So, I got this idea stuck in my head lately, about the 1920s. Dunno why, maybe saw a movie or something. Anyway, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to try and make a photo look like it was actually from the 1920s? Not just slapping a filter on, but really trying to capture that old-timey feel.
Getting Started
First thing I did was dig around online for actual photos from back then. You know, see what people wore, how they stood, the kind of backgrounds they had. Found tons of stuff, mostly stiff-looking portraits, some group shots. The look was pretty specific, kinda serious faces most of the time.
Then came the hard part: finding the right stuff. Didn’t have a time machine, obviously. So I went rummaging through my own closet, then my parents’ attic. Found an old hat that looked kinda right, maybe a bit beat up. And a waistcoat, though it wasn’t exactly the perfect style. Close enough, I figured. For the background, I just used a plain wall in my house. Most old photos seemed to have simple backgrounds anyway.
The Shoot (If You Can Call It That)
Okay, so I put on the waistcoat and the hat. Tried to slick my hair back, felt kinda silly doing it. Then I set up my phone on a little tripod thingy I have. Getting the lighting right was a pain. Didn’t want it too bright or modern-looking. I messed around with the lamps in the room, turned some off, moved one closer. Wanted those slightly harsher shadows you see sometimes in old pics.
Took a bunch of shots. Tried different poses. Looking straight ahead, looking slightly away. Tried not to smile too much, because people in those old photos always look so darn serious. Felt weird just standing there trying to look stern.
- Tried holding an old book. Looked okay.
- Tried just hands in pockets. Simple.
- Tried leaning against the wall slightly.
Most shots looked… well, they looked like me in an old hat. Not quite the 1920s vibe I was after.
Making it Look Old
After picking the least bad photo, I needed to make it look aged. I didn’t use any fancy software, just some basic editing tools on my phone and computer. First, I made it black and white, obviously. That helped a lot.
Then I played with the contrast and brightness. Made the blacks deeper and washed out the whites a bit. Added a little bit of grain or ‘noise’ – you know, that slightly fuzzy look old photos have. I even tried adding a very subtle sepia tone, just a hint, not that full-on orange look.
I also slightly blurred the edges, just a tiny bit, because old camera lenses weren’t always sharp corner-to-corner like modern ones. Just trying little things I noticed from looking at the real 1920s pictures.
So, How’d It Go?
In the end? It’s… okay. It looks old-ish. Maybe not perfectly 1920s authentic, but it was a fun little project. Took way longer than I thought it would, especially the rummaging and trying to get the pose right without looking completely goofy.
It kinda makes you appreciate how much work went into photos back then, even the simple ones. No instant previews, no easy editing. You had one shot, maybe two. Makes me think, maybe I should try developing actual film sometime. That’s a whole other rabbit hole though, right? Anyway, that was my little adventure trying to step back into the 1920s for an afternoon.
