• hoch@lemmy.world
      6·
      4 months ago

      I actually know a bit of backstory about this photo - it was a series on child labor in the south, and these are photos of oyster shuckers for the Maggioni Canning Co. around 1911.

      I’m assuming shucking oysters are rough on the hands, so it could be wounds, but it also looks like crusted-on dirt, so I’m not sure.

      Here’s another photo where you can see their hands a bit better:

      And here’s the original untouched photo:

      Courtesy of the Library of Congress archives

      • Lifter@discuss.tchncs.de
        4·
        4 months ago

        I just wanted to add about the stares. Photos back then required the target to be very still ao they are just probably trying their best to keep still.

        Most photos of children failed because they moved. These were very still, hence the tension in their eyes, or just a lucky shot. Anyways, photos from way back always look like death for this reason.

      • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
        3·
        4 months ago

        This is a hilarious photo of they weren’t in such conditions.

    • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
      5·
      4 months ago

      If it isn’t AI (geeze have to question everything now), I would hazard a guess that it could be various injuries from textile machines or something.

      It could also be just standard “major ouchies incurred as children” but grew back oddly due to lack of access to medical care.