Our Favorite Vintage Photo Effects
They say what goes around, comes around, and this couldn’t be truer for both fashion and photography. Even in the most recent years, we’ve seen the word “vintage” as something to aspire to, especially when it comes to capturing images with the look and feel of years gone by. From the colorless Daguerreotypes in the mid-1800s, to the vibrant Polaroids of the 1960s, these vintage photos portray a nostalgic and dream-like look, which we can’t help but want to recreate.
If you’ve been wondering “how do you get the vintage effect in photos?” or “what is the app that makes photos look vintage?”, you’ve come to the right place. BeFunky’s Photo Editor is home to a wide range of vintage photo effects that will give you your desired retro look in just seconds.
Our Top Vintage Filters for Nostalgic Photos
One of the most common questions among photographers is “What filters make photos look vintage?” Well, it doesn’t matter what era of photography you’re trying to recreate, our BeFunky Photo Editor has an effect to help you achieve it.
Below, we delve into 6 of our favorite categories of photo filters for creating a vintage aesthetic, all of which can be found in the Effects tab in our Photo Editor.
Chromatic
The Chromatic photo effect adds a tinted look to your edited photo, reminiscent of the hand-colored photochromes of the 1880s. During the early 20th century, the chromatic look grew in popularity with the invention of Autochrome plates. This was colored photography’s earliest and most exciting stage, where the medium was becoming more common, particularly among the upper class.
In the Photo Editor, you'll find tons of Chromatic effects to add to your modern photos to give them a retro filter in a single click.
Vintage Colors
During those early periods when photographers were experimenting with color, they weren’t able to get the hues in their photos just right. As a result, they were either very saturated or contained a strong tint, making the image appear warmer or cooler than the scene captured.
Perhaps the most notable photography invention that contained this coloring was the Polaroid, which was at its most popular during the 1960s. The possibility of instant photography had suddenly been realized and the Polaroid camera became the #1 must-have item on everyone’s list. The cool thing is, BeFunky's Vintage Colors effects can recreate the look and feel of a Polaroid photo in just a few clicks!
Black and White
Black and white images were popular for decades before the invention of color photography, capturing everything from dukes and duchesses to the horrors of war. What people are often surprised to find is the range of black-and-white aesthetics available, from high-contrast and bright photos to those with warmer or cooler gray tones (and everything else in-between). BeFunky's Black and White category in the Effect tab has all the tonal options you need for whatever vibe you're going for!
Despite how far colored photography has come over the past few centuries, there’s just something about a monochromatic photo that still captures our attention.
Film Grain
The analog photography of eras gone by is characterized by its grainy aesthetic. Referred to as "film grain," this gritty look is created by the presence of small particles of metallic silver in processed photographic film. BeFunky’s Photo Editor is also home to this vintage filter, and you can find it within the Cinematic category of the Effects tab.
The vintage film grain look is perfect for any type of photography, whether you’ve shot a portrait, landscape image, or more. The great thing is you can even combine it with other vintage photo effects listed within this article to turn up the retro tone even more!
Old Photo
When it comes to vintage filters, you just can’t go past our Old Photo effects. As the name implies, they’re a quick, easy, and effective way to convert your pictures to look old. These vintage effects allow you to turn your images into those reminiscent of an antique store – hazy splotches, sepia tones, and all!
Within just a click, the Old Photo effects can give your image a romantic, spooky, or retro tone, making them incredibly versatile.
Stenciler
If you love the high contrast and metallic tones of daguerreotype photography, then we have a feeling you’ll adore BeFunky’s Stenciler photo effects. They’re perfect for dialing up the drama in your images, while toning down on color to create an instant old-world vibe. Portraits become foreboding and powerful (think the Godfather’s film poster), while cityscapes become sharp and silhouetted. You can even customize the color and detail level for the particular look you have in mind.
Give Modern Photos a Vintage Aesthetic
BeFunky’s professional photo editing effects can transform your modern photos into vintage masterpieces. Whether you opt for Chromatic, Vintage Colors, Black and White, Film Grain, Old Photo, or Stenciler effects, you’ll create nostalgic photos in no time.
Ready to try our wide range of vintage photo effects? Head to the Photo Editor to check them out!
