50 Interesting Photos That Explain History In A Unique Way

Flashbak isn't just a Facebook page that collects cool historical photos. It's a dedicated blog about vintage pop culture with the tagline "Everything old is new again." Its oldest entries date back to 2008, with the first post ever being a very brief history of British television. You can find all kinds of cool stuff relating to 20th century pop culture there: from cool old movie posters to photo studies of rock stars' junk.

It was created by British journalist and editor Paul Sorene, for whom Flashbak is a dear passion project. "My work means being in newsrooms and I realised that millions of pictures stored in newspaper archives and libraries had never been seen," he told Bored Panda. "So Flashbak became a place to share these pictures and the stories behind them."

"It's all about the story – and every picture tells one," Paul goes on. "So I invite readers to share theirs – and I love it when they do. Some have been exhibited and featured in books, films, TV, posters and more."

"And because demand was so great, I created a shop selling 'all good things.'" And that shop is truly a wonderland for art lovers. If you're looking for some inspiring wall art, postcards, artsy apparel, or are just short on stunning wrapping paper, head over to the Flashbak shop and support the project in the process!

And if you have some cool vintage photos of your own to contribute to Flashbak, don't hesitate to share them right here!

Nostalgia for the second half of the 20th century doesn't seem to be going away. We love the aesthetics and the feeling that these photographs emulate, so why not try to evoke them in our own photography efforts in the modern day? Film cameras are readily available today to those who wish to dabble in old-school photography.

Photographer Stephen Walton writes that there are three types of cameras people can choose from: 35mm, medium format, and instant cameras. Polaroid and Fujifilm's instant cameras have really grown in popularity these couple of years, as they're pretty easy to operate. You can see the result straight away too, and they give your photos a vintage feel.

Then there are 35mm cameras. Walton notes that models like the Canon AE-1 or the Nikon F series are great for beginners and professionals alike. For people who find them too intimidating, there are disposable cameras or film point-and-shoot cameras. With those, you don't have to worry about things like focus and exposure, but can still get the old-school photo vibe.

According to Walton, a lot depends on which decade's style you want to emulate. If you're shooting (no pun intended) for the 1920s or the 1930s, black and white would probably look the most similar. These decades, Walton says, were all about sophistication and glamour, so, they would require soft lighting and shallow depth of field.

If you like the aesthetic of the 1960s and the 1970s, you'll need to focus on vibrant colors. These decades were famous for their psychedelic patterns, so, Walton recommends not being afraid to increase saturation and contrast. Wide-angle lenses and unusual angles also give the photographs a bold aesthetic.

Some people look at this generation's fascination with film photography with a dash of skepticism. Why go back to grainy, low-quality images when we have the all-powerful digital technology right in our phones? The element of instant gratification might be precisely why we're currently so enamored with film cameras and their aesthetics.