Photo Editing

How to Add Old Film Filters to Photos: 3 Easy Ways

Apr 2, 2023 · 3 minutes read

How to Add Old Film Filters to Photos: 3 Easy Ways

The old film photo trend is alive and well. It’s a true testament to the adage that everything old is new again. Lending any picture a hint of old-world appeal is as easy as using a few specialty photo effects, like old film filters. The effect can make even the most lackluster picture more interesting.

▲ Get YouCam Perfect's wide variety of old film filter packs

YouCam Perfect: The Best Free Old Film Filter App

Using YouCam Perfect, you can achieve image gold thanks to a variety of film effects that work their magic in just a few clicks. So how to make photos look like film — those grainy, crackly, yet somehow still so perfect pictures of the past? YouCam Perfect can help you transform any picture into a nostalgic work of art easily. Here’s everything you need to know.

1. Apply Old Film Filters

Using a variety of old film filters, you can make any photo look that much more impressive. In the YouCam Perfect app, you’ll find a range of photo effect packs to take your image to the next level — and to lend it that truly old-world look you crave. To get the look, navigate through these steps:

Click Edit
Tap Effects
Select Store
Choose from Nostalgia, VHS Vibe, Film, Film Reel, and Vintage Film Reel options

Each of these premium effects offers its own unique vibe, transforming everything from the picture’s tones to color to lighting to achieve an authentically aged effect. In just a few easy taps, you can make even the most modern image appear like a work of art from a bygone era.

2. Add Film Burn Effect

A touch of light “leaking” onto the image’s surface coupled with a dusty finish lends your image that enviable old-world aesthetic that’s sure to make your pictures a hit, whether you’re sharing them on social media or with loved ones. You can mimic that overexposure effect that occurs when you’re shooting with a film camera by following these ultra-easy steps:

Click Edit
Tap Overlays
Select Light Leak

Choose from a variety of positions to achieve the right look. Use the adjustment bar to further edit the leak level. The higher you go, the greater the light exposure — and the more your image will look like vintage film. It’s that easy!

3. Overlay Old Film Grain

The film grain overlay can have an incredible impact on even the crispest, clearest images, essentially making any picture look like it was taken decades ago. Using YouCam Perfect, you can experiment with photos of anything from you to your pet to create vintage magic. Here’s how:

Click Edit
Tap Effects
Select Store
Choose the Bleached effect

You can use this pack or overlay grain images and blend to create a new look that brings a touch of that warm and homey vintage vibe to your pictures. It’s the texture that adds a subtle impact to the image. A slightly distressed finish captures a realistically aged look that’s straight out of the past. What an easy way to make your picture goals a reality.

What Is an Old Film Effect?

Old analog cameras were known for producing pictures that today we associate with traditional-aged effects. The images were processed manually in darkrooms, lending them their distinctively grainy, slightly faded quality. Those visual imperfections didn’t take away from their innate appeal, though. If anything, they had a rich, true vibrance that made them even more attractive.

It’s that unique aesthetic that makes these vintage-style images so appealing today. People yearn for a touch of the past — a hint of a bygone era and an innocent time when everything seemed a little different. In pictures, that was captured through a seemingly different lens, but you can easily achieve the look using YouCam Perfect! Here’s all you need to know.

Download YouCam Perfect: The Best Free App With Old Film Photo Filters

You’ll find all of the effects you need to retouch your images to perfection in the YouCam Perfect app. In just a few clicks, you can refresh your makeup, touch up your hair, edit your figure, and, of course, make a brand-new photograph look old again. It’s all the rage, after all. Visit the App Store or Google Play to download the free photo editing app.