake Face-Smashing

Long before it became a wedding tradition, we loved pushing kids’ faces into their birthday cakes for a photo op. These messy moments were considered hilarious, even though they often ended in tears and wasted cake. Today’s parents would probably consider this a form of birthday party trauma.

6. Staged Wild Animal Encounters

Tourist attractions often featured opportunities to pose with wild animals, from bear cubs to baby alligators. These photos were vacation highlights, despite the obvious risks. The casual way we approached these potentially dangerous photo ops would horrify today’s wildlife experts and safety advocates.

7. Gun-Toting Family Portraits

Family portraits featuring hunting rifles and other firearms were commonplace, especially around hunting season. Kids and adults would pose proudly with their weapons, often in casual settings. In today’s climate, such photos would likely spark intense debate and concern.

8. Questionable Halloween Costumes

Many Halloween costumes from the ’50s and ’60s would be considered highly inappropriate today. From ethnic stereotypes to potentially offensive characterizations, these photos reflect a very different era of cultural sensitivity. Looking back at these snapshots can be quite cringe-worthy.

9. Babies in Drawers

Using an empty drawer as a makeshift crib was a common practice, and we loved photographing our babies tucked into these improvised beds. While it might have seemed practical at the time, today’s parenting experts would have strong opinions about this creative sleeping arrangement.

10. Chainsaw Family Photos

Nothing said “family togetherness” quite like everyone posing with their chainsaws after a day of wood cutting. These photos, often featuring children holding or standing near running power tools, would give today’s safety experts heart palpitations.

11. Lawn Darts Action Shots

Before they were banned in 1988, Lawn Darts were a popular backyard game, and we loved photographing kids tossing these weighted metal spikes into the air. The photos of children ducking and dodging these potentially lethal projectiles would send today’s parents into a panic. We somehow thought this was perfectly acceptable summer entertainment.

12. Posing Kids on Farm Equipment

Every rural family album has at least one shot of the kids perched precariously on tractors, combines, or other massive farm machinery. These photos, often showing multiple children balanced on running equipment, were considered cute family moments rather than the safety hazards they truly were.

13. Baby Oil Tanning Photos

Before we understood sun damage, our photo albums were full of people gleaming with baby oil and iodine, trying to achieve the perfect tan. Some even used aluminum reflectors to intensify the sun’s rays! These photos of what was essentially self-inflicted sunburn would make modern dermatologists cringe.

14. Dangerous Pool Diving Photos

The family pool was often the stage for death-defying diving photos, showing kids performing flips and stunts into clearly shallow water. We’d even stack multiple kids on each other’s shoulders or create human pyramids at the pool’s edge. These photos now serve as perfect examples of what pool safety experts warn against.

15. Car Seat-Free Road Trips

Our road trip photos often featured babies on laps, kids standing in the back seat, or little ones sleeping across the rear window shelf. No car seats, no seat belts, and definitely no concern about sudden stops! These casual snapshots of automotive freedom would probably get you arrested in today’s safety-conscious world.