The @Besthistorical Twitter page is fairly new. It was founded just over a year ago, in May 2022. However, in that single year, the curators of the page have already carved out a snug niche for themselves and their growing community: 102.2k internet users follow the account on the social media network. The page posts lots of quality photos very consistently, so there are often fresh old pics to enjoy.

The project appeals to a very wide range of internet users. First of all, you’ve got your history buffs who probably enjoy many of these photos because they’re from a time period that they know plenty about, whether it’s the American Civil War or the Second World War. Next, you’ve got your photography fans—professional and amateur alike—who have an interest in seeing how the artistic medium developed as the decades and centuries rolled by.

It’s not just history and photography lovers who enjoy powerful photographs from the past, though. You can also learn a lot about a particular time period’s fashion and architectural styles by analyzing the pictures. These photographs act as gateways that offer us glimpses into what life was actually like back then. Plenty of internet users also enjoy the photos shared by @Besthistorical for the simple reason that they look neat: they then reshare them and gain meme status as they go viral.

Many of the photos that the Twitter page shares are, in fact, black-and-white images that have been colorized. You can colorize images either with the help of digital software or this can be done entirely by hand—that’s something that used to happen in the past, before the invention and rise of computers and software.

Meanwhile, the spread of AI also means that the process can be done quicker than ever before. Though there are fans of photography who love taking their time and embrace doing things more slowly. One of the pros of colorizing old photos from the past is that they come even more alive, as the colors add more depth.

Another upside of adding (at least some) colors to a traditional black-and-white photo is that this can make it far easier for the audience to connect with the time period. If they’re seeing the sights and people in color, as though they were there themselves, the past is going to resonate so much more powerfully. Imagine if you could add some sounds and even smells to that experience—you’d probably create a new generation of interactive photographers and history lovers.

However, no amount of digital manipulation is going to turn a boring photo into an interesting one. If a pic is iconic, dynamic, and depicts an interesting event or people brimming with character, Photoshop can help amplify those effects. But if there’s nothing to polish, it’s best to save your colorizing skills for a series of pics that are truly worth the effort.

A huge upside of living in the present is that photography has become far more accessible: anyone who can afford even the cheapest flip phone or smartphone essentially has a camera in their pocket. In a sense, technological developments have democratized photography as an art form and a way to capture information: it used to be very expensive to practice the craft in the past.

On the one hand, it’s fantastic that so many more people are taking pictures—it’s easy to get into photography as a hobby or professionally. On the other hand, with so much content being shared on social media, it becomes necessary to find ways to stand out from the crowd. For instance, by making sure that your photos are always of higher quality than your competition, or by focusing on more niche subjects. It also helps if you know how to promote yourself online, post new content regularly, and have a unique style that isn’t simply a copy of a copy of a copy…

Which of these fantastic historical photos impressed you the most? Did you find yourself curious to learn more about the past after you saw these images? How do you think photography is going to change in the near future? We would love to hear your opinions, so feel free to scroll down to the comment section and tell us what you thought.