One of the greatest facets of reddit are the thriving subreddits, niche communities of people who share a passion for a specific topic. One of the Sifter’s personal favourites is r/ColorizedHistory. The major contributors are a mix of professional and amateur colorizers that bring historic photos to life through color. All of them are highly skilled digital artists that use a combination of historical reference material and a natural eye for colour.

When we see old photos in black and white, we sometimes forget that life back then was experienced in the same vibrant colours that surround us today. This gallery of talented artists helps us remember that.


 

1. Abandoned boy holding
a stuffed toy animal. London 1945

Abandoned-boy-holding-a-stuffed-toy-animal

Original Photograph by Toni Frissell
Colorized by HansLucifer 

 

Abandoned-boy-holding-a-stuffed-toy-animal_2

Original Photograph by Toni Frissell
Colorized by HansLucifer |

 

“I was told he had come back from playing and found his house a shambles—his mother, father and brother dead under the rubble…he was looking up at the sky, his face an expression of both confusion and defiance. The defiance made him look like a young Winston Churchill. This photograph was used by IBM to publicize a show in London. The boy grew up to become a truck driver after the war, and walking past the IBM offices, he recognized his picture.” – Toni Frissell

 

2. Hindenburg Disaster – May 6, 1937

Hindenburg-disaster,-1937-dana-keller

Colorized by Dana Keller |

 

Hindenburg-disaster,-1937-dana-keller-original

 

3. Japanese Archers circa 1860

Kyudoka--Japanese-Archers-c1860-photo-chopshop

Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

Kyudoka--Japanese-Archers-c1860-photo-chopshop-original

Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

4. View from Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee
During the Civil War, 1864

View-from-Capitol-in-Nashville,-Tennessee,-during-the-Civil-War-in-1864-sanna-dullaway

Colorized by Sanna Dullaway |

 

View-from-Capitol-in-Nashville,-Tennessee,-during-the-Civil-War-in-1864-sanna-dullaway-original

 

5. Unemployed lumber worker, circa 1939

Unemployed-lumber-worker,-ca

Colorized by zuzahin on Reddit 

 

Unemployed-lumber-worker,-ca_2

 

6. Auto Wreck in Washington D.C, 1921

Auto-Wreck-in-Washington-D

Colorized by Sanna Dullaway |

 

7. Big Jay McNeely driving the crowd at the Olympic Auditorium into a frenzy, Los Angeles, 1953

trumpet-traquea

Original Photograph by Bob Willoughby |
Colorized by traquea on Reddit

 

big-jay-mcneely-on-sax-olympic-auditorium-la-1953-bob-willoughby

Photograph by Bob Willoughby 

 

8. Albert Einstein, Summer 1939
Nassau Point, Long Island, NY

Albert-Einstein,-summer-1939---Nassau-Point,-Long-Island,-NY-edvos

Colorized by Edvos on Reddit | Paul Edwards

 

Albert-Einstein,-summer-1939---Nassau-Point,-Long-Island,-NY-edvos-comparison

Colorized by Edvos on Reddit | Paul Edwards

 

9. Audrey Hepburn

audrey-hepburn-dana-keller

Colorized by Dana Keller 

 

10. ‘Old Gold’, Country store, 1939

'Old-Gold',-Country-store,-1939-photo-chopshop

Original Photograph by Dorothea Lange
Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

'Old-Gold',-Country-store,-1939-photo-chopshop-original

Original Photograph by Dorothea Lange
Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

11. Joseph Goebbels scowling at photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt after finding out he’s Jewish, 1933

Joseph-Goebbels-scowling-at-photographer-Albert-Eisenstaedt-after-finding-out-he's-jewish,-ca

Original Photograph by Time & Life Pictures
Colorized by zuzahin on Reddit 

 

Joseph-Goebbels-scowling-at-photographer-Albert-Eisenstaedt-after-finding-out-he's-jewish,-ca_2

Photograph by Time & Life Pictures

 

12. Nikola Tesla, 1893

Nikola-Tesla,-1893-dana-keller

Original Photograph by Napoleon Sarony
Colorized by Dana Keller 

 

13. W.H. Murphy and his associate demonstrating their bulletproof vest on October 13, 1923

W.H

Original Photograph by National Photo Company
Colorized by zuzahin on Reddit 

 

Testing_bulletproof_vest_1923

Photograph by National Photo Company

 

14. Young boy in Baltimore slum area, July 1938

Baltimore,-1938-photo-chopshop

Original Photograph by John Vachon
Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

Baltimore,-1938-photo-chopshop-comparison

Original Photograph by John Vachon 
Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd (photojacker on Reddit) 

 

15. British troops cheerfully board their train for the first stage of their trip to the western front – England, September 20, 1939

British-troops-cheerfully-board-their-train-for-the-first-stage-of-their-trip-to-the-western-front---England,-September-20,-1939-benafleckisanokactor

Colorized by BenAfleckIsAnOkActor on Reddit

 

16. Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, 1880

Oscar-II,-King-of-Sweden-and-Norway,-year-1880-sanna-dullaway

Colorized by Sanna Dullaway 

 

17. Walt Whitman, 1887

Walt-Whitman,-1887-dana-keller

Colorized by Dana Keller 

 

Walt-Whitman,-1887-dana-keller-original

 

18. Mark Twain in the garden, circa 1900

Mark-Twain-in-the-garden,-ca

Colorized by zuzahin on Reddit 

 

19. Charlie Chaplin at the age of 27, 1916

Charlie-Chaplin-at-the-age-of-27,-1916-affleckokactor

Colorized by BenAfleckIsAnOkActor on Reddit

 

20. Elizabeth Taylor – Giant (1956 film)

Elizabeth-Taylor---Giant-malakon

Original Photograph by Frank Worth Photo
Colorized by malakon on Reddit

 

Elizabeth-Taylor---Giant-malakon-original

Photograph by Frank Worth Photo 

 

 

 via:http://twistedsifter.com