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As a photographer, you hold a lot of power in your hands in terms of making your audience feel a certain way. When you focus on spine-tingling subject matter and play around with the lighting, you can create images that might chill people decades after being taken.

‘Old School Creepy’ is an online community that embraces the slightly cursed vibes found in vintage photos. We’ve curated some of the scariest ones for your viewing pleasure. But be warned, you might not want to look at some of these twice.

#1

Two Psychologists In The 1930s Adopted A Baby Chimp And Tried To Raise Her Alongside Their Own Baby Boy, Donald, To See If This Caused The Chimp To Learn Human Behavior

Black and white old-school photo of a baby and a chimpanzee sitting on the floor, creating a creepy vibe.

After nine months, they stopped the experiment because their son started behaving more like a chimp

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Jerome Lenovo
Community Member
9 months ago

Donald started to behave like a chimp you say ?

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    #2

    Max Schreck Relaxes Behind The Scenes Of Nosferatu, 1922

    Eerie old-school photo of a dark figure with elongated fingers sitting on a bench, creating a creepy, cursed atmosphere.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago

    Oh my God, it's Stephen Miller!!!!!!!

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    #3

    A Letter From Schizophrenic Patient Emmy Hauck To Her Husband.

    Faded old handwritten document with dense overlapping cursive text, evoking a creepy old-school photo vibe.

    It consists only phrase “herzensschatzi komm” (darling please come) and “komm komm komm” (come, come, come ) repeated over and over.

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    Toujin C'Thlu
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Poor woman, I can only imagine what she went through in one of those institutions

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    #4

    A Rare Photo Of The Notorious Couple Bonnie And Clyde, 1933

    Couple sitting outdoors in old-fashioned clothes in a creepy old-school photo with a slightly cursed vibe.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago

    Well they don't look ANYTHING like Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway! ;-)

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    #5

    A 16th Century Plague Doctors Mask

    Old-school creepy plague doctor mask with long beak, displayed in a museum, evoking slightly cursed vintage photos.

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    Chelle Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Seeing that would be the stuff nightmares are made of.

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    #6

    It Drinks

    Creepy old-school battery operated picnic bear toy holding a bottle and cup inside a cardboard box.

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    She who must not be named
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago

    That bear has seen some things 😳 No wonder he drinks 😅

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    #7

    Empress Elisabeth’s Mourning Mask And Veil, 1889

    Creepy old-school photo of a person wearing an elaborate black lace mask and costume with feathers and intricate details.

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    Barbara Wilcock
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Forbidden owl

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    #8

    Maria Rasputina Holding A Portrait Of Her Father, Grigory Rasputin, 1972

    Elderly woman in a polka dot dress sitting with a framed old-school photo that feels slightly cursed on a couch.

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    She who must not be named
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago

    Ra ra Rasputin 🎵

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    #9

    A Clean-Cut Charles Manson On His Wedding Day In 1955

    Vintage creepy old-school photo of a smiling couple cutting a wedding cake in black and white.

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    Chelle Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Looks almost normal. So creepy.

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    #10

    17th Century Metal Mask That Was Used To Restrain Individuals Who Were Considered To Be Insane

    Vintage creepy old-school metal mask with face features and rusted texture, evoking a slightly cursed eerie feeling.

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    NapQueen
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    I'm Bipolar and the thought that this could have been me in the 17th century - hurts my heart :(

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    #11

    People Used To Believe That Cavities Were Caused By Demons Boring Holes In Teeth.⁠

    Carved antique teeth figurines with creepy human and snake figures inside, showcasing old-school eerie art style.

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    Greymom
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Some dental problems definitely FEEL that way!

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    #12

    Photo Of Two Women With Super Long Hair

    Two women with unusually long hair stand on a porch in a creepy old-school photo that feels slightly cursed.

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    ƒιѕн
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Two sisters from 1895, New York . Formal portraits like this were often carefully composed, with subjects sitting or standing in a dignified manner. Their expressions are likely a mix of solemnity and formality, as smiling in photographs was not common in that era.

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    #13

    W.c. Fields As Humpty Dumpty In Alice In Wonderland (1933)

    Creepy old-school photo of a person in a surreal egg costume with human facial features and limbs posing on a white block.

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    Toujin C'Thlu
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Good old-fashioned nightmare fuel

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    #14

    22 Yr-Old Charlie Johns Reading The Bible To His 9 Yr-Old Bride, Eunice Winstead. They Married In 1937 And Went On To Have 9 Children Together

    Vintage black and white photo of a man reading a book to a young girl, evoking creepy old-school vibes.

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    ƒιѕн
    Community Member
    9 months ago (edited)

    Sneedville Tennessee. They were neighbors. In response to this marriage the state of Tennessee introduced a law setting the minimum age of marriage at sixteen years. They remained married until his death in 1997, she died in 2006.

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    #15

    The Moon From The French 1902 Movie A Trip To The Moon

    Black and white old-school photo of the moon with a human face and a rocket stuck in its eye, creepy and eerie.

    nostalgic_hug1 Report

    RamiRudolph
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    How is this scary. All of George Melies' movies are brilliant

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    #16

    The Infamous Ted Bundy Playing With His Ex-Girlfriend's Daughter

    Man with a startled expression lying on a couch while a girl nearby appears to laugh in a creepy old-school photo.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago (edited)

    I went to the University of Utah for 2 years while Ted was there also (me in psychology, him in law). He lived several blocks from where my mother worked. Yes, I looked like every girl he picked up and mu‍r‍d‍er‍e‍d, but we all did back then. I even spent a lot of time in the areas where he targeted women. I think it was only because I was plain enough that I never became a target, but a woman in one of my social clubs was.

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    #17

    I Don’t Like Clowns Anymore

    Creepy old-school photo of a child with a clown wearing red wig and yellow gloves in a dimly lit setting.

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    Toujin C'Thlu
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    This looks like a hostage situation

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    #18

    My Mom And I On Halloween In 1989. Note The Fact That She Has A Cigarette And Is Also Pregnant With My Brother

    Person in a creepy old-school orange mask holding hands with a child wearing a strange bird costume indoors.

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    Stephanie A Mutti
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    That is the saddest looking big bird.

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    #19

    James Dean Posing Inside A Coffin For A Photo Just 7 Months Before His Demise In A Car Crash In September 1955

    Black and white creepy old-school photos showing a man lying in a coffin-like cushioned bed with a quilted blanket.

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    Chelle Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Never tease the Reaper.. he just might come for you early.

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    #20

    Carved Ivory Sculpture Of Tenjiku Tokubei: Master Of Frog Magic, Japanese, C. 1800-1850

    Carved figurine resembling a creepy old-school photo subject with a slightly cursed and eerie appearance.

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    Toujin C'Thlu
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Looks like Danny DeVito

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    #21

    Behind-The-Scenes Of Teletubbies' In The Late-90s

    Man hugging a creepy old-school character costume outdoors, with a slightly cursed vibe in a vintage photo setting.

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    Greymom
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    This is a little creepy but the red one (can’t remember their names) down in the background makes it look like a Teletubby frat party! Pair in front with the usual drunk “ I love you man” and a friend passed out cold in the background. 🤣🤣🤣

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    #22

    An Early Version Of Ronald Mcdonald Photographed Alongside A Crying Baby

    Black and white creepy old-school photo of a clown holding a crying toddler, creating a slightly cursed vintage scene.

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    Toujin C'Thlu
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    He's about to toss her as a distraction so he can get away

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    #23

    Creepy Vintage Halloween Costume

    Creepy old-school photo of a person in a white gown wearing a disturbing mask, evoking a cursed vintage vibe.

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    Mike F
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    That would be creepy even without the bottle.

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    #24

    The Other Kids Were Scared Of Him And He Cried When He Looked In The Mirror

    Creepy old-school photo of a child in a dark costume with distorted proportions, evoking a slightly cursed feeling.

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    Chelle Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    This is s costume made of beans. It is creepy but just a Halloween costume according to what I found. 🤪 😜

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    #25

    Carved Ivory Sculpture Of A European Archer, Japanese, C. 1700-1800

    Carved old-school figurine with a creepy expression and detailed patterns, evoking a slightly cursed vibe.

    chubachus Report

    Mike F
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Intricate.

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    #26

    John D. Rockefeller, America's First Billionaire

    Eerie old-school photo of an elderly man with deep wrinkles and a faint smile, evoking a slightly cursed feeling.

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    Barbara Wilcock
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Before botox

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    #27

    1953 Halloween Goblins

    Three children in creepy old-school masks stare at a glowing jack-o'-lantern, evoking a slightly cursed vintage photo vibe.

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    Chelle Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago

    Scary movies today have got nothing on true past events. Imagine if cell phones existed during the midevil times. Those videos would be beyond frightening.

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