Signup for 1940s Ball Newsletter

Listen to WWII Radio

1940s Ball

Austin Welch Photography:  

I shoot and print film photos using historical processes to create authentic, 1940’s style images. After developing the film and working in the darkroom, your final image is hand inked with paint brushes and rollers in a method known as “bromoil.” Bromoil photos were popular throughout the first half of the 20th century because of their painterly appearance. Your one-of-a-kind bromoil is not simply a “snapshot,” but is an artistic portrait requiring a level of craftsmanship, chemistry, and hands-on work that doesn’t exist in the digital age.

The early 20th century saw photography transcend from simple documentation into an art form. Publications like Life and Vogue, as well as the pulp and pin-up magazines, were continually pushing the boundaries of “modern” photography. Unfortunately, most of the processes that were used to create those images have died out over the years. I create portraits utilizing those long-forgotten black and white techniques. Holding a photo in your hands that was created in a darkroom is a completely different experience from looking at a digital image on a screen. I look forward to creating this experience for you!