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Chase Jarvis Chase Jarvis
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Open Discussion: Why Go Retro?

Nikon D3s PolaroidHey all, Erik here with a quick guest post about a subject that’s raised a lively debate in our studio. Everyone on our crew has long been shooting with Polaroids, rangefinders, micro 4/3 cameras adapted to accept vintage lenses…even processing digital images to look like they came out of an old dusty camera. Surveying the landscape, it’s clear this tide has been rising for a while now and we’re not the only ones attached to this stuff. So the question I present to you is this:

Why is retro or faux-retro photography so popular these days?

Why, when we have such capable and inexpensive cameras at our disposal, are we reverting to old technology and old aesthetics? Is it pure nostalgia? Is it a palette cleanser from the ease and accuracy of said capable and inexpensive cameras?  Is it a passing trend? We have opinions–especially Chase does as you might expect–but we’d like to hear from you.

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161 replies on:
Open Discussion: Why Go Retro?

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  1. Dan says:
    June 17, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    I think the retro nostalgia pulls at something emotional and very deep within us. We are pulled to feel connected to the past and to the future, and the nostalgic look of old photographs reminds us of that need to be connected, both in the craft and the viewing.

    As to the craft, I think many of us long to work with our hands, in a physical way. And that old analog retro feel reminds us of that.

    As to the viewing, we have a lifetime of exposure to that “retro” look, in old family photographs, historical documentaries, museums – anyone who has gone in their familie’s attic or through their old things knows that faded crumply look and feel. We know retro instantly. And it instantly stirs our memories. Powerful photographs stir memories, which is partly why that retro look is so powerful. It’s like a smell like apple pie, it stirs our memories and reminds us that some things are timeless, even if the look is a cliche, or perhaps precisely because it is a cliche.

  2. Patrick Prothe says:
    June 14, 2011 at 4:46 pm

    So many have said it, but it’s the notion of future primitive. The more technology distances us from the tactile qualities of life whether in the process or in the end product (i.e. ‘perfectly’ exposed, cold, etc.) we yearn for the warmth of our past. At least the warmth we remember in our minds. It’s all about creating a feeling and grounding ourselves in what it means to be human.

  3. Matt Stevens says:
    June 12, 2011 at 9:28 am

    I use vintage effects frequently on my mobile devices because:
    -Mobile cameras generally suck compared to Dslr
    -My tendency when I have a bad photo is to photoshop the heck out of it or add effects
    -I like the creative feel that it gives to a photo

  4. Tristanography says:
    June 8, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    i just think people are fed up with stuff thats all clean and sharp and want a bit of dirty and blurred, making photos look “old skool” also probably takes us to a nicer nostalgic place so makes us warm to a photograph quicker

  5. Robert says:
    June 6, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    For me retro styles help simplify any image that has too much information.

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