17 Interesting Photos That Explain History In A Unique Way

We humans are visual creatures. We might read or listen about the past, but looking at photographs is somehow even more pleasing. Since time traveling is not a thing (and probably will never be), what's a better way to visit the places and times we didn't have a chance to be a part of than through vintage photographs?

Pages like Flashbak allow us to get a glimpse of life before our time by keeping the spirit of old photography alive. They scour the archives to find the coolest photos of famous people and city life in the 20th century, so here we present to you the most interesting ones!

Pictolic reached out to the creator of Flashbak, journalist and editor Paul Sorene, and he kindly agreed to tell us more about the project. Check out the story of how Flashbak came to be and how you can contribute to it below!

More info: Flashbak | Instagram 

17 PHOTOS

#1 Freddie Mercury And One Of His Many Cats

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 Pictolic. "So Flashbak became a place to share these pictures and the stories behind them."

#2 Richard Harrington: Theresie, Three-Year-Old Daughter Of Erkuaktok (Iquugaqtuq), A Pelly Bay (Arvilikjuaq) Inuk, Standing Next To A Snowman Carved By Her Father, 1951

#3 A Competitor And Her Pet Toad. At The Children’s Pet Shows At Venice Beach, California – 1936

"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.'" 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!

#4 Ahoo Daryaei, A 30-Year-Old Iranian Doctoral Student In French Literature At Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, Iran, Protesting Against The Regime's Brutal Anti-Women Laws

#5 Tina Turner On The Eiffel Tower - 1989 By Peter Lindbergh

#6 “My Cool Grandma In The USSR:) Tbilisi, Georgia, 1979” - Tata Tabidze

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 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 grown in popularity these last 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.

#7 Patrick Swayze Dancing In The 70s

#8 West Berliners Waving To Relatives Over The Berlin Wall, Christmas Day, 1961 By Leon Herschtritt

#9 Dame Diana Rigg And Dame Helen Mirren In The Grounds At Compton Verney Between Takes Of A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1968 - By David Farrell

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.

#10 In 1974, Serbian-born performance Artist Marina Abramovic Told Visitors To Her Show Rhythm 0 (1974) in Studio Morra, Naples, that She Wouldn’t Move For Six Hours No Matter What They Did To Her

On a table to her side, she placed 72 objects that could be used on her - items included: flowers, a knife, and a loaded gun. Her instructions were placed on the table: Instructions: ‘There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired. Performance. I am the object. During this period, I take full responsibility.’ Abramović said that at first, visitors were peaceful and shy, but quickly became violent: ′′The experience I learned was that... if you leave the decision to the public, you might be k**led... I felt very violated. They cut my clothes, put rose thorns in my belly, one person pointed the gun at my head, and another pulled the gun out close. This created an aggressive atmosphere. After exactly 6 hours, as planned, I got up and started walking towards the public. Everyone ran away, escaping from a real confrontation.”

#11 Annie Lennox In 1984. Photo By Anton Corbijn

#12 Amy Irving, Carrie Fisher and Teri Garr At A Thanksgiving Party, 1977

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.

#13 Ron Terner: City Island In The Bronx, 1980s

#14 Ballet Dancer Rudolf Nureyev’s Legs, 1961. By Richard Avedon

#15 The Piccadilly Line On The London Underground Being Constructed Under The Tram Tracks In 1906

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.

#16 Sophia Loren Serving Pasta During The Production Of La Ciociara (Vittorio De Sica 1960) In Saracinesco Lazio Italy

#17 In The Pub - Gorbals, Glasgow, 1968. (Photo By Jurgen Schadeberg)