When sepia photography first came about, photographers had limited access to different developers and chemicals, so they used specific toners like selenium, copper, and gold chloride to produce their photos. When these toners were applied to the photo, it resulted in the now iconic sepia tone. Once sulfuric ink was added, it created a unique reaction that helped the photos develop more quickly and remain stable so that they could be framed and enjoyed in someone’s home without deteriorating. Around the year 1930, new products and technologies for photography were created, and sepia photos and their rich and ruddy hues started to fade away.
However, many people still love the warmth that sepia photos create, so some modern photographers sometimes recreate the classic look. There are also software programs that include a sepia filter to transform traditional full-color pictures into sepia photos.