The photography business has enjoyed a rich history of artists,
techniques, and technologies. Throughout the timeline of the past
170 years or so, there have been many advancements in the use of
materials and tools to help us create better and better
photographs.
Using this history as our guide, we can recreate some wonderful
vintage photographic styles. We will work with you to choose from
seven styles, which range from the 1830s to the 1980s.
Here is an original image that we will take through the Time Machine
in the table below:
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STYLE
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SAMPLE
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DESCRIPTION
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Daguerreotype
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Widely used from 1839 to 1855, the daguerreotype was the first
popular form of photography. Images were captured directly on
a thin piece of silver-plated copper. Because no negative was
produced, copies could not be made, so each image was unique.
Daguerreotypes are often characterized by their reflective quality,
a darkening at the edges, and a dark blue-gray or brown-black color.
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Albumen
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Widely used from 1855 to the 1890s, this inexpensive photographic
method produced paper-based photos. Negatives were captured on
glass, and the print was then created on paper that used albumen
from egg whites to bind the light-sensitive chemicals to the paper.
Albumen photos are often characterized by their glossy finish, and
soft, warm, brown tones.
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Cyanotype
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Invented in 1841, this simple, inexpensive photographic method
became popular from the late 19th century to the early 20th
century. The images are created when ultraviolet light converts
the light-sensitive chemicals on the paper to Prussian blue.
Cyanotypes are characterized by their brilliant blue color.
Although this process did not lend itself to portrait photography,
the permanence of the images made them popular for scientific and
engineering purposes. For example, this method was used for
creating blueprints.
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Platinum
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Popular from 1873 to 1920, this photographic method used
platinum-based developing materials and placed the paper in
direct contact with the negative. Although the resulting
high-quality prints remained stable over time, the high
price of platinum made this method expensive. Platinum prints
are often characterized by their wide tonal range and
silvery-black colors. This method was revived by artists
in the 1960s.
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Early Color
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Autochrome was a popular method of producing early color photographs.
This method was developed by the Lumière brothers (Auguste and Louis
Lumière) in 1904. It used potato starch granules, dyed red, green,
and blue, to create colored images on glass, similar to a slide.
Autochromes are often characterized by softer colors and a slightly
grainy quality.
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Box Camera
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The box camera was popular from 1900 to the 1960s. The simplicity
and portability of the camera meant that anyone could take photos.
Photos taken with box cameras have different characteristics, which
reflect the age of the camera, the type of film, and the skill of
the photographer.
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Cross Process
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Cross-processing is a modern photography technique that creates
unique color effects by mismatching the film and the chemicals used
to develop the film. For example, you can achieve this effect by
processing slide film in chemicals designed for color negative film.
Cross-processed photos are often characterized by skewed colors,
high saturation, and extreme highlights.
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