Launch Recite Me assistive technology
A person stands in a landscape, holding a large, semi-circular piece of red fabric that curves around them like wings. They wear a colourful, patterned bodysuit and dark tights against a painterly background of green and yellow hills.

Antique techniques! Hand-coloured photographs by Shae Detar

—
Date
29 November 2012

People used to paint photographs before the luxury of colour processing became an option, partly to convey the colours as they were as the shot was snapped, and partly because it’s a really fun thing to do, and they end up looking really cool. Shae Detar has cottoned on to this, and as a fan of experimenting in the darkroom, has made painting her photographs kind of her “thing”, with marvellous results. In these haunting images of girls — usually hanging out in some kind of canyon or sporting brilliant vintage-wear — Shae speaks of femininity and the reincarnation of dying camera techniques that are currently being lost to the Instagram generation.

A person stands in a desert landscape wearing a long, colourful dress with a swirling psychedelic pattern. They wear a matching floral headpiece against a pale pink sky.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

A person lies on a large, reddish rock, wearing a light blue two-piece outfit. They wear a star-shaped headpiece and look towards the camera with one arm raised.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

A portrait of a person looking off to the side with a neutral expression. The image has a weathered, painterly quality with muted tones and visible brushstrokes.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

A person sits amidst a surreal, pale landscape of swirling blue and pink tones. Behind them, a rugged, rocky mountain rises against a light sky.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

A person in profile poses against a muted red background, one arm raised behind their head. They wear a lace garment and hold one leg tucked up towards their chest.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

A close-up portrait of a person with their eyes closed and lips slightly parted. They wear heavy, dark blue eyeshadow and have curly, reddish-blonde hair.
Above

Shae Detar: Painted Photographs

Share Article

Further Info

About the Author

Liv Siddall

—

Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.