How to create a 1950's look to an image

iKokomo · Jul 30, 2015

I did a vintage photo shoot in which the gal dressed up in period late 1940's early 1950's outfits and went to some older looking locations.

So the subject matter and apparel are appropriate. My question to you all is, how do I edit the photos to look more like the time period (1950's)? Whenever I do it, it doesn't seem to be just right

Thanks for your help!

I do use photoshop and Lightroom.

tirediron · Jul 30, 2015

It will be much easier to help if you post a couple of the images that "aren't quite right" so that we have more of a frame of reference.

vintagesnaps · Jul 30, 2015

I haven't seen anything yet that is supposed to look like film that actually does. If anything it somewhat resembles pictures that have been stuck in a box in somebody's basement for years.

My first thought was that 1940-50s photos would have been in B&W. Maybe in color going into the '50s but that wasn't common yet then. You could look up Kodak history and see if you can find photographs from that era.

Some of the color processes were different than later film or what's being manufactured now. I have some vintage colors such as the Velox watercolor kit that were used to tint B&W photographs in early versions of doing color photos.

Derrel · Jul 31, 2015

"Add chrome, lots of chrome. And tail fins. And also add an, "I Like Ike" button."

Designer · Jul 31, 2015

I seem to recall lots and lots of yellow. Yellow everywhere even in the other colors. WAAAYYY too much yellow. Yellow in the reds, yellow in the greens, yellow in the .. well...everything.

It probably still will not look authentic to us who were there, because there will still be artifacts of modern days.

But good luck anyway!

Dave442 · Jul 31, 2015

Most of what I was shown of 1950's shots was done on slide film. Everyone in our family had a slide projector. I don't expect the colors of Kodachrome changed that much from the 40's to the 70's and those are the colors I remember.

Designer · Jul 31, 2015

Kodachrome = yellow

Ektachrome = blue

Derrel · Jul 31, 2015

I did a bit of looking around on the web, looking for Kodachrome alternatives...I came up with one suggestion from 2005, "Try Provia F with an 81A filter--you might be surprised," was the comment, but again, that was in 2005, and I am not even sure if Provia-F is still available. Kodak UC100 vs Kodachrome 64 - Dale Labs - Photo.net Film and Processing Forum

Designer · Jul 31, 2015

Derrel said:
--you might be surprised,"

Like when I crack and egg and find a chick inside?

dennybeall · Jul 31, 2015

Doing a GOOGLE search for pictures taken in the forties shows 99% B&W. If you go with B&W then I'd say reduce the contrast a bit and add some noise. For color you can try reducing the saturation, adding some noise and some vignetting(spl?). More color in the fifties and better color. Just some ideas....

nikon78 · Jul 31, 2015

Do you have the Silver EFEX plugin? This is what I use for vintage looks. It allows the selection of various film looks. For the 1950s Tri-x might be good, they don't have verichrome pan.

iKokomo · Aug 2, 2015

This thread is getting the creativity flowing! Thanks

nikon78 said:
Do you have the Silver EFEX plugin? This is what I use for vintage looks. It allows the selection of various film looks. For the 1950s Tri-x might be good, they don't have verichrome pan.

I have not heard of that one before! Thanks, will look into it.

Thanks for all of the help. I was looking for a 1.
more formal, movie star style with the Technicolor look for some of them.

And

2. a shot, like a still from a film B/W for some of them as well!

Thanks!