This new Film Simulation Recipe comes courtesy of Gilson Teixeira. “It started with your Bright Kodak Recipe, which I loved for its energy and vibrancy. But I was looking for something softer—still warm and colorful, but a bit more cinematic and relaxed. I imagined a Recipe that could bring out a golden, mellow vibe even on grey days. That’s how Kodak Portra do Sol came to life: my go-to point-and-shoot simulation for capturing a little warmth wherever I am.”
“As a Brazilian living in London,” Gilson told me, “the long, grey winters can be tough—and this past winter hit particularly hard. I wanted to create something that could bring a bit of Brazil’s tropical spirit into my everyday life. The name is a nod to my mother tongue: do sol means ‘of the sun,’ and I liked the play between Portra and porta—as if it were a ‘Door of the Sun.’ At the same time, something shifted creatively. After years away from photography, I picked up the camera again—not just to escape the grey, but to reconnect with something I thought I’d left behind. Photography has now become part of my self-care. During my 45–60 minute daily walks, I focus on light, angles, composition, and Recipes. That attention clears my mind and helps me recharge—especially through winter, it helped me stay grounded. If anyone reading this is struggling, I truly recommend reaching out to Samaritans—they’re there to listen, wherever you are.”
“Surprisingly, it was AI that brought me back to photography,” he continued. “I work in IT and focus on AI at Microsoft. I noticed how naturally my prompts leaned toward light and composition—photography had quietly stayed with me all along. I studied digital imaging back in 1994 at the New England School of Photography in Boston, so that knowledge was still there, waiting to be revived.”
“Bright Kodak is bolder and more punchy,” Gilson replied when asked what differentiates Kodak Portra do Sol from Bright Kodak. “I wanted something calmer. I removed Grain, reduced Color from +4 to +3, and softened Clarity from -3 to -1. I switched to Auto White Balance, with a gentler Shift (+2R, -6B) for a warm, flexible look, and added Color Chrome Effect Strong to deepen tones without over-saturation.”
“I see recipes as creative tools,” he added, “not shortcuts. They help set the mood in-camera, so I can focus on light and storytelling. With Kodak Portra do Sol, I’m not just capturing images, I’m capturing how those moments feel.”
I want to give a special “thank you” to Gilson Teixeira for sharing this Recipe and the story behind it, and for allowing me to publish some of his photographs. Please check out his Instagram, and leave a kind note for him in the comments. Thank you, Gilson!
This Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, as well as the GFX100S. You can use it on newer cameras, too, but blue will render slightly deeper (try it anyway).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR400
Grain Effect: Off
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -6 Blue
Highlight: -2
Shadow: -2
Color: +3
Sharpness: -2
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -1
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Gilson Teixeira using this Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30 II:
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T4 and X-E4:
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Can’t wait to try this out for summer! 🌞
It will be a great one for summer 😀
Congratulations Gilson for this nice recipe and sharing it to Ritchie and thus to us.
I’ll be glad to try it out 👍 As here in Belgium we are sharing the same grey & wet winters than in England ☔😉
Also working too in IT, I relate to Gilson’s story especially on the photowalks I’m doing to clear my mind too.
Likewise, recipes are part of my core creative and essential photographic tools. They are absolutely not shortcuts on the contrary!
Happy shooting with this recipe, and many other. Enjoy 🖖
I appreciate your kind comment. Happy shooting to you, too!
Summer’s almost here, need to try. Thanks!
I think this one will be especially great for summer. Thanks for the comment!
It looks wonderful! For my xs20, it is better to put the FX Blue in weak?
No, just use it as it is, knowing that blues will render ever so slightly deeper (should be no big deal, though… nobody’s going to notice; my son used this Recipe on his X-S20 and it looked good).
Thanks! And your son owns an XS20… clever kid, hehe.
He got it for Christmas. Found an excellent deal, nearly half off the cost of a new one, and it was basically brand-new. He really likes it …but I find it a bit frustrating when I try to help him, since it is different than most Fujifilm cameras. There’s been a learning curve for me, and it’s not even mine 🤣
I think this recipe looks absolutely phenominal when there’s not too much greenery.
I appreciate the feedback!
I would agree to this: the problem with most Kodak like recipes is, they are are way too green looking.
I finally tried this recipe last weekend at Seville’s fair. The daylight pictures were taken with Portra do Sol (I only did a bit of post-editing).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/113666935@N06/albums/72177720326052273/
Wow, those are cool! Looks like the Recipe worked quite well for you. Thanks for sharing!
Hey. Will this work for x trans III? Ofc without colour chrome..
Yeah, basically. Obviously, Color Chrome Effect will have an effect, but I would still try it.
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Since I have the older version of the XT30, I can’t do anything about the ‘clarity’ function. But besides that, I can still shoot with this effect now. It looks beautiful. Would it be great to add some ‘weak grain’ for a more vintage look, or is there something else that I can change, now that I can’t do anything about the ‘clarity’? 🙂
Thank you!
I like Grain, personally. Feel free to set it to Weak. 😀
Bright Kodak is one of my favorites. Going to give this one a spin to. Those Photos look so vibrant. Thank you.
Awesome! So glad that you like it.
Hey, I really like this on sunny days at the beach. How would you recommend modifying this for the x-trans V sensor (X-T5)?
There’s not really anything that can be done to modify it. The X-T5 will render blue slightly deeper, and that will be the main difference. Try it, and see if you like it.