Many modern cameras take excellent photos, but images that look like they were taken in a period gone by never go out of fashion. And unlike if you used a traditional film camera, DSLRs and mirrorless devices let you take as many pictures as you want.

If you're aiming for a vintage photography style, you can do so in plenty of ways. Below, we'll give you eight tips for making your pictures look older; some will apply to your camera, while others will focus on post-production.

1. Use a Camera Profile

DSLR camera with sun flare in the back

If you take your pictures in JPEG format, you can add a profile to your image directly from your camera. For example, FujiFilm has several intriguing camera profiles to help you achieve the look you're going for. Similarly, you will find several camera profile options with Nikon and numerous other camera manufacturers.

You can choose from several color styles to make your images look a little more vintage, such as Classic CHROME. And if you want to try black and white photography instead, you will find several options that match your needs.

If your image files are in RAW, you can add these camera profiles within your post-production software.

2. Adjust the In-Camera Image Settings

Camera profiles are useful, but they're only one aspect of your image that you can control. When you buy a camera, the pictures you take will be in your device's default mode—but you'll probably want to alter these settings to achieve a vintage look.

In your camera, you can change several aspects of your photo. You can add or remove saturation, and you can also adjust the contrast and brightness.

Changing your in-camera settings will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. But in most cases, you'll have to go to the main menu. You'll find the settings you're looking for under whatever the image equivalent is for your device. Here's how to customize FujiFilm Camera Profiles.

3. Shoot Slightly Overexposed

Photo of a photographer inside a greenhouse surrounded by plants

From a technical perspective, you'll want to avoid overexposing your pictures in most instances. But if you want to create something that looks like it was taken on an older camera, shooting slightly overexposed will help you get there.

When taking your photos, aim for an image that hits around +1 on the lighting meter. Anything more than that will start to look messy, and you'll also lose a lot of important details in your picture. You can sometimes manually adjust the lighting meter via dials on your device.

You can change several settings to overexpose your picture. Adjusting the shutter speed is a good starting point, but you can also tweak the ISO and aperture. You should put your camera in Manual Mode when trying to achieve a particular style, as doing so will give you more control.

4. Use a 35mm Lens

35mm was the default focal length for older cameras. So, if you're going for a vintage look in your photography, using a 35mm lens makes a lot of sense. 35mm lenses are also excellent for their versatility, allowing you to take photos in situations where you can't get much space between you and your subject.

You can find 35mm lenses for many of the largest camera manufacturers, with options for DSLR and mirrorless devices. Depending on the conditions you plan to shoot in, you might want to consider purchasing a weather-sealed lens.

5. Adjust the White Balance

Photo of a photographer using their camera

If you look at many photos taken on older cameras, you'll notice that the pictures typically look warmer. One of the simplest ways to make your photos look more vintage is to use a white balance that is slightly more yellow than what you normally would.

You can change your camera white balance by adjusting the Kelvin meter. The higher the number, the more warmth you'll see in your picture.

Once you've taken your photo, you can add yellows and oranges during the post-production phase. In addition to adjusting the temperature, you can use the color wheels to put more colors in specific parts of the picture.

6. Add Grain

Photo of the Adobe Lightroom app on a phone

While avoiding grain in your pictures is advisable in most situations, it's a good option if you'd like to create a vintage look in your photography. If you look at almost any photo taken in the early days of photography, you'll notice quite a lot of noise.

You can add grain to your photos in your camera using several methods. For example, you can bump your ISO up—and in some cases, you can manually add grain as a special effect. However, doing so in your post-production software will allow you to get the in-photo technicalities right beforehand.

To do so in Lightroom, you'll need to go to the Grain tab and move the Amount slider to the right. You can also add grain to your photo by increasing the sharpener.

7. Add Haze

Another way you can make your photos look more vintage is by adding a hazy effect. If you choose not to add grain to your picture, doing this instead is an excellent alternative.

When using your camera, you can add haze by shooting on sunny days or in misty conditions. However, photo editing software makes everything much easier in this respect.

To add haze to your photos, look for the Dehaze slider. You'll need to move it to the left; play around with it until you find your desired result.

8. Use a Lens Filter

close-up picture of a camera lens filter

You might be able to add a lens filter that automatically makes your photos look more vintage. Some lenses don't have space for a filter, so you'll need to check the specifics for whichever one you plan to use.

Lens filters come at multiple price points, and you can find them online. You don't need to spend a fortune, but you'll probably notice a difference in quality depending on how much you pay. So, you should try not to skimp either.

Make Your Photos Look Like They Were Taken Decades Ago

Even if you've got a modern camera, you can use several tactics to make your photos look more vintage. Some will require that you tweak your in-camera settings, but you can make several changes in your post-production software to add finishing touches.

While we've mentioned a wide selection of tips in this article, they all have wiggle room. So, you should consider experimenting until you find a formula that works well for you.