While on a road trip to Oregon, I was inspired to create a new Film Simulation Recipe. I wanted it to have nostalgic colors, reminiscent of photographs from my childhood. I didn’t have access to these pictures to examine, so I relied on my memory to create an aesthetic that looked “right” to me. This is what Fujifilm refers to as “memory color”—it seems correct when you see it, but perhaps wouldn’t hold up to a side-by-side comparison because our memories don’t always remember things accurately or precisely. This recipe reminds me of the look of those old photographs as I remember them, but is likely technically inaccurate in reality.

I used Classic Negative as the base. The pictures in my mind were likely captured on both Kodak and Fujifilm emulsions, and some were likely printed on Kodak paper and some on Fujifilm paper. All of that (and much more) affects the look, so no one recipe could possibly mimic all of that, and perhaps this even skews my “memory color” of the pictures. I tried not to overthink it, and go more on feeling and instinct than intellect. I really like how this recipe turned out. I know some of you will appreciate it, and “Nostalgia Color” will become an instant favorite.

Because this “Nostalgia Color” Film Simulation Recipe uses the Classic Negative film simulation, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Clarity, this is only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have a newer GFX camera you can likely use this recipe, too, although I have not personally tried, and it will likely render the pictures slightly differently.

Classic Negative
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +3
Color: -2
Noise Reduction: -4
Sharpening: -2
Clarity: -4
Grain Effect: Strong, Large
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak
White Balance: 6700K, -4 Red & -1 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Nostalgia Color” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujifilm X100V:

Find this film simulation recipes and over 200 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!