PS I Love You: Old Snaps & Unexpected Tales

After finding this snapshot on Mandi’s blog, I spent a good half hour browsing through the vintage pictures on Unexpected Tales. Besides providing a candid glimpse into times gone by, many of the photos had a faded, tattered, black on sepia look that I found appealing, and the pinked edges of those old photos really emphasized the feeling of another time and place. I thought it would be fun to create a version of this antique look in Photoshop using this grungy frame and some of the things we’ve learned in previous tutorials:

• how to use clipping masks
• how to add/edit blending modes
• make photos black and white
• add a solid color adjustment layer (step 6)
• realistic drop shadows

Layers and Clipping Masks

Above is the expanded view of Eleonore’s “vintage” photo. Please note that the layer closest to us (the black and white adjustment layer) is the top-most layer in the Layers Palette. Below are the two clipping mask groups.

Vintage Frame

The frame is available as a member download. However, if you’re not a member, you can simply substitute the frame with a rectangular shape. If you’re unfamiliar with shapes, this screencast may be helpful!

Special Thanks

I want to thank Eleonore Bridge for giving me permission to use her lovely photo as part of my demo in this tutorial. Thanks a bunch, Eleonore! ♥ Also, many many thanks to Unexpected Tales for permitting me to re-post their vintage pictures here.