Instagram Viral 80s Photo Trend: How to Create It With ChatGPT

The Instagram 80s photo trend is going viral, with users transforming their current photos into realistic-looking pictures inspired by the 1980s. ChatGPT can change the hairstyle, clothes, accessories, background and overall photography style while keeping the person recognisable.

How to Create the 80s Photo

Open ChatGPT on your phone or computer. Upload a clear photo in which your face is clearly visible. A well-lit photo generally works better. Paste the prompt below along with your photo. Wait for ChatGPT to generate the image. You can then ask ChatGPT to change the hairstyle, outfit, background or other details. Save the final image and share it on Instagram.

Viral 80s Photo Prompt

You can copy and paste this prompt:

“Create a realistic 1980s-style photograph using my uploaded photo. Keep my face, facial features, skin tone, identity, age and expression recognisable and unchanged. Transform only my hairstyle, clothing, accessories and surroundings to match the 1980s. Give me an authentic 1980s hairstyle and period-appropriate outfit with stylish vintage accessories. Use warm analogue colours, soft 35mm film grain, subtle film texture, direct camera flash and slightly faded colours. Make the image look like a genuine photograph taken in the 1980s, not a modern photo with a filter. Keep the result natural, realistic and high quality.”

The key is to clearly tell ChatGPT to preserve the person's identity while changing the styling and photographic look. This helps make the result look more like a genuine retro photograph.

Make Your 80s Photo More Interesting

After the first image is generated, you can give additional instructions such as:

“Put me in an 1980s Bollywood-style setting.” “Change the background to an 1980s disco.” “Give me a classic 1980s Indian hairstyle and outfit.” “Place me inside a vintage 1980s arcade.” “Make it look like an old family-album photograph.” “Add an authentic 1980s camera and film effect.”

The trend also allows users to experiment with different settings such as discos, arcades, gyms, beaches and birthday parties.

How to Share It on Instagram

Once the image is ready, save it to your phone and upload it to Instagram Stories. Users participating in the trend have also been using Instagram's “Add Yours” sticker with prompts such as “Chat, how would I look in the 80s?” to invite others to join.