Fading Memories – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Color”
This recipe is a failure. More accurately, it’s a failed attempt at a certain aesthetic. It doesn’t look like what I was hoping it would look like. It’s close, but no cigar. What it does look like are faded color photographs from perhaps the 1950’s through 1970’s. I have some old issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the 1950’s, and these pictures have a similar look to what’s found in those magazines. You might have some old family photos that have faded over time and perhaps look like the pictures that this recipe creates. You can also achieve this washed-out “milky” look through darkroom techniques. Even though this recipe doesn’t look like what I was trying to create, it looks really amazing, and I am astonished that this look can be achieved in-camera.
What I was trying to create was a certain cinematic characteristic. I was asked by a Fuji X Weekly reader to create a film simulation recipe that produces a look similar to the aesthetic of the Wong Kar Wai movie Chungking Express. I had never seen this movie, so I had to do much research, and thankfully a lot of great information was easily found online. I discovered that the motion picture film used in the movie was Agfa XT320, and that it was often (but not always) push-processed, sometimes one stop and sometimes two. A technique called flashing was used a number of times in the movie, which involves flashing the film with light to give it a smoky, atmospheric, or faded feel, lowering contrast. It’s a type of double exposure, except that the second exposure is nothing more than a little light. Another technique that was used in the movie was to give different scenes a certain color cast using gels. Wong Kar Wai likes to create scenes with one predominant color, and so you will find elements in the scene that are the same color as the color cast. He used a slow shutter speed in the movie to blur motion. There were a ton of different techniques used, and so you can probably understand the difficulty of the task. You cannot incorporate everything into one recipe, so I had to make some choices and create a plan to try to achieve something that looks similar to the movie.
My idea was to attempt a recipe that resembled push-processed Agfa XT320 that has been flashed and has a color cast. I decided to use the double-exposure feature on my Fujifilm X-T30 and white balance shift to achieve this. For the second exposure, which needed to be white, I tried a number of things, including a miniature portable studio, but after some trial-and-error, I settled on a plain white 4″ x 6″ index card. I would hold it a few inches in front of the lens and make the second exposure. Auto-focus would never lock onto it, and I figured that a blurry exposure might actually be preferable. For the color cast, I found that one exposure should not have a shifted white balance and the other should. Initially I was adding the color cast to the main exposure and not the white exposure, but then I switched that and liked the results better for some reason. I used the 16:9 aspect ratio to make it a more cinematic shape. Unfortunately, I could never get the results to look quite right for Chungking Express. I think I was in the general ballpark, but not as close as I was hoping. Fortunately, what I did create was pretty interesting, so I kept shooting with it, except I used the 3:2 aspect ratio.
Main Motion – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Color”
To use this recipe, you must set the camera to double-exposure, which on the X-T30 is found on a knob on the top. You capture the main exposure, then you must make some adjustments for the second exposure. The white balance must be shifted and the exposure compensation must be adjusted. For the white balance shift, I found going almost to the extremes works well. For a yellow cast, choose 0 Red & -8 Blue. For an orange cast, choose +8 Red & -8 Blue. For a red cast, choose +8 Red and 0 Blue. For a purple cast, choose +8 Red & +8 Blue. For a blue cast, choose 0 Red and +8 Blue. For a cyan cast, choose -8 Red and +8 Blue. For a green cast, choose -8 Red & 0 Blue. For green-yellow cast, choose -8 Red & -8 Blue. The exposure compensation for the white exposure is a little tricky. A lot depends on how bright the white is (whether it has direct light on it or if it is in shade) and how faded you want the image to look. It takes a little practice, but the good news is that the camera shows you exactly what the results are going to be, and even allows you do-overs if you don’t like it. I found that sometimes 0 was good, I found that sometimes -2 was good, and often -2/3 or -1 was a good choice. Each picture should get individual consideration. The second exposure is a picture of something white, such as the blank index card that I already described, although you could certainly try other things if you find something that might work better for you. This creates a faded look that almost seems unbelievable that it came out of the camera unedited.
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR100
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Color: +4
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Sharpening: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto (use a shift on the second exposure)
ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (main exposure), 0 to -2 (second exposure)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using my Faded Color recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30:
Good Life – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Or Another – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Summer Santa – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Makeup – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Walking Without Wondering – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Bike Repair – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Transit Train Transportation – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Kid Bowling – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Instax Girl – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Guitar Cat – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Cracked Eggs – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Good Vibes – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Steps & Vines – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lake Grass – Willard Bay SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Faded Daisies – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Soft Rose – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Summer Roses – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Red Rose Faded – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Dark Rose – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Big Red Ball Catching – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tona – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Hanging Bulbs – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wet Bloom – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Caboose Steps – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Breakboy – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lake Boy – East Canyon SP, UP – Fujifilm X-T30
Springtime Lake – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
East Canyon Reservoir – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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this is just AWESOME!!!
I know you don’t process your raw pictures, but I do! and this is like adding color cast to the highlights and shadows like SLIP TONNING on Lightroom or Capture One (which I use)
so this is just a great tool to get some cold moody looks on camera right away… to fine-tune even more the WB colors shift
I’m glad you appreciate it. It was a happy accidental discovery that almost feels like a “game-changer” type thing. I feel like there is a lot more experimentation and discovery regarding this, with a lot of potential for interesting effects.
Thank you so much for putting all the effort into the film simulation recipes I’ve been looking for something like this for two years thank you I appreciate it. Rick
You are very welcome!
I love your film simulation recipes. I have some saved to my X-H1 (Agfa Optimum, Vintage Agfacolor, Kodak Portra, Vintage Kodachrome, Cinestill 800T, HP5 Plus, and Eterna) Although they look good with your settings I find myself tweeking Eterna and Cinestill to get them to look a tad bit more like the real deal 😉 Double exposures with a white background and shifting the WB….now that is some genius pioneer discovery. I love it!
The great thing about these recipes is that they can be “seasoned to taste” and I’d love to hear what adjustments you made. I’m glad that you found some recipes useful to you. I kind of feel that this particular recipe is something “special” that will be extensively used by some people. Thank you for the feedback!
Is it possible to take a look at your Eterna settings?
https://fujixweekly.com/2019/04/12/my-fujifilm-x-t30-eterna-film-simulation-recipe/
https://fujixweekly.com/2019/06/06/my-fujifilm-x-t30-expired-eterna-film-simulation-recipe/
Interesting results! And fab shots as always.
Thank you!
You are the best man! this opens a new world! I didn’t know xpro1 had double exposure.. now I use it very often! thanks
I appreciate your kind words. It’s a lot more useful feature than I ever imagined.
This is awesome! Can I use this on my XT20?
Yes! The only thing that you don’t have is Color Chrome Effect, but the results will be nearly identical.
Hi Ritchie,
Thank you for Reigniting my love for Photography,I used to have a Nikon d7000 for almost 7 yrs and i don’t know why that camera just ruined my love for photography,something about the images were just so off and made me feel that i was a terrible photographer and i lost interest altogether.
6 months ago i came across some Youtube Videos and i discovered Fuji (was totally unaware that Fuji existed anymore) on a leap but not wanting to spend much as i have had my heart broken before, i brought a cheap XE-1 for $136 and a 23 mm f2 for $200. i wasn’t impressed with it initially but took it for a small family vacation and my God!! it just blew me away, i fell in love with pro Neg hi.(i think its quite an Underrated Simulation)
Shooting Jpeg is such a relief and with stunning results nevertheless.(I don’t think i could do it with any other camera)
And then by sheer co-incidence i found your link in Reddit and i got to say, ‘You are doing Gods work my good Sir.’
I’m sure i has been said enough before but thank you for making this blog and sharing your secrets to fellow enthusiasts.
You Sir are a wonderful Human being.
Keep Shooting,keep Posting.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing this with me! Your words are much appreciated! I’m grateful for your encouragement. I’m just very glad to help. Take care!
Thank you so much, I love this series a lot! Could you remember the color shift of these pictures, at least the No.1 “Good Life”? It’s too hard for me to recognize the right color shift of them…
I don’t remember for sure, but I think it was green-yellow (-8R & -8B). I could be wrong, but that’s what I believe I used on that picture.
This looks great! Trying to get it to work on my X-Pro 3 at the moment. I don’t really get my head around the multiple exposures though. This might be a stupid question, but how are you supposed to take one main exposure and then an identical image afterwards with modified exposure? That’s seems impossible, especially if there are objects moving in the frame. Could please explain, I must have missed something here..
Thanks in advance!
/Anders
Could you*
Not for this one I don’t think, you just need to take a picture of a card of some sort
You mean like a white surface that is overlaying the main exposure?
The white or grey second exposure is what gives it a faded look.
The second exposure should be of something white or grey, like a piece of cardstock or paper. I like to purposefully make it out of focus.
Thanks for shedding some light on this, Ritchie!
You are welcome!
First of all, thank you very much for sharing, I am a Fujifilm Xt3 user from China, I have learned a lot from your sharing, I hope your sharing can appear in China’s sharing website, such as China’s b site, there will be more enthusiasts to support you!
Thanks so much! I appreciate it! I’m not sure what China’s B Site is, but I’d love to reach more people.
Hola, me podría decir cuál es el cambio de color en el transporte en tren?
No recuerdo de pasada. Mi pensamiento inicial fue verde-amarillo (-8R -8B), pero cuando lo miré más detenidamente, creo que podría haber sido azul (0R +8B) o cian (-8R +8B). Tomé estas fotos hace tres años y ya no las recuerdo. Lo siento.
I am actually attempting a version of this for X-Trans III, specifically the x100f as that is my only Fujifilm body (I shoot Sony for my more serious work). I already use a workflow of importing my JPEGs into my phone, quickly uploading them to Lightroom mobile while applying a preset that gives a slight green shadow cast, very light Vignette, slight clarity lowering, and slightly raised blacks. I also found that reducing color luminosities can get a similar effect to Color Chrome Effects. Though not as effective since it’s applying to a jpeg, it passes. Basically, I do everything you do here, just without the Chrome Effect setting, and then apply the rest of the final touches in LR mobile that the x100f lacks in and it comes out very nicely. I never would’ve thought of using a double exposure for fading. Incredible.
Using double-exposure to emulate fading was a happy-accident type discovery. 😀