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Life before the digital age has become a distant memory for many who lived it. Thankfully, we have photographs to remind us about those simpler times.
Today, we’re not just doing any other throwback. We’re winding back the clock to the 1890s to give us a glimpse of how massively different things were. These antique snapshots are from a Facebook group aptly named “Photographic Traces from 1890 until 1950.”
If the group name isn’t enough of a giveaway, expect to see historic pictures of a tattoo parlor in the 1930s, a dance class in the 1900s, and a rare image of the ever-stunning Marilyn Monroe in a potato sack dress from the early ‘50s.
Enjoy scrolling, as these vintage photos may also enthrall you.
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#1
Angela Lansbury ('princess Gwendolyn' And Her Hamburger....) Eating With Basil Rathbone ('sir Ravenhurst')
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#2
1942 - Navajo Mother, Rose, And Her Son Ben Chee Henry, Canyon De Chelly, Arizona
#3
A Young Berber Girl With Her Traditional Regalia, From The Ouled Nail Tribe, Algeria, North Africa. Photography By Lehnert-Landrock, 1905
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. Everyone enjoys a trip down memory lane, even if that journey goes back to a century ago. It’s also why the vintage aesthetic is a popular photography trend, so much so that digital cameras have retro filters.
According to wedding photographer Lena Christine, the use of vintage and film “taps into our yearning for the good old times.”
“The grainy texture, muted tones, and soft focus of images invite us into the past the way we experience an old family album,” she wrote in an article for her website.
#4
On Easter Morning In 1941, A Group Of African American Boys Dressed In Their Finest Clothes Gathered On The South Side Of Chicago, Posing Atop A Parked Car
#5
Marilyn Monroe In A Potato Sack Dress (1951)
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 weeks ago
I read somewhere that Marilyn posed for this picture after a critic said she only looked good because of her dresses.
#6
A Reflection Of Notre Dame Cathedral And A Sitting Dog Photographed In 1958 By Inge Morath In Paris, France
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 weeks ago
Gorgeous, but I don't that's Notre Dame. Or is it an odd angle?
Vintage photography can also be an excellent storytelling tool, which is why Lena uses it for engagement photo shoots. As she explains, the intention is to “create a timeless narrative” and transport the couple back into the moment for each photograph.
“Film aesthetic invites us to slow down, to appreciate simplicity, and to connect with the human experiences that lie within each frame,” she wrote.
#7
Portrait Of A Oilof Family ('oilof' Is An Old Spelling For Wolof), Captured By French Photographer Emile Noal (1868-1903) Between 1890-1900 In St-Louis, Senegal (West Africa)
#8
Martin Imboden. The Dancer Manon Chaufour 1930
#9
1890s - Tibetan Lady Ani Chokyi By Photographer Thomas Parr, Darjeeling, India (Albumen Print)
You don’t need to be a seasoned photographer to take awe-inspiring vintage photographs. However, you will need vintage equipment to capture the authenticity.
According to photographer Jennifer Froula Weber, one way to do so is by using point-and-shoot cameras that predate the 1950s. Expired film from decades ago is another great option.
#10
Unknown Photographer. School Teacher At Her Desk 1899. Cyanotype
#11
"The Forbidden City." San Francisco's Chinatown's World Famous Nightclub, Mai Tai Sing And Her Chorus-Line Dancers In A Publicity Shot For “Holiday Magazine” In 1948
SaraCapybara 3 weeks ago
I have a photograph of my parents enjoying a date night at The Forbidden Garden.
But of course, we now have technology at our disposal to manipulate images and make them look a certain way. However, overdoing it may ruin the aesthetic you’re looking for.
Photographer Paige Mercer advises sticking to minor adjustments, such as adding a hint of warmth or lowering the dark spots. You can also increase exposure by a small notch to achieve a rustic look with lens flares and light leaks.
#13
Arnold Genthe- Edna St. Vincent Millay ( 1914)
Jennifer Drake 3 weeks ago
This is my favorite so far. She looks like an ethereal librarian fairy. 🧚♀️ I love this so much. 💙
#14
Paul Almasy. Young Reader In The Park Of The Champs Elysées. 1947
#15
The 20's Fabulous Rózsika And Janka Deutsch Aka "The Dolly Sisters" Were Hungarian-American Identical Twin Dancers, Singers And Actresses, Famous Stars Of The World Famous "Ziegfeld Follies" And The "Folies Bergere" In Paris
We’d also like to hear from you, our readers. What about vintage photographs draws you in? Is it about the nostalgia or the different feel that they bring? Let us know in the comments below.
#16
A View Of The Acropolis Of Athens, Greece In 1860
#17
Harriet Hoctor (1905-1977) ♥️ American Ballerina, Choreographer, Actress And Dance Instructor In A Back Bending Pose As A Question Mark For A 1925 Photograph By Bloom Studio Of Chicago
#18
Paris Opera, 1949
#19
1933, Paris - Dutch-Javanese Model Catharina 'Toto' Koopman
#20
Dorothea Lange - Young Family Hitchhiking On U.S. Highway 99 In California
#21
Korean War Kiss-Goodbye, Los Angeles, September 06, 1950
#22
Lewis W. Hine - Albanian Woman, Ellis Island (1905)
#23
Actress - Model Helen Bennett In A "Spider" Dress, 1939
#25
The Actress Myrna Loy In The Barbarian Directed By Sam Wood In 1933
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 3 weeks ago
This looks very daring... I loved Myrna Loy in the Thin Man films. She is fantastic she is my b&w film crush.
#26
Bassano Ltd. The Model Andrea Mijinska 1930
#27
Albert Einstein Joue Avec Son Violon Adoré, 1941
#28
Robert Doisneau. The Lovers, Opera, Paris 1950
#29
Alfred Stieglitz. The Cards's Players 1894
#30
Actress Myrna Loy In "The Mask Of Fu Manchu." 1932
#31
Adolf Miethe. Woman By The Sea 1903. Autochrome
#32
Mrs Marlene Dietrich, Photography By Wolff Von Gudenberg In Berlin, 1929
BeesEelsAndPups 3 weeks ago
She was a wonderful woman, who did a lot of good work leading up to and during the war.
#34
Edmund Kesting. Portrait With Shadow 1930
#35
Amy Peterson's Portrait Of A Champagne Inspector, Wearing A Special Mask To Protect Against Accidental Discharges
#36
Bassano Ltd. Gabrielle Ray 1910
#37
Isidora Duncan's Dance Students, Early 1900s
#38
Cette Italienne Inspecte Curieusement Le Kilt D'un Soldat Écossais. Colisée, Rome En 1944
#39
Jacob Merkelbach. Portrait Of A Woman In Red Dress 1920s
Heras buddy 3 weeks ago
Because most ww2 photos were for news services . They would be printed in black and white. B&W photos were sharper images.
#40
Chorus Girl, 1933 By James Jarché
Carla Phillips 3 weeks ago
It always amazes me when I see old photographs that are so crystal clear and crisp.
#41
Beatriz Michelena, Mignon, 1914
#42
Charles Gates Sheldon. The Boots 1920
#43
Johannes Fischer. Double Portrait Of Egon Schiele With Cigarette 1915
#44
Dora Kallmus - Arthur Benda Modèles Nus Aux Accessoires (Margot Di Tisoni, Lotte Heurs, Toni Rippel), C. 1925-1935
#45
Jacob Merkelbach. The Dancer Angele Sydow 1917-1919
BeesEelsAndPups 3 weeks ago
It's interesting how the bodies of dancers have changed. When I go the ballet, the women are often tall and rail thin, with super long limbs. When you see pictures of ballerinas from this era though, they look super athletic, strong calf muscles, and tend to be shorter.
#46
Guido Rey (Italian Pictorialism). Classical Costume Scene 1905
#47
Unknown Photographer. Hilde Hager's School Of Dance 1930
#48
Claude Cahun. Autoportrait 1929
Carla Phillips 3 weeks ago
The longer I look at this, the creepier it gets. His arms are off putting and his bright face against the dark background. It's giving vampire.
#49
Subway Entrance, New York By Homer Page 1949
Poll Question
What aspect of looking at historic photographs appeals to you most?
Learning about fashion
Understanding past lifestyles
Discovering historical people
Artistic aesthetic
Add New Image
What do you think ?
bart simpson 3 weeks ago
In your survey, about what aspect of looking at historic photos, you skipped over the most important answer. The history. This is an era when we can have a pictorially accurate vision of the past hundred plus years. We should do the most we can to keep this heritage alive.
bart simpson 3 weeks ago
In your survey, about what aspect of looking at historic photos, you skipped over the most important answer. The history. This is an era when we can have a pictorially accurate vision of the past hundred plus years. We should do the most we can to keep this heritage alive.
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