Era guide

Daguerreotype

The history

The daguerreotype was announced to the public in 1839 and made one-of-a-kind images on polished, silver-coated metal plates. Exposures were long, so sitters held still and rarely smiled. By the 1900s it had mostly given way to paper prints, which is why this look is better read as a tribute to the early silver portrait than as a copy of any one process.

What the look does

The grade drains colour into a cool silver-grey, softens the highlights, lifts a slight blue-brown tone into the shadows and darkens the corners. Tarnish-style marks creep in from the edges, and a faint mirror-like sheen sits over the middle of the picture.

Photos that suit it

Portraits with a calm face, soft window light and a plain background. Busy scenes lose their meaning once colour is gone, so give it a subject that reads by shape alone.

Silent film

The history

Silent cinema ran from the 1890s into the late 1920s, when sound began to arrive. Films were shot on hand-cranked or early motorised cameras, projected from fragile nitrate stock and often shown with live music. The flicker and the scratches we link with the period mostly come from age and wear.

What the look does

Strong black and white contrast with crushed shadows, a slow brightness flicker, vertical scratches, dust specks and a rounded film gate around the edge. The flicker is gentle on purpose so faces stay readable.

Photos that suit it

Faces with clear expressions, people in doorways and anything with strong light and shadow. Photos taken at golden hour look especially dramatic.

Kodachrome slide

The history

Kodachrome colour film reached the market in the mid-1930s and was loved for rich reds, deep blues and long-lasting dyes. After the Second World War, colour slides became a favourite way to record holidays and family gatherings, shown at home on a projector against a wall or a sheet.

What the look does

Saturated warm reds and yellows, deep blue skies, a touch of green in the shadows and a soft bloom around bright areas. A fine grain keeps it from looking like a modern phone photo.

Photos that suit it

Landscapes, gardens, sunsets, street scenes and anything colourful. If your photo is already warm, this look will push it further than you may expect.

Faded Polaroid

The history

The first instant camera went on sale in 1948, and the square-format colour prints most people picture arrived in the early 1970s. The prints developed in front of you, which made them popular at parties and on trips. Old ones often drift towards yellow and magenta with age.

What the look does

Lifted blacks, a slightly green-yellow cast in the shadows, a warm amber light leak down one side and softened contrast. It is the gentlest of the looks and the best default for everyday photos.

Photos that suit it

Almost anything. Friends, food, pets, rooms and travel snapshots all feel at home here, and the white border of the print frame completes the effect.

VHS tape

The history

VHS home video recorders spread widely from the late 1970s and through the 1980s. Families recorded birthdays and weddings on tape, and television programmes were taped off the air. Tape wears with every play, which brings the smear, noise and tracking bands we remember.

What the look does

Colour smeared sideways, scanlines, a wobbling tracking band, a little noise and an on-screen PLAY label with a counter. Edges are blurred on purpose, because tape never had the sharpness of film.

Photos that suit it

Wide shots with movement, parties, rooms full of people and anything bright. Close-ups of faces work, but small details disappear in the smear.

Disposable camera

The history

Single-use cameras became popular from the late 1980s and were everywhere through the 1990s: at weddings, on school trips and at the beach. You took the roll to a shop, waited a few days and found out which photos had worked. The cheap plastic lens and built-in flash give them an unmistakable look.

What the look does

A harsh flash that lights the centre and falls off to dark corners, slightly green shadows, strong grain, mild blur and the glowing orange date stamp in the lower corner.

The date stamp uses the year you pick, so a photo set to 1996 shows 1996 in the corner.

Photos that suit it

Group photos, selfies, night scenes and candid moments. Photos that are already a bit messy look right at home, which is exactly the point.

Early digicam

The history

Compact digital cameras and the first camera phones put photography on every desk in the early 2000s. Sensors were small, files were tiny and memory cards held only a few dozen pictures, so images came out soft with punchy colour and blown-out highlights.

What the look does

Reduced resolution, oversharpened edges, saturated blues and reds, clipped bright areas, visible compression blocks and an orange digital date in the corner.

Photos that suit it

Holiday photos, school events, gatherings and skylines. Anything bright and busy gets a convincing 2004 feel.

Filter app

The history

Photo-sharing apps arrived around 2010, with Instagram launching that year. Their square crops, faded colours and borders turned ordinary phone photos into something that felt like a keepsake. The look dominated social feeds for several years.

What the look does

A square crop, lifted shadows, a slightly warm and faded colour balance, a soft vignette and a clean white border.

Photos that suit it

Food, cafes, outfits, travel and anything you would have posted back then. Centre your subject, since the square crop trims the sides of wide photos.

Hologram

The history

This one is not history at all. It is a playful guess at how a picture might look on a screen of the future, with a glowing projection, scan lines and a heads-up display. Nobody knows how the next century will look, so treat it as a toy.

What the look does

Cyan and teal tones, horizontal scan lines, glitchy slices of the image shifted sideways, a faint grid and bracket-style corners.

Photos that suit it

Bold shapes and strong light. Portraits against a dark background look the most like a projection.