Faded Photography

[Benintheclouds]

Hey there,
I've seen a number of photographs around the web which seem to have been shot with an old camera, so they are kind of faded, and the overall image seems to be darker. An example would be these images by Heidi Swanson, which were actually shot with an old SX-70 camera.
Now my question is, is there any specific setting that I could use to emulate this effect with my Canon 40D? Preferably not in Photoshop. Is there some filter I'd have to use?
If its not quite clear what I mean I can post some other pictures. I'm aware of course that this could simply be this particular photographers settings, and not some effect in general, but anyhow, could someone point me to how I'd have to go at it?
Thanks a lot.

 

[adversus]

Directly in camera using digital, I'm not sure there is. Most of the time people achieve these results with digital using post-processing. The "vintage" craze is actually really popular with mobile phone apps right now (like the Holga app for Android/iPhone, InstraGram, etc.).

 

[Sonoma]

You might look at some of these and see if any of them trip your trigger!!

80+ Photoshop Actions for Giving Your Pictures a Vintage Look | Freebies

Good luck.

 

[lyonsroar]

Hipstamatic.

:xbecause everyone knows if you DL and use hipstamatic, instagram or whatever assorted program is "in" right now, you're a photographer. Break all the rules, clip ears, clip feet, doesn't matter as long as it's got that hipster look. It really seems like the photos that get posted to facebook with that look (sometimes I do it in LR too) get MUCH more comments and "likes" than those that are correctly exposed, tack-sharp, etc.

Makes me sick.
/rant

 

[Stryker]

The only "vintage" look you can have is the sephian brown. Look it up in your 40D's manual. Other than that, photoshop it.

 

[photocist]

i half expected this thread to be about getting drunk and taking photos

 

[Forkie]

Hipstamatic.

:xbecause everyone knows if you DL and use hipstamatic, instagram or whatever assorted program is "in" right now, you're a photographer. Break all the rules, clip ears, clip feet, doesn't matter as long as it's got that hipster look. It really seems like the photos that get posted to facebook with that look (sometimes I do it in LR too) get MUCH more comments and "likes" than those that are correctly exposed, tack-sharp, etc.

Makes me sick.
/rant

I like them. Not all photos have to be properly exposed or tack sharp to work. I think it's great that everyone can take great images with these iPhone/Android apps. It makes sitting through people's holiday snaps slightly more interesting!

 

[lyonsroar]

Hipstamatic.

:xbecause everyone knows if you DL and use hipstamatic, instagram or whatever assorted program is "in" right now, you're a photographer. Break all the rules, clip ears, clip feet, doesn't matter as long as it's got that hipster look. It really seems like the photos that get posted to facebook with that look (sometimes I do it in LR too) get MUCH more comments and "likes" than those that are correctly exposed, tack-sharp, etc.

Makes me sick.
/rant

I like them. Not all photos have to be properly exposed or tack sharp to work. I think it's great that everyone can take great images with these iPhone/Android apps. It makes sitting through people's holiday snaps slightly more interesting!

I have less of a problem with the "hipster" editing style (hell I've been known to do a creative edit or two) as I do with the lack of composition and the blatant breaking of rules (clipping ears and the like.) I realize that rules are meant to be broken, but there's some things you just don't do.

For example: I've got a friend (yes, just 1) and she posted a picture of her cat taken with instamatic to her wall. BOTH ears were clipped off midway up and one of the paws was chopped at the second knuckle, but it looked faded and hipster-esque. Within 20 minutes there were 15 likes and five comments along the lines of "fantastic photo" and "you've got a photographer's eye." I post a picture of my dog, properly exposed, focused on the eyes, sharp, with realistic editing and I got exactly 0 likes and 0 comments.

The hipster look is in right now.

 

[Sonoma]

My wife has hundreds of pics from an old(30 years) instamatic that have a nice red hue. As far as I'm concerned that era is DEAD!!! Long live "tack sharp" and "contrasty" photographs. If only I could do that.

 

[RockstarPhotography]

Hipstamatic.

:xbecause everyone knows if you DL and use hipstamatic, instagram or whatever assorted program is "in" right now, you're a photographer. Break all the rules, clip ears, clip feet, doesn't matter as long as it's got that hipster look. It really seems like the photos that get posted to facebook with that look (sometimes I do it in LR too) get MUCH more comments and "likes" than those that are correctly exposed, tack-sharp, etc.

Makes me sick.
/rant

I like them. Not all photos have to be properly exposed or tack sharp to work. I think it's great that everyone can take great images with these iPhone/Android apps. It makes sitting through people's holiday snaps slightly more interesting!

Now if only the iphone could shoot in raw!