How can I age a photo?

[John Gleason]

Photoshop is your best bet. Old photographs tend to have

-Less color, more of a single color tinge (not necessarily no color)
-Less line definition/focus
-More grain/artifacts
-More physical damage, rips, bleeds, warps

This is back when photography was still associated with painting and the character posing tended to reflect that, as well as mirroring stage play/theater framing. Getting a close up on the for instance a face was practically a call of indecency.

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/4071494420_ac4988e47f.jpg
https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2800/4068841045_da50f0c20e.jpg
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/4069370119_358d5cde00.jpg
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3645032140_6a1bab12b0.jpg
https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3630187450_cf8fa26621.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/PinkertonLincolnMcClernand.jpg This is interesting, see how clear the tent rope is in between the DoF, if only the photographer had focused better and Lincoln hadn’t been distracted enough to look slightly left.

As far as tutorials, there are some pretty bad ones, this one seems decent. but https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqPbPcYEXQ

Also make use of Adjustments —-> Black and white —-> tweak the desaturate until it looks wonderfully old and then add a tint of your choice.

If you can get some good grunge brushes, you can make it look like your photo was ripped, there are also tutorials on how to add things such as coffee mug stains and so forth.

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