Woman in a sleeveless, high-neck top poses against a soft, warm-toned background, gazing directly at the camera.

Apr 22, 2025 / Sallyhateswing

Vintage Looks Without Photoshop

Tipps & Tricks

Three Simple Hacks for Creative Effects

Want to give your photos and videos a cool vintage vibe without all the editing? No problem! With a few simple items you probably have at home – or could even find in the trash – you can create stunning effects. Here are three creative hacks for your camera:

1. Tights as a Soft-Focus Filter

For this soft, nostalgic look, all you need is an old pair of tights. Here’s how it works:

  • Cut a hole in the fabric and stretch it over your lens.

  • Gently pull the material back with your fingers to adjust the effect to your liking.

  • It works especially well with a zoom lens like the TAMRON 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2.

The result: a soft, dreamy look reminiscent of classic film photography.

Four-panel image showing a woman and a man with a Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 lens. The woman poses with the lens, and the man peers through it.
2. Creative Effects with Glass

2. Creative Effects with Glass

For this trick, all you need is the glass from a picture frame – and a bit of creativity:

  • Use paint and a brush to add a swirl or other patterns directly onto the glass.

  • To avoid unwanted reflections, place a piece of black fabric or cardboard behind you.

The glass creates fascinating blurs and reflections in your shot – perfect for artistic, dreamy images!

3. Bokeh with Party Leftovers

3. Bokeh with Party Leftovers

Anything that reflects, shines, or is see-through can be used to create eye-catching vintage effects. Try experimenting with:

  •  Gift wrap, glitter paper, or old CDs.

  • In low-light settings, you can use your phone’s flashlight to brighten the bokeh in the foreground.

This gives your images a unique, almost magical vibe – and all without Photoshop!

Check out our embedded video to see the effects in action, and try them out yourself. Have fun experimenting with your own vintage looks!

About the author: Sallyhateswing

Sallyhateswing is the creative photography duo of Philipp Johann and Sarah Schmid from Cologne. Specializing in lifestyle and beauty photography, they’ve been working with TAMRON lenses for many years.

Learn more about the author at:

Share this article:


TAMRON products mentioned in this article

For full frame & APS-C (Di III)
Telephoto, Standard
Art, People, Travel, Landscape
To the product

Central: +49 (0) 221 / 66 95 44-0

Service: +49 (0) 221 / 66 95 44-135

Fax: +49 (0) 221 / 66 95 44-404

We are available by phone Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Visit us on

Copyright 2025 - TAMRON Europe GmbH