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How to Make a Portrait Look Old

Old photos generally have a "feel" to them. They are usually in black or white or tinted with a sepia tone, and are printed on non-glossy paper. Depending on when an old portrait was taken, elements such as sun exposure, humidity and other natural occurrences may have weathered the photo. These days, you can recreate the vintage look of an older portrait by adding certain elements to it either digitally or manually, whether your portrait is on paper or on your computer.

Things You'll Need

Digital camera
Image Software
Teabag
Microwave
Matches

Instructions

- 1
  Apply a "sepia" or "black and white" tint to your portrait. Most digital cameras offer the option to transform a snapped photo into sepia or black and white directly on the camera. Also, basic imaging software, including standard photo viewing software that comes with many computers and laptops, includes simple photo editing tools that allow you to convert your color portrait into black and white or sepia; this can give photos an "older," more vintage look.
- 2
  Use an imaging software to "age" your portrait. These give you the chance to make photos look older by utilizing photo filters and adjustments that include hue and saturation, brightness, contrast, vibrance, color balance, color temperature and various gradient tools.
- 3
  Leave your portrait outside in the sun if it is a paper portrait and not digital. A few days of sun exposure can fade your portrait and make it look older than it actually is. For added effect, print your portrait on a thick, matte paper that is not glossy. Fray the edges of this paper by rubbing the edges on an abrasive surface to give the portrait a more vintage feel.
- 4
  Use a wet teabag to "paint" the paper portrait. Allow the moisture applied from the teabag to dry and microwave for about a minute. This technique will darken the paper and make it slightly crinkled, thus making it seem that the portrait is older than it actually is. To add more age, use a match to slightly char the edges of your portrait.

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