Instead of saying “cheese” before taking a picture, Victorians said “prunes.”
We say “cheese” because the word leaves us with a big smile on our faces, but if Victorian-era folk were to see our gleeful expressions, they’d scoff. Once upon a time, smiling in photos was considered undignified and reserved for the poor (and the drunk). To retain a more serious look in their photos, they would say “prunes,” a word so dull, the chances of it inciting a smile were slim to none.