Rewind your memories: How to give your photos and videos a vintage look

There is a fascination with older photography standards like point-and-shoot cameras and 35mm film that persists, even among the younger generation who never experienced these technologies firsthand. This interest in “vintage” photography goes beyond nostalgia and the use of Instagram filters. There are many apps available that are designed to emulate the film, lenses, and visual characteristics of predigital photos and movies.

Despite the ironic use of high-end smartphone cameras to produce imperfect images that appear oversaturated, jittery, low-contrast, unfiltered, or otherwise analogue, going for a retro look can help you practice your composition skills.

If you’re not ready to buy original equipment, there are ways to evoke a different time period’s creative sensibility. Here’s an overview.

Backup before you begin

Prior to engaging in any editing, it is important to be able to reverse any changes made to an original image. Making duplicates for your experiments is a safe backup plan. Also, be aware that some apps embed effects into content, leaving you with a permanently vintage-looking photo or video. It may be necessary to use extra software, depending on the desired visual effect.

Apple (left) and Google include a variety of filters in their default photo apps.

Companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung include a variety of filters in their default photo apps, as well as built-in editing tools. Some satisfactory results can be obtained by manually adjusting the color saturation, tint, and other elements to make the photo appear as if an ancient film camera had captured it.

An array of apps

To access a wider range of editing features, there are applications such as Adobe Lightroom and Google’s Snapseed for Android or iOS. Adobe Photoshop Express also includes various filters, themes, and borders for photos. Apps with filters and algorithms designed to emulate certain analogue film stocks and camera lenses can be found by searching for “vintage” or “retro” in the app store for camera or photography programs. Some of these apps may have additional charges, subscriptions, or technical requirements, so it is important to read the specifications.

Hipstamatic for the iPhone is a well-known retro camera app, while Fimo Analog Camera for Android and iOS is another option for emulating prints produced from various film types. Both apps are available for free to try.

Venturing into vintage videos

For those interested in giving a classic look to their videos, Google has a set of filters and effects for videos edited in the Google Photos app for Android and iOS. Additionally, there are specialized apps like Super 16 for Android and iOS. Similar software, Nexvio’s 8mm Vintage Camera app for the iPhone has a range of filters and can be used for recording and applying effects to videos.

Modernise old photos

There are also apps available for modernizing old photos, such as Colorize and Colorize Images for Android and iOS, which use artificial intelligence to convert monochrome images. Some genealogy services like MyHeritage and Ancestry offer free photo colorization tools for subscribers to use on files uploaded to their site. The results may vary, but for projects like compiling a family tree, the modernization could make the people in the photos feel more relatable.

For those who are curious about experimenting with time-shifting images to the past or present, these apps are generally less expensive than investing in original vintage equipment. Just remember, light leaks and dust specks are considered features these days, rather than imperfections.