Spot the difference! Photographer helps women relive cherished childhood memories by recreating old snapshots in vivid detail

International photographer Irina Werning is renowned for her ‘Back to the Future’ photography series, and now she is in Australia, recreating the photographs of three Australian women.

The Argentinian's photographs have garnered attention around the world for her ability to take an old photograph and recreate it the present day with striking detail.

The series is all about reigniting the youth in people and helping them to relive their earliest memories.

‘I like people to be able to have fun and go back to a moment where they are doing something that makes them feel young, it’s really amazing how people are the same even though time has passed and their bodies have changed,’ Werning told Daily Mail Australia.

 Not only does she shoot the photos, but Werning also makes all of the costumes herself and sources all of the props and locations, including those for her Australian project.

‘I started a month ago in Argentina making the clothes,’ Werning said.

‘I go crazy with detail – every detail, every button, everything. I bought the fabrics making sure they were the right texture and able to crease like they do in the picture, and then I make them…and I bought the bicycle for one of the photos on eBay and then made sure I had all the locations set before I arrived.’

The three photographs Werning recreated are of three women – Natalie Bianchi, 38, Alina Murphy, 34 and Susie Owen, 58.

Regardless of the time difference between the photographs, Werning finds all her subjects slip easily back into their former mindset.

‘Once the people I shoot get into the outfit they tend to go back into the moment straight away, usually getting very nostalgic and lots of times laughing at themselves and how they’ve changed,’ Werning said.

‘I’ve had people cry as well, these memories are often very important for people and the picture has a huge story behind it and brings back all these feelings.’

In the shooting of the photo, Werning learns as much as she can about each memory so she can accurately direct the shoot and help the subject find the right expression.

One of the photographs is of 34-year-old Natalie Bianchi, who submitted a photo of her seven-year-old self on Christmas morning.

At the time, Ms Bianchi was faking a big smile, but secretly disappointed that the bike wasn’t the BMX she was hoping for (though later falling in love with it).

‘Natalie’s photograph was a little more complicated because though she was smiling, she was also disappointed, so we had to really go back in time and be in that moment together,’ Werning said.

Ms Bianchi had no trouble getting into the moment however, falling into it the moment she stepped into the outfit.

‘It wasn’t hard at all getting the expression, it was just so real and it felt like that exact morning again, even the house was like home,’ Ms Bianchi told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Even when we were filming the video I was riding up and down the grass with the wind blowing my hair and I felt like I was seven again!

37-year-old Alina Murphy was just five years old in the photo she submitted, posing with her first cat Rainis on the morning of her birthday.

Werning brought the dress back to life with stunning detail, focusing on the intricate lace and ribbons that Mrs Murphy's Great Aunt has spent a great deal of time putting together for her.

'We arrived at the private residence in Sydney and it was exactly like my old home,' Mrs Murphy told Daily Mail Australia.

'Once I saw the photo and had my hair done I started feeling like that little girl again and once I was holding the cat it was like I was back in that time.'

'I have a five-year-old of my own and I feel as though doing this I can really connect with her and get back into that head space again.'

Susie Owen, 58, wanted to recreate a photograph from 49 years ago when she was just nine years old.

The photograph shows a young Mrs Owen, performing on stage in a flowing, ballet-inspired gown.

'That time of my life was really important to me, performing in front of my family and friends depicted what I loved the most as a child,’ Mrs Owen told Daily Mail Australia.

The photo shoot proved to be emotional for Mrs Owen, taking her back to that moment with surprising accuracy.

'It was quite an emotional journey,' Mrs Owen said, 'it took me back to when I was nine and started to prick all of these memories that I had forgotten like little things on the day started coming back to me and I still remembered some of the dance steps!'

'It brought back a lot of memories of my grandmother as well who I was very close too, she lived with us and sewed for me and was there watching me at every concert...the whole process just reminded me of her for some reason.'

'I felt like nine year old again and yet when I looked in the mirror I realised it was a different person...it's a difficult thing looking at yourself now and then and realising wow, it's been 49 years.'

Werning is collaborating with Nivea during her visit, with her work embodying the youthful, positive energy that Nivea strives to achieve through their anti-age range CELLular.