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Turn back the clock with royalty-free vintage images

Our modern world moves at a remarkably rapid pace. Slow down with some vintage-inspired imagery. Thanks to thousands of talented contributors from around the world, you can go back in time just by exploring Shutterstock’s immense library of vintage photos, vectors, and illustrations. Scroll down to take a look at trending vintage images and read creative tips on how best to incorporate such visuals into your next creative project.

Using vintage pictures for specialty product marketing

  • People associate “vintage” with days of the past, days when we didn’t have modern technology at our fingertips. For this reason, artisanal, hand-made goods can benefit from vintage labels. Such visuals instantly inform customers that your products were not mass produced and sped along an assembly line, but were instead made by human hands with time and care.

  • Vintage labels often feature typewriter lettering or old-school calligraphy. Print your label onto vintage paper.

  • You can create this aged-looking paper yourself by taking a moist teabag and using it to blot sepia tones onto a sheet of normal paper. To further enhance the vintage effect, rough up the edges of your label after printing. This can be done with scissors or by carefully ripping away unwanted paper.

Using vintage pictures for specialty product marketing

Browse vintage images

Trending vintage images

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About vintage images

Vintage imagery takes the viewer back to a simpler time. They provide an escape from the all too often hectic nature of modern-day life. One look at a glamorous art deco design or shot of a vintage car parked on an old cobblestone road can stir up feelings of nostalgia in the viewer. Shutterstock’s curated vintage collection makes it easy to check out the various aspects of vintage imagery, from images of antiques and collectibles to a visual journey through the decades. Whether you need a vintage label for your homemade goods, a vintage background for your website, or anything in between, Shutterstock has you covered.

Questions about vintage images


What are vintage images?

Vintage images are visual representations of people, places, and things from a bygone era. Items are generally considered to be vintage if they are at least fifty years old, so if an image depicts something from five or more decades ago, it is a vintage image. In looking at such images, one can explore a wide variety of aspects from the past. In terms of fashion through the years, faded photos of 1920s flappers in short fringed dresses, 1950s teens in poodle skirts, and 1970s hippies in bell bottom jeans are all vintage. Images of antique items such as a gas lamp, record player, or black and white TV set are also all considered vintage. Vintage décor, retro styles, and much more can be found in the Shutterstock vintage library.


What makes a photo look vintage?

Photographers and editors use a number of tools to make a photo look vintage. With Shutterstock Editor, you can easily turn an existing photo into a vintage work of art by uploading your shot and adjusting the available “Effects.” Decrease the contrast and slightly increase the brightness. This will create the blown-out look that is associated with vintage images. You can also add a vignette effect. This adds a slight blur to the edges of your photo, resulting in an old-time portrait appearance. For yet another option, click on the “Filters” button in the toolbar that runs along the top of the Shutterstock Editor page. Select the “Sepia” filter. This will alter the colors in your image so that all hues turn varying shades of brown. Such a look is generally associated with antique photographs.


What can I create with vintage looking photos?

With vintage-looking photos, the creative possibilities are endless. You can use vintage wallpapers to create a stunning website that will whisk customers or readers away from the present and back to the good ol’ days. Add vintage frames around your old-timey text to increase the vintage visual effect. If Mother’s Day or Father’s Day is around the corner, you can use vintage photos to create a unique, memorable gift. Upload some of your favorite family photos to Shutterstock Editor, alter the images so that they appear in the vintage style, and then make a photo collage for an older family member who will appreciate the nostalgic gift. If you have a short series of vintage looking photos, you could share them in your Instagram story to offer followers a fun blast from the past. Retro photos also make wonderful vintage posters. You could decorate a child’s bedroom with colorful comic pop art or hang a stylish rendering of an old-school apparatus such as a gramophone in your living room.


How can I find high quality vintage photos?

With Shutterstock’s powerful search engine at your fingertips, you can find high-quality vintage photos in a jiffy. Simply type “vintage” into the search bar and explore the millions of related photos, vectors, and illustrations. To narrow your search, add other keywords such as “vintage pattern” or “vintage texture.” You can also utilize Shutterstock’s various filter options to hone in on the exact sort of image you have in mind. Looking for a vintage work of art? Select “Illustrations” from the “All Images” dropdown menu. Want your image to match the existing color palette on your website? Select your color of choice from the “Color” filter option. If you need a shot that shows people enjoying a good ol’ fashioned time, simply select the “With People” option from the “People” filter.


What are the popular vintage images?

Popular vintage images include: Vintage flowers: A seamless pattern of pink carnations works perfectly as a vintage wallpaper. Take a botanical black-and-white sketch in the style of old-school engravings, place it in a frame, and hang it on the wall to add a delicate touch of class to any room. Calligraphic writing framed by watercolor roses makes a lovely wedding invitation. Vintage furniture: A retro living room complete with a vintage TV set and typewriter can inspire a sense of creativity. Old-school armchairs situated around a café table make viewers want to set their technology aside and settle in for a hot coffee and rich conversation. Vintage cars: A shot of a classic red sports car speeding along an open road offers viewers a sense of exhilarating freedom. A vintage van parked by the sea with a surfboard strapped to its roof can make the viewer want to take a trip to a far-off destination.

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