Black and white wartime photos transformed into ghostly fantasies

Zahra Jamshed
Zahra Jamshed, CNN
1 minute read
Updated 7:37 AM EST, Fri November 11, 2016
Jane Long has adapted these black and white wartime portraits in an almost unimaginable way. Here, she speaks about her creative process. <br />"The 'Dancing with Costică' series initially came about when I decided to brush up on my retouching skills. First, the original image is restored. Then, I'd spend quite some time recoloring them, before putting them in a different context."<br />
"All Hands on Deck" —
Jane Long has adapted these black and white wartime portraits in an almost unimaginable way. Here, she speaks about her creative process.
"The 'Dancing with Costică' series initially came about when I decided to brush up on my retouching skills. First, the original image is restored. Then, I'd spend quite some time recoloring them, before putting them in a different context."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"Depending on how many elements there are and the quality of the original image it takes me anywhere between 10 and 40 hours to complete each piece."
"Flock" —
"Depending on how many elements there are and the quality of the original image it takes me anywhere between 10 and 40 hours to complete each piece."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"I try to use props and background pieces to make the subjects interact more with their environment. This creates a more cohesive composition and keep things somewhat ambiguous."
"Beacon" —
"I try to use props and background pieces to make the subjects interact more with their environment. This creates a more cohesive composition and keep things somewhat ambiguous."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"If the people in these portraits saw my work, I hope they would be okay with it. One of the things I try to do is to remove them from the fashion and requirement of long exposures at the time (which was) to be very serious and sombre. These people laughed and loved the same as we do, and I'd like to think that this is something they would welcome."
"Sweetheart" —
"If the people in these portraits saw my work, I hope they would be okay with it. One of the things I try to do is to remove them from the fashion and requirement of long exposures at the time (which was) to be very serious and sombre. These people laughed and loved the same as we do, and I'd like to think that this is something they would welcome."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"The inspiration behind bringing new color to these timeless photographs was a bit of an accident really. I was looking for images I could practice retouching and recoloring when I came across Costică's archive. The first image was of a multiracial couple and I so wanted them to be happy that I had to put them in a different context."
"Tall Poppies" —
"The inspiration behind bringing new color to these timeless photographs was a bit of an accident really. I was looking for images I could practice retouching and recoloring when I came across Costică's archive. The first image was of a multiracial couple and I so wanted them to be happy that I had to put them in a different context."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"If I could, I would ask Costică what he thinks of my work. I'd also ask whether he understands how unique his body of work is."
"Burn it Down" —
"If I could, I would ask Costică what he thinks of my work. I'd also ask whether he understands how unique his body of work is."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"When it comes to determining what elements of color and design to bring to the images, it depends on several things. Sometimes I'm inspired by the original image and sometimes I have a concept that I want to execute and go looking for relevant images."
"Corvo" —
"When it comes to determining what elements of color and design to bring to the images, it depends on several things. Sometimes I'm inspired by the original image and sometimes I have a concept that I want to execute and go looking for relevant images."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"The colors have to make sense for the period or it just doesn't work. You can't put someone in a florescent color and expect it to look real so I tend to stick to a more subdued palette for the recoloring of the originals."
"Farewell" —
"The colors have to make sense for the period or it just doesn't work. You can't put someone in a florescent color and expect it to look real so I tend to stick to a more subdued palette for the recoloring of the originals."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"I do what I do with no disrespect intended to the subjects and if people like it, that's fine but I don't really care anymore if they don't. They're entitled to their opinion but they don't have to look at them if they don't want to."
"Neptune's Bride" —
"I do what I do with no disrespect intended to the subjects and if people like it, that's fine but I don't really care anymore if they don't. They're entitled to their opinion but they don't have to look at them if they don't want to."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"I think 'Innocence' and 'Underneath' are my two favorites but not necessarily because they have a distinct message. They both have a sense of ambiguity which I like. Are they nice children or are they something out of a horror movie?"
"Innocence" —
"I think 'Innocence' and 'Underneath' are my two favorites but not necessarily because they have a distinct message. They both have a sense of ambiguity which I like. Are they nice children or are they something out of a horror movie?"
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"The images have a mixed response: people either love them or hate them. I've been accused of being unethical and disrespectful but I think it's really about your intention. I have no intention of being disrespectful. The ones with animal ears and duck feet particularly polarize people."
"Underneath" —
"The images have a mixed response: people either love them or hate them. I've been accused of being unethical and disrespectful but I think it's really about your intention. I have no intention of being disrespectful. The ones with animal ears and duck feet particularly polarize people."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
"I haven't experimented with Costică's style yet, but I think it's a good idea. Most of the images are shot in his studio so there is a very consistent lighting setup, which is something I need to match carefully for props and backgrounds."
"Musica" —
"I haven't experimented with Costică's style yet, but I think it's a good idea. Most of the images are shot in his studio so there is a very consistent lighting setup, which is something I need to match carefully for props and backgrounds."
Costică Acsinte/Jane Long
Black and white wartime photos transformed into ghostly fantasies
CNN  — 

Australian photographer and artist Jane Long often threads elements of fantasy into her works. But her latest series takes surrealism to a whole new level.

The series, “Dancing with Costica,” reinterprets a collection of black and white images by famed Romanian war photographer, Costică Acsinte, whose photos Long stumbled upon in a Flickr archive.

A man's face appears in a haze of drapery next to Will Thomas, a medium from Wales in the early 20th century. The photo was taken by William Hope, a paranormal investigator who was popular for his spirit photography in England. His photos of supposed ghosts were later proved to be fake -- the result of double- and triple-exposure techniques -- but he continued the practice until his death in 1933.
A man's face appears in a haze of drapery next to Will Thomas, a medium from Wales in the early 20th century. The photo was taken by William Hope, a paranormal investigator who was popular for his spirit photography in England. His photos of supposed ghosts were later proved to be fake -- the result of double- and triple-exposure techniques -- but he continued the practice until his death in 1933.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A cloaked face appears over a man's photograph. The man apparently identified it as an ex-colleague who had died 32 years earlier. Spirit photography was popular in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Many people were desperate to connect with lost loved ones, especially after World War I.
A cloaked face appears over a man's photograph. The man apparently identified it as an ex-colleague who had died 32 years earlier. Spirit photography was popular in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Many people were desperate to connect with lost loved ones, especially after World War I.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A man's face appears like an apparition over a clergyman's photo. These photos came from an album that was unearthed in a secondhand bookstore by a curator of England's National Media Museum.
A man's face appears like an apparition over a clergyman's photo. These photos came from an album that was unearthed in a secondhand bookstore by a curator of England's National Media Museum.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A table is seemingly lifted by a ghostly arm during a seance. Harry Price, from the Society of Psychical Research, reported on Hope's deception in 1922. There was also <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000063000252;view=1up;seq=664" target="_blank" target="_blank">an article</a> in Scientific American magazine that year that called Hope "a common cheat who obtains money under false pretenses."
A table is seemingly lifted by a ghostly arm during a seance. Harry Price, from the Society of Psychical Research, reported on Hope's deception in 1922. There was also an article in Scientific American magazine that year that called Hope "a common cheat who obtains money under false pretenses."
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A woman's face, draped in a transparent cloak, appears over a man and two boys.
A woman's face, draped in a transparent cloak, appears over a man and two boys.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
Two faces -- one of an elderly woman and another much younger -- are seen on this photo of a man and two women.
Two faces -- one of an elderly woman and another much younger -- are seen on this photo of a man and two women.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A "mist" shows two faces -- a man and a girl -- in this group photo.
A "mist" shows two faces -- a man and a girl -- in this group photo.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A young woman's face, draped in a cloak, seems to float above an older couple.
A young woman's face, draped in a cloak, seems to float above an older couple.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A woman's face is seen in a mist above two others.
A woman's face is seen in a mist above two others.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A woman mourns for her husband as she and her son stand over him. A man's face is superimposed over her. The album noted that the family believed in life after death.
A woman mourns for her husband as she and her son stand over him. A man's face is superimposed over her. The album noted that the family believed in life after death.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
The face of a young woman appears over a woman on the right. One of the people in the photograph signed the plate for authentication.
The face of a young woman appears over a woman on the right. One of the people in the photograph signed the plate for authentication.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
A woman's face appears in "misty" drapes around a man. The man identified it as his deceased second wife.
A woman's face appears in "misty" drapes around a man. The man identified it as his deceased second wife.
William Hope/SSPL/Getty Images
The creepy 'spirit photos' of William Hope

Fascinated by the nameless subjects portrayed in his images, Long reimagines the photos by adding her own, colorful touches using software such as Lightroom and Photoshop. Long elaborates on her creative process in the gallery above, where the original and edited images appear side by side.

Check out the gallery above for a closer look at the series.