Instagram’s viral ChatGPT photo trend: 5 prompts to turn your photos into 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s retro images

Want to see how you might have looked in another decade? ChatGPT can turn an existing photograph into a retro-style image inspired by the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s or 1990s. Instead of simply adding a vintage filter, users can describe the hairstyles, clothing, surroundings, lighting, colours and photography style associated with a particular period.

The result can range from a classic 1960s portrait to a 1990s Bollywood poster or an Indian family photograph. If you want to try the trend yourself, these 10 prompts can help you recreate different decades while keeping your face and identity recognisable.

10 prompts to recreate different decades

1. 1960s classic portrait

Using my uploaded photo, show me what I would have looked like around 1965. Preserve my identity, facial features, skin tone, age, and recognizable appearance. Reimagine my hair, vintage clothing, accessories, and surroundings with authentic mid-1960s styling - classic hairstyles, elegant silhouettes, modest period clothing, minimal accessories, and refined textures. Make it feel like a genuine 1965 photograph with soft studio lighting, subtle film grain, slightly faded tones, gentle contrast, and the natural softness of vintage analogue photography. Add a period-accurate 1960s red-orange date stamp in the lower corner - no modern objects, technology or text.

2. 1960s Bollywood look

Using my uploaded photo, show me what I would have looked like as a Bollywood star around 1960. Preserve my identity, facial features, skin tone, age and recognizable appearance. Reimagine my hair, vintage clothing, accessories, makeup and surroundings with authentic mid-1960s Bollywood styling - glamorous classic hairstyles, elegant sarees or period-appropriate Indian outfits, statement earrings, refined jewellery, defined eyes and polished vintage makeup. Make it feel like a genuine 1965 Bollywood studio portrait with cinematic soft lighting, subtle film grain, slightly faded tones, gentle contrast, and the natural softness of vintage analogue photography. Add a period-accurate 1960s red-orange date stamp in the lower corner - no modern objects, technology, or text.

3. 1970s Indian family photo

Using my uploaded photo, show me what we would have looked like in an authentic Indian family photograph around 1975. Preserve our identity, facial features, skin tone, age and recognizable appearance. Reimagine our hair, vintage clothing, accessories and surroundings with authentic mid-1970s Indian styling - traditional Indian outfits, period-appropriate hairstyles, simple jewellery, natural makeup, modest silhouettes, and warm, earthy colours. Place us in a realistic 1970s Indian home setting with period-accurate furniture, curtains, decor and everyday household details.

4. 1980s Bollywood star

Using my uploaded photo, show me what I would have looked like as a Bollywood star around 1985. Preserve my identity, facial features, skin tone, age and recognizable appearance. Reimagine my hair, Indian fashion, accessories, makeup and surroundings with authentic mid-1980s Bollywood styling - voluminous hairstyles, glamorous Indian outfits, bold colours, statement jewellery, expressive makeup, dramatic silhouettes and distinctive textures. Create a cinematic Bollywood studio setting with period-appropriate decor, theatrical posing and glamorous styling. Make it feel like a genuine 1985 Bollywood photograph with cinematic lighting, subtle film grain, slightly faded colours, gentle softness and the characteristic look of vintage analogue film photography.

5. 1990s school photo

Using my uploaded photo, show me what I would have looked like as a student in an Indian school around 1995. Preserve my identity, facial features, skin tone, age and recognizable appearance. Reimagine my hair, school uniform, accessories and surroundings with authentic mid-1990s Indian school styling - period-appropriate hairstyle, neatly worn school uniform, simple accessories, natural appearance and understated details. Place me in a realistic 1990s school setting with a simple classroom or school-photo backdrop, period-accurate furniture and an authentic Indian school atmosphere. Make it feel like a genuine 1995 school photograph taken with a point-and-shoot camera, featuring direct flash, subtle film grain, slightly faded and mildly oversaturated colours, gentle softness and the characteristic look of 1990s analogue photography.

The key is to describe more than just the clothes. Adding details about the setting, lighting, colours, camera style and film texture can make the result feel more authentic to the chosen decade.