Timeless Elegance: Ideas to give your Vintage Photoshoot a Classic Touch
Why would you settle for a bland, boring photoshoot when you could have a vintage-inspired one? The enduring appeal of vintage photoshoots lies in the feeling of an authentic moment being captured and the accompanying sense of nostalgia. It’s important to add a classic touch to make these photos timeless. Here is a look at some techniques that can help you achieve this effect.
Enchanted Backdrops
It would be a bit jarring to have a brand-new car or a futuristic-looking building in the background of your vintage photoshoot, so make sure you carefully consider the location of your photoshoot. The term ‘vintage photography’ refers to photos from the 19th and early 20th centuries, so timeless locations such as historic buildings and gardens would work well.
To create the perfect colour palette in your vintage shot, use natural lighting that is soft and warm. Golden hour is ideal for this, and shooting in the early morning and late afternoon is the perfect time to capture a vintage feel. If you have access to a vintage-inspired studio, you’ll be able to recreate this look using different studio lighting techniques. Keep in mind that prints belonging to this era have soft colours that fade with time, so focus on brightness and light colours in your image.
Attire and Allure
Your wardrobe choices can easily make or break a vintage photoshoot. Carefully curating the clothing and accessories, as well as makeup and hairstyles for your photoshoot, will help you to create the right vibe. Different decades had their own distinctive styles of clothing, so it’s a good idea to conduct some research on the type of clothes that were popular during the time you’re aiming to convey. Considering the necklines and hemlines of dresses, length of skirts, style of suits and accessories such as hats, gloves and jewellery will help you achieve the desired look. Browsing your local thrift shop can provide further inspiration.
Vintage photo shoots often involve using antique props, clothing, and settings to capture a nostalgic and timeless atmosphere. Adding accessories such as golden masks reminiscent of those seen on online slots or featuring cloche hats as a central element can enhance the allure and mystique of the photos.
Props That Speak Volumes
When you think of a memorable vintage portrait photo or a famous vintage photograph, there is a good chance that the photo includes antique furniture, old books, a vintage camera, or even a classic car. Using props is an easy way to set the vintage scene while adding lots of visual interest.
Props can help tell a story within your photos, and meaningful or personal items such as jewellery, vintage ceramics, old newspapers or watches can set a scene of nostalgia. Two people sitting down and sharing a cup of tea from vintage china cups while wearing heirloom jewellery with a vintage telephone in the background really sets the scene for a homely, intimate moment.
Posing and Capturing the Essence
For a true vintage photograph, you’ll be using a technique from a previous time, such as using an analogue camera and shooting with 35 mm film. Kodak has recently re-released some classic vintage film varieties such as Ektachrome and Kodachrome, which makes it easier to get the vintage effect.
Enhance the authenticity of your photos by using sepia tones or black-and-white film and deliberately tweaking settings such as exposure, white balance, and contrast to create a nostalgic aura. To get a classical, moody atmosphere, use lighting strategically to create depth and shadow. You’ll need to get your subjects to pose in a way that feels authentic to the vintage time you’re shooting. Typically, poses were more rigid and staged, often with the subjects looking away from the camera.
A Timeless Finish
Darkrooms were where the magic happened with vintage film photography, with various post-processing techniques involving bathing the images in different types of chemicals being used to achieve certain effects. These days, we have a huge variety of apps and software that can create these effects for us at the click of a button.
There are thousands of presets and filters available on smartphones, and software offerings such as Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop are very popular tools for creating vintage effects. You can use black and white or sepia filters, add more noise or a vignette, and apply textures such as scratches or crinkles to provide an aged effect.
Capture the Magic
There’s something magical about a photo that looks like it was taken a long time ago; it never fails to evoke nostalgia and memories. If you want to create vintage-style photographs, be sure to choose the right content for the photo by selecting the right poses, outfits, location, and styling. For extra flair, take some time to get the aesthetic right by nailing the lighting, colours and textures.