When you think of old photographs, you naturally think in terms of black and white, but as you can see from these stunning photographs from the turn of the 20th century, color photography has been around for a lot longer than you think.
Before 1907, if you wanted a color photograph then you basically had to color it in using different dyes and pigments, but two French brothers called Auguste and Louis Lumière changed all that with a game-changing process that they called the Autochrome Lumière. Using dyed grains of potato starch and light-sensitive emulsion, they were able to produce vibrant photographs without the need for additional colorization.
Despite being difficult to manufacture and also somewhat expensive, the process was very popular among amateur photographers. Scroll down for a collection of stunning century-old color photographs using their groundbreaking technique.
(via Bored Panda)
Before 1907, if you wanted a color photograph then you basically had to color it in using different dyes and pigments, but two French brothers called Auguste and Louis Lumière changed all that with a game-changing process that they called the Autochrome Lumière. Using dyed grains of potato starch and light-sensitive emulsion, they were able to produce vibrant photographs without the need for additional colorization.
Despite being difficult to manufacture and also somewhat expensive, the process was very popular among amateur photographers. Scroll down for a collection of stunning century-old color photographs using their groundbreaking technique.
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| Christina in red, 1913 |
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| Christina in red, 1913 |
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| Among the first colored pictures ever taken by Louis Lumière, 1907 |
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| Two girls picking Cornflowers, c.1912 |
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| Young girl amidst marguerites, c.1912 |
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| Young girl posing in Japanese kimono, c.1914 |
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| Sisters sitting in a garden tying roses together, 1911 |
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| Young girl in kimono, c.1914 |
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| c.1910 |
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| Daydreams, 1909 |
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| Woman and girl by a brook, 1910 |
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| Joan in red riding hood cape with basket, 1907 |
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| Woman smoking opium, 1915 |
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| Christina in red, 1913 |
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| Christina in red, 1913 |
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| A woman sits on an edge by a harbor where a freighter boat approaches, 1930 |
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| A young woman admires flowers in a Baden garden in Germany, 1928 |
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| Two women pick the state flower in a Laredo field |
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| Two girls in oriental costume, 1908 |
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| An Autochrome of two sisters, 1908 |
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| An Autochrome of Etheldreda Janet Laing daughter in a garden, 1908 |
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| Woman in floral silk robe, 1915 |
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| Girl with a parasol sitting on a bench, 1908 |
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| Younger girl stands beside her sister holding a pink parasol, 1908 |
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| Two girls at the gate, 1915 |
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| Three women in Japan, Kyoto, 1912 |
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| Autochrome of a young girl, 1910 |
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| Girl in a garden with hollyhocks, 1908 |
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| Innocence, c.1912 |
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| Young lady with a fan, c.1910 |
(via Bored Panda)
