This essay gives technical details on two photographic experiments, Positiveland (2009) and Negativeland (2009), intended to indicate physical constraints of photographic aesthetics, in terms of material, style and today's condition. Namely, what is commonly seen as the aesthetics of the vintage photograph may be a non-original, romanticised condition of the very photograph splitting apart. With different techniques, in recording and digital post-processing elementary slices of images can be analysed and compared, thus allowing entering deeply into the author's signature and original choices. This solution may be important in conservation and preservation of historic image, but as well in interpretation of photographs.