Photoshop Tutorial

Old Photo Effect

Here is a quick and simple way to turn your photo into an old photo.

First of all, open up the photo you want to edit. Make sure to make up a backup copy of your original before working on it.

Here is what i'll be working with.

First, lets turn the photo in black and white, go to Image » Adjustments » desaturate.

Then apply some brightness/contrast to it, giving the image that over-exposed look. so go to:
Image » Adjustments » Brightness and Contrast. I set 20 for brightness, and +30 for contrast. You may need to adjust this slightly on your image though.

Now add some grains to the photo to give it the old look. Go to Filter » Artistic » Film Grain.
Now, for these settings, you can adjust it according to your taste, I set mine at:
Grain: 3, Highlight Area: 2, Intensity: 4

Next, add some of those old/brown look that you see on all the old photos, so create a NEW LAYER, and fill it with: #8A681B, now set its Blending mode to: Soft Light

That's it, Enjoy :)

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User Comments

Josh May/13/2010 17:13Don't be so harsh people! Okay, so it sucks - big deal. This person is obviously proud of their work, and you surely are spiteful people to say these things. I'd be willing to bet without internet anonymity you wouldn't dare to be so rude to somebody's face. Please, a little humility. To OP: I can see what you're trying to do, and it is an effect that may be useful trying to simulate the resolution of a newspaper photograph with some tweaks.

inspectorkom Apr/04/2010 01:52damn striking!!!

kulwant Nov/21/2009 22:57height of patheticness..Beat the sucker

SHIRLEY Nov/12/2009 06:40I DON'T REALLY GET THIS .PEOPLE! $H!R13Y***********

kleg13 Sep/09/2009 10:32I hope that you did save a backup of the original image. If not sorry. How terrible

Photoshop Photo Effect tutorials Aug/05/2009 02:09that looking very nice to new image to old looking effects

name Jul/31/2009 09:37CRAP !!!

jay Jul/9/09 14:23this is not perfect plz try it again

Worthless Jul/2/09 10:33Does this really look like an old photo? Have you looked at any old photographs recently? I am pissed off that I have just wasted 30 seconds reading this rubbish, and another 30 seconds commenting. If you are a nine year old kid, then sorry, nice try, keep trying, but if you are a grown-up publishing this worthless stuff...

Xman99 Jun/14/09 01:46niice. :D

XRumerTest May/4/09 14:48Hello. And Bye.

XRumerTest May/4/09 08:01Hello. And Bye.

Raghu Apr/17/09 03:52Wonderful and easy-to-learn. You are the best! Please do not bother about the criticism.

nayan Feb/28/09 04:47very very good....thanks

jane balilo Jan/16/09 17:22good!

Anonymous Jan/4/09 16:45Thanks for this!

Hanz Dec/15/08 18:06 BEAUTIFUL MASTER

$h!t Dec/3/08 06:39wtf... usuck

lame Dec/1/08 03:05lame

komal Oct/29/08 23:15best tutorial,thanks for teach us.

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