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fip60 – :
Today I bought it.it’s really nice classic it easily situatend among my favorite old schools.
All I get from first ompression is floral soapy citrus openning which lavender live beside oakmoss and aldehydic vibes that is completely floral ,there is flowers in it though .
Nice love it.
brilia9 – :
I agree with the reviewer CGV that the latest version is very close to the original. I can’t tell the difference except maybe the original was a notch stronger. So just add another spray or two if you have the last forumation with the white lettering on the box. I lucked out and got a 2oz bottle on ebay from a trusted seller for $30 shipped with box. I was worried it might of gone rancid as because of the aldehydes note in this fragrance. Thankfully it smelled amazing just like I remember! It’s one of the best autumn fragrances in my collection along there with JHL, Obsession, Egoiste, Bogart and a number of other fall favorites. If you have a chance to get this by all means go for it! If you love classic masculine fragrances this is a must to add to your collection. If you are more into sweet and unisex scents like 1 million, 212, etc., then this is probably not for you.
BIGGELS – :
This was my mid nineties signature scent. Great fresh scent for cooler weather.
Just bought a bottle off Ebay recently, and I still love this stuff.
I wish they’d show the original Green Digital Letter bottle instead of the redo for it’s picture on here.
veking – :
Its more than a fragrance to me. Its many memories of times gone by and at the same time also very comforting and pleasing. Very long lasting with just a 3-4 sprays which makes it linger around and greet U every know and then. Superb aldehydes, mandarin, lavender and moss. A unique blend & a huge compliment getter. Eternal love!
djuma5 – :
Great classic scent of the 90’s. A beautiful unique composition for a confident personality.
bigaidyn – :
Nice scent but it’s incredibly weak and dissipates in record time.
ERVAND123 – :
One of my all-time favorite scents…I received a small bottle while a teenager in a “sampler pack” of four colognes, and this was by far the best. I use this beast on rare occasions, and it NEVER fails to impress.
slava022 – :
Very special juice to me! I wear it since 1991. The new and old formulations are fairly close to each other, no major damage done to the Coty version. Still very sexy, masculine. Great aldehydes, mandarin, lavender and leather which all is a bit soapy and has a dark yet bright vibe. Very good, strong sillage & projection and brilliant longevity even with the new version. One of the most complimented fragrances in my collection.
bad109 – :
So powerful … strong … great personality, solid … a deep magnetic aurea … Modern … Really intoxicant and make you drunk … Masculine but … eeerrr … for special men . . .
ura65 – :
This review is for the vintage version in the black box with green lettering.
Every ounce of me wants to love Photo, but I just can’t muster it. Yes, it smells like a well crafted fougere, with rich lavender and herbal notes coalescing around sweet tonka and musk. There are hints of feminine florals, rose, jasmine, and certainly a well measured slug of patchouli, and yes, Photo smells good.
There’s just one problem: it also smells very much like the reissued Xeryus. Despite having a few different aromatics in its blend, its fougere accord is identical to Givenchy’s. Unfortunately for Lagerfeld, Givenchy’s treatment is smoother, better blended and balanced, with a more modern-oriental “cool” amber effect that simply smells better. Photo is similar, but too crude in comparison. It also possesses a laundry-like musk in its base, which I’m not keen on.
Les Parfums Mythiques Xeryus is the silver gelatin print of this theme. Lagerfeld’s Photo is the Polaroid.
IonimbKib – :
Oh, Lagerfeld et al finally discontinued this? Photo was what I wore the most while in university so I’m sad to see it go… but then again it was only a matter of time. I had bought the 2012 version and it was so very diluted that the only way to make it last was to spray it on fabric. Lots of it.
Vintage versions can still be had on eBay, but be forewarned that Photo is heavy on aldehyde C-6 (hexanal), a substance that doesn’t hold up very well due to molecular decay (…as most aldehydes are wont to do). So enjoy your stuff while you still can. As for me, I bought three vintage bottles from three different sellers, only one was unspoiled.
Au revoir, Photo! See you at the Osmotheque.
___________________________________
Edit: That was a bit premature. No, it hasn’t been discontinued…yet. (2016-02-23)
Edit: …and while doing my “experiments”, I mistook C-6 for C-12. So sorry about that. 2016-04-29.
Neatzizelap – :
I wore this one in high school, and really enjoyed it then. Fast forward twenty years, and it’s just not the same. I don’t know if it’s a new formulation or my maturing, but, it give me a headache now. A little too much lavender and leather for my taste. Got a sampler and would not invest in the full-size.
sashasasha – :
Hello Friends,
This fragrance is very sexy and unique. I love it very much and i own a bottle brand new one but I can’t use it because it is discontinued.
hug.n.such
max04121984 – :
This is a review of the original Photo (digital font used on bottle).
If you’re after the Lagerfeld scent of baby powered, this is not the fragrance you’re looking for. Photo has a more “manly” presence that starts out a bit soapy then settles into its own comfortably with aldehydes and spices. The citrus notes blend well and sillage is medium.
lovelas tj – :
The discontinued vintage great stuff with the green (or blue after a while) digit font letters on the bottle and package was a great ‘barber’ one; probably one of the freshest, greenest and elegantly clean barber we may experienced in (commercial) perfumery so far (1990). The reformulated juice (the one that appears nowadays on Fragnantica and stores) is quite bad for me and unfortunately has nothing to do with the original vintage scent. It smells extremely heavy and synthetic. If you find the bottle with the green (or blue) digit letters at least try it and feel the difference. Yet another sadly discontinued gem.
imperio – :
Another classic and the best, cheap!
Opens in a sea of lavender and aldehydes that create a clean and liqueur aspect, I feel reconciled tangerine, is well clean.
Body will intensify with fougere aspects, carnation and gathered flowers and i also feel something spicy and bitter.
Base solidified a classic, with moss and patchouli alternating more in focus with some woody nuances together, a fine example of how to make perfume with quality at a low cost.
Rating: 8,5/10
osq107bedyWelty – :
I smelled it today, it smells the the wax in the church. Really, really cheap, old-fashioned and opposite of sexy. After smelling it, even the toilet blocks were a better decision for fragrance. Despite of the low price, do not waste any money on that
Viruss777 – :
The New Version to me, as good as the old one, i have used both and almost cannot distisguish one from the another, Recommended very good choice and affordable price.
ban32 – :
Very strong,very maschuline old school scent i like it.. longevity an sillage are great..
retroman 888 – :
Funny how I can relate to an early review for this fragrance but today I am a happy owner of an original batch of Lagerfeld Photo. The first time I smelled this rare gem was when I was a kid looking through a Playboy magazine! It contained one of those scratch and sniff pages that was advertising this cologne. Being a kid I did not have much knowledge about what I was smelling but I liked it and the nude girls on the magazine just made me think being an adult was gonna be so cool! I was almost right.
Photo for me smells like grassy meadows after a rainy day with some lemon juice to top it off. Some florals and wood is being picked up on the dry down but its nice. It does not have that WOW factor but its unique. If I were a wood elf I would wear this daily to fit my enviorment and attract other female wood elves. Since I am not an elf I would wear this on warm nights for better results on my skin. Is it me or does Photo have a hint of Passion for Men by Elizabeth Taylor?
Now as for the new formula I can not say how that smells since I have never tried it. But if you find the old version give it a shot its still packs a punch. Plus it reminds me of the days when being a kid was fun!
8 out of 10 (1990’s Version)
Dj_kote – :
I owned the original in the 90s and now own the current formulation. To be honest, i can’t tell the diference, i’m sure the formula has changed over the years but smells the same to me. it’s like to watch a movie on 1080i or 1080p!
Dejumsnum – :
This is fantastic.
LAGERFELD PHOTO is one of the best classic/modern balanced scents that I’ve come across. Quality work has gone into this fragrance. A true bridge between the old and new. It has a very unique leathery/aldehyde/freshness, with a touch of cool sweetness… this is the best.
Well done, Lagerfeld… take a bow.
———————————————
SILLAGE: moderate
LONGEVITY: moderate
SCENT: fresh/cool/dark
BOTTLE: pendant-style/minimal
PRICE: goodOVERALL: 9.5/10
———————————————
wbl443speagoessenda – :
OMG! What happened to this one? I first had this in 1995 in a sample vial. That vial lasted about a week. The full bottle lasted almost four years. Yes, it was that potent and I loved it. I recently got the new and obviously reformulated (read: diluted) one and after four sprays, I got close to nothing–well, so much for the sillage part. Longevity on me was about two hours. Don’t buy this present incarnation. It has definitely become more affordable, but the quality has deteriorated proportionately.
Backstory: I bought Photo for around $45 in 1995. I bought Photo for around $20 in 2014. Makes sense?
Bichchaddique – :
Starts with a light lemony lavender. Kinda flat but its coming to life now with the honey joining in and making this one really nice. Now it flattened out again and the cheap green vanilla drydown has been done before.
EDIT: Its a green rose drydown. My mistake.
SEIMON22 – :
Pissy-lemony-aldehydic. Not good. I’m fairly sure what I smelled was the reformulated stuff.
kolibriusiss – :
The vintage is worth while purchasing but the reformulation is a horrible soapy and synthetic mess!
Vintage smells natural, fresh, masculine and has very good projection and longevity. To me it smells like a lighter (in smell) but equally strong Versace L’Homme.
Photo is more formal, flowery and does not have that tad of leather in the base. Not dated at all, just do not buy the one as pictured above!
Rating: 7.5/10
promin – :
Unless my bottle was bad, this was another smells-like-nothing situation. I thought I wasn’t smelling anything at first and then realized it was just really light and dry lavender. It smelled like the cheapest generic dryer sheets I had ever encountered. And this was OK for a while…after using more sprays than usual, it actually imparted a smell to me for a while, but that just degraded into a subtle but annoying “you got crap from the dryer sheets on your hands and it’s going to be there for a while” smell.
lesya14 – :
Top notes (according to some reviews): aldehydes, galbanum, bergamot little citrus;
according to my nose -> ‘mechanic’, and there are little bit ‘aquatic’ .. not smell of plants (leaves, fruit)
middle notes (according to some reviews): honey, coriander, carnation
according to my nose -> a kind of smell ‘electric’,
base notes (according to some reviews): sandalwood, tonka bean, amber, patchouli, musk, benzoin, guaiac wood and cedar.
according to my nose -> have a point.. clear and dominant combination benzoin and cedar .. smells ‘energizing’ .. masculin (but some girl like to wear this..)
Overall: I think this juice wearable day or night, use to impress others, that you’re a man full of energy..
in my skin:
Longevity: 8/10
silage: 6/10
TURNMISMSOURB – :
In my younger days, I had a tendency to squirrel away fragrances I liked. At the time I did it when I had the extra brass in pocket, because I wanted to make sure I didn’t run out. But I don’t apply with a garden hose, and, as a result, I have two of the first-edition big boys sitting in the collection that have sat untouched lo these many years.
About a week ago, right before bed, I figured I’d revisit my youth, and broke one open. And I forgot that golden rule.
“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.”
Squitch. Mmmmm. I’m all tingly. Squitch Squitch. Squitch. So – that’s what “Aldehydes” smell like. Fizzing off me like radioactive ginger ale, the effect was electric buzzy. Off to bed, immersed in liquid electricity.
About two hours later, I was up again. Parfum du Living Dead had crawled up my nostrils and dried out my sinuses to an arid state. One Squitch too many.
No. Definitely two too many.
Old Photo IS liquid electricity; it practically crackles on your skin and blasts off into the air around you like an invisible sun. But Lordy, gentlemen – be forewarned: treat it gently, with the respect due a beast that can kill you in your sleep. One spray will do it – two is pushing the envelope.
Four turns you into Marie Curie huffing radium out of a paper sack.
“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.” Squitch responsibly.
lev963 – :
I found a vintage in the vast forest of e-bay sellers this week. This is my first encounter with Photo, as I had little money(college years) when this was introduced.
It is a fantastic floral fougere that at times reminds me of Van Cleef and Arpels. After the big citrus opening, its dark with some blatant floral notes that continually weave in and out of the vetiver, patcholi and oakmoss. I also pick up Anteus here, without the animalic note. It has a waxy smootheness to it that keeps it moving. The sandalwood is rich and merges well with the musk, coumarin, guaiac wood and cedar. It gets a nod to Rive Gauche PH. All of these are classics.
I find Photo somewhat formal and not really sexy. All of the early Lagerfeld defied the trends of the time and at least to my nose work very well. Photo is no exception. I am currently enjoying it as the cool spring evenings arrive. Its no more dated than say, Fahrenheit or Rive Gauche PH. I am somewhat dated, so this fits me just fine.
After the original Lagerfeld and KL PH, which were really avant gard, Photo is very predicatable. I have experienced this type of fougere countless times before. That is not to say this is a bad thing. It arrived just a little late in the game. The most important thing is that it made my collection. The genre is obsolete for now and this takes its place with all of the other classics.
Oh yes, beware of the Coty version. Its abominable!
hunteraf – :
Another great figure from the early nineties, yet strong fragrance and totally masculine, macho relentlessly with heavy citrus opening, only partly offset by a mandarin, bergamot but decreases, the initial citrus with lavender, and then aldehydes so typical for this type of perfume fragrance draw another path with honey and carnation and rose again and sharp incense, as timeless alliance heavy destroyers, even if only in the form of jasmine flowers, which again can not be expressed sufficiently from carnations and roses, of course, gets crazy psychedelic drawings, which he not otherwise, inherent, so clear contours, but far less severe than in, say, Chanel Antaeus, but that does not take away the power of fragrance when wearing the contrary gives him tranquility and unaggressiveness beautiful fragrance and wonderful time with my then beloved actress Kim Basinger. It used to be really good, and totally unrealistic, but as the old saying put it, if there is no past, then the future will never arrive!
dedbin – :
Do yourself a favor and DO NOT BUY the current re-formulated bottle which is WAY WAY different and weaker than the original. You won’t be doing any justice to the original!!! If you find the original then congrats you have made it to heaven.
Tasa – :
I obtained a decant of what must be the new formulation, because it had harsh lavender and an overall “chemical” feel to it. “Drug store” dreck is what I thought of it. Recently, I saw a vintage bottle at a reasonable price so I decided to buy it, hoping it would be high quality, just like other vintages I’ve acquired over the last few years. Sure enough, the original is very good. The lavender is strong but not set in a fougere accord, and it’s not harsh or “chemical.” After a while it blends into the rest of the scent and it’s very pleasant. In some ways, it’s like Green Irish Tweed for a while except that it’s got an herbal/floral element rather than the violet leaf in GIT. The base is somewhat similar to vintage Xeryus, with a subtle blend that contains gentle amber and wood notes. This is not a strong fragrance but it’s very well made in every way. If you really hate lavender, even if it’s well rendered, then you might not like this one, but as I said there’s no fougere accord. There is also no animalic quality and it’s not sweet. I don’t get much if any oakmoss either.
fyfcnfcbzz – :
My favourite fragrance for many years! But,after the reformulation i did not use this fragrance very often! I don’t understand why fantastic fragrances reformulated,why fragrances such us: Oscar de la renta pour lui,cool water,paco rabbane pour homme etc reformulated,or fragrances like miniature by plasma Picasso discontinued!
kremnev – :
good stuff
gurov.mih – :
very good perfume, I have 21 years and use it, the smell is very nice, has good projection and longevity. I get many compliments when I use it.
Batmentee – :
I just received this bottle from Pefumania.com, and it smell terrible, only the smell of bergamot. I think the fragrance is maybe expired or fake. I tried to contact to Perfumania’s customer services, but they denied to let me return because i opened the box. That’s really weird because how we can try the perfume on our skin without open its box. Anyway, i still have the curious about this fragrance. Hope someday i can find the real one.
Ps: Never ever buy anything from Perfumania.com. You never know what scrap you will received.
natasha-h – :
I love this one. A retro soapy, clean fresh “one-noted” scent. Staying power and sillage good. The drydown is a little powdery but stays soapy. Bought this as a blind buy and really glad I did. I have tried the original but definitely prefer this one. I wouldn’t say it was an oriental though – more like an aromatic. Photo is one of the soapiest of scents. It’s pretty unique and it’s got a lovely sillage – now in my top 10!
homa52 – :
I adore this perfume. reminds me of certain Arabic bakhoor rocks(frankincense) before you burn them. Its strong and lasts long and can be found at great prices. Wont be for everyone, but its my cup of tea. 8.5/10
pepo5565 – :
This is fantastic. I wore 800 ml of this perfume back in the nineties. Contrarily to what other members said, I do not think there is that big a difference between the new reformulation and the original although I keep wearing the original, these days quite rarely. Maybe I will start wearing it gain to throw me back in time. As for the original, sillage is huge, even after hours wearing it. The aldehyds are very strong, but so is jasmine, sandalwood, amber and benzoin. The smell is a bit strange, but with a very strong character. It smells very chemical, which I love, like a weapon. It is very much the smell of adehyds, but it is unique and very special. It is really soapy, fresh and ethereal. Although I do not like Chanel nº5 this is like the male version of that one, and I do like this one. It is the male perfume I know with the biggest sillage,really fantastic. So far I have been speaking about the original version. But I actually think they did a very good job with the reformulation: it is still basically the same scent, but more wearable these days, the aldehyds are not as strong, nor is the benzoine, is smells also less woody, it is softer and sweeter, I actually think more pleasant, although with not so strong a character. I do prefer the original by far though, because it is more powerfull, smells more complex and I find it literally intoxicating. It is an endless source of emotion, and gives me a feeling of being lifted in the air, it does literally lift my mood. It also makes me a bit dizzy and my head warm, like a drug or alcohol. Certain aldehydic perfumes do have that effect on me, which I love, and this is one of them. Rumeur does the same to me.
Avoir – :
And there i was today in the early morning i just bought a big 125 ml bottle.
Since i was a teenager in 1991 i wanted this frag.
But i thought i was too young to wear it…and the price was expensive back in the days.
Then it was gone out of my sight for a whole 2 decades..
Now in 2011 im a owner of this spicy charming longneck.
Im now wearing in cold weather a long-with-big-rabbit-fur-collar-jacket and i sprayed it in the collar also…
I put it on in the car heading for work… it was a great experience! i still love its spicy and tempting notes its charming as always (like K1 said) and very very wearable .. not outdated as many say here its a true unique frag.
Even got a compliment from a youngter today.
I felt comfortable today wearing it and i like it!
Gans max – :
If you’re into masculine, super spicy frags like JHL, Catalyst For Men or Opium Pour Homme, you need to at least try out Photo. This is an aromatic fougere that has the big, hairy-chested spicy qualities of the powerful 70’s fragrances like Azzaro Pour Homme and Calvin, along with the deep mossy smell that a lot of the 80’s “power scents” have. Some consider Photo dated. I consider it classic and unique.
Everyone complains about how Photo was reformulated recently. Maybe the older version was stronger than it is now. So be it. I find the current version of Photo to be excellent, and plenty strong. It’s very long lasting, but it won’t asphyxiate people with its sillage.
This is a superb fragrance. I love Photo because it is so unique, smelling like no other fragrance in my large collection. When I’m in the mood for spicy but discreet, I reach for this.
MY RATING: 8.5/10
losyozhik – :
This fragrance has been reformulated.
The original Photo could be described as lemony Italian elegance adapted to a cooler weather. That Photo felt every bit as expensive as Armani Pour Homme but was wearing a slightly thicker northern suit.
But the new version… is a sharp cheapish flat disaster; at least in my climate zone.
The original Photo bottle has the name “Photo” in old digital wristwatch letters.
wtynhec – :
Notes / scent: 3
Longevity / sillage: 4
Overall / subjective feelings: 2.5
Description: spices and fresh notes – rather strange blend
Short opinion: At first look everything is in its place but at some point I stopped liking the smell.
дашуличка – :
This was a total hit in the early 90ies and to my nose is synonymous with that era. Despite being a well-constructed fragrance, it jsut smells outdated today.
It is just tired and worn out.
Modern equivalent is YSL Homme in my view.
piff333 – :
My then fiance used to wear it circa 1994- I knew next to nothing about fragrances then, but looking at the notes I can clearly see now why it appealed to me so much- tonka bean and patchouli in base. That says it all. For me it is evergreen classic.
paladincshik – :
This one smells as if it it was made to mark the end of an era – it’s so typically old school that it’s surpring it was released as late as 1990.
**
Vasermanus – :
I got this fragrance for $19 Aus ($15 US for 125mL). Personally, I don’t understand the “this scent is outdated” sort of comments. If a fragrance is good it is good. To me this is somewhat reminiscent of Gentleman by Givenchy, but sweeter and a bit flowery. It has a fougere-like start – a bit soapy like Paco Rabanne, but this subsides and the woody notes emerge. When I say it is similar to Gentleman, it is probably the patchouli that makes me connect these two. I am fond of patchouli and it is quite clear in both. It does not last anywhere near as long as Gentleman, but still lasts reasonably well.
kaiser.s – :
Got it recently,a bit old fashioned no doubt but one says “Old is Gold”which very much applies to this fragrance.The sillage seems moderate especially the base note does not seem to be as lasting as it should have been,the head and the heart are pretty good though.
samyrai1986 – :
A 90’s frag that smells of 80’s. A bit sweet and too floral. It’s confusing and outdated. Don’t bother even testing it.
The only reason for naming such a smell photo is the fake and dead image of a person which photos present. Same image KL’s scent is generating.
Do try life with Joop, Lolita Lempicka or Mugler’s Cologne. **(***)
Stan_85 – :
strong of floral and spice.not too sweet
suitable for warm weather make you feel fresh and confidence.
it’s kind of unique ,if you want to be different from the market.
reksat – :
Welcome to the early 90’s!!
I think this must be one of the most outdated scents that is still around.
Loved it 15 years ago, but those times are over. Can’t stand it anymore.
elf_ind – :
Photo was released in 1990 and became a real “hit” at the time. If you like the style of colognes with “a man smell”, rich in spices and woods, this scent will please you, without a doubt.
In my point view, it is a wonderful masculine scent! The mix of aldehydes – increasing the strength and the intensity – in conjunction with the other notes, make this cologne a real instant impact, exactly like a photo, which keeps the moment forever.
The composition of the fragrance brings output notes of bergamot, galbanum, lavender, lemon, Artemisia and Mandarin orange. But don’t be fooled, because it has nothing of citrus. These notes just bring lightness to the strong and rasping aroma of the fragrance. The body of the fragrance is a floral delight composed by jasmine, geranium, rose, honey, cloves and pepper. At the base, the rich woody touch of the guaiac wood, oakmoss, cedar, amber, tonka bean, sandalwood and leather.
The bottle is not that beauty, but there was a need in order to maintain the visual identity of its predecessor (Lagerfeld Classic) and, at least, the black color gives a darker tone, which is equivalent to what the fragrance represents. Excellent cologne of projection and lasting above expectations.