After yesterday’s post about a potential “Film Era Dial” coming to a future Fujifilm camera (probably the next X-Pro), I thought I’d showcase some Film Simulation Recipes that produce a look from a specific era: the 1970’s. I might make similar articles for other decades, probably the 1980’s and 1990’s. Today, though, we’re heading back in time to bellbottoms, tie-dye, and disco—a time when color photography was gaining popularity, largely thanks to New American Color photographers like Eggleston, Shore, Meyerowitz, Sternfeld, Misrach, Haas and others.
Most likely, a 1970’s aesthetic on a “Film Era Dial” will be based on the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, which is specifically intended to look like prints from the 1970’s. But, there were a variety of “looks” from that period. Many different Recipes can emulate a ’70’s aesthetic, and not just those that use Nostalgic Neg.. For this article, I’ve handpicked 10 Recipes, which you’ll find below, that produce pictures with similarities to images from that era.
There are three distinct eras of Kodachrome, the most iconic film of all time. This Recipe is a facsimile of the second era, which was from 1961 to 1974. In other words, this could also be a 1960’s era aesthetic. The third era, which my Kodachrome 64 Recipe mimics, also could be a 1970’s look, although it’s just as much a 1980’s and 1990’s aesthetic. The Kodachrome II Recipe is more of an early-to-mid ’70’s look. The specific version above is for X-Trans III models; for X-Trans IV click here, and for X-Trans II click here.
While not specifically intended as a 1970’s aesthetic, the Vintage Kodacolor Recipe does produce photos that have a similarity to some prints from that era. The Kodacolor II 126 is another to consider for a similar aesthetic.
Old Kodak is another Recipe that’s not necessarily intended to specifically produce a 1970’s aesthetic, but it’s easy to see that it does. It’s also the most “Nostalgic Neg.”-like of the Recipes in this list that don’t use that film simulation.
This Recipe produces an Ektachrome aesthetic that’s reminiscent of magazine photos from the ’60’s and ’70’s. It’s more of a pre-E6 look, maybe more like E3 or E4, which (like Kodachrome II) makes it an early-to-mid ’70’s aesthetic.
GAF 500 (also sold as Anscochrome 500) was an ultra-high ISO (for the time) slide film introduced in 1967 and discontinued in 1977. While it was never as popular as Kodak films (not even close), it’s still one emulsion that the 1970’s were captured on.
None of the prior five Film Simulation Recipes use Nostalgic Neg., while Nostalgic Americana and the four below all do. This Recipe was modeled after photographs found in vintage Arizona Highways issues from the ’60’s and ’70’s.
This Recipe is a late-1970’s and early-1980’s color negative film aesthetic.
The 1976 Kodak Recipe was modeled after some of Joel Meyerowitz photographs from the mid-1970’s, especially his pictures from 1976 specifically.
This Recipe is a facsimile of New American Color style photographs, and produces a warm summertime vibe.
1971 Kodak is a Fuji X Weekly App Patron Early-Access Recipe, which means that only App Patrons have access to it at the moment (eventually it will be available to everyone). It’s modeled after some old family prints of my dad from 1971 and 1972, likely shot on Kodacolor-X film.
See Also: 10 Fujifilm Recipes for a 1980’s Aesthetic
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If any collection of pictures shows how SOOC JPEG is a fully valid method of photography it is these beautiful shots. This theme of a collection using the look of films from a certain era or decade is very inspirational. Somehow for me this approach unlocks the mood of film looks in a more ‘accessible’ way by showing the style of a decade rather than as before showing lots of different looks that are possible with a particular sensor generation. The photos also look captivating to me as I don’t live in the US so the past decades theme adds extra to the magic and imagining of far-away unvisited places to me from certain times.
I appreciate your kind and thoughtful feedback. Thanks so much!
Greets,
Obviously, can’t include them all. Focus on the ‘best’ transparency stock of the period.
Kodachrome (25) as required by the National Geographic plus the contemporary Ektachrome.
Agfa also had nice colour stock. Early Fuji offerings were v poor.
Most of the rest was cheap, ‘orrible, definitely best forgotten.
People actually shot HP3 and FP3 plus the Kodak and Agfa equivalents. Think ‘Blowup’.
B&W, a mature technology, readily produced beautiful display size prints.
Fine or coarse, graduated or contrasty, cuttingly sharp or more bucolic.
Add to this, tinted / sepia prints onto a whole variety of papers.
Colour was expensive, frequently tricky and rubbish at 3ft x 5ft. Your Weston Meter was your best friend (still is).
Most of our colour work had to be sheet film 5 x 4.
Best Rgds
Malcolm Hayward.
Yeah, I probably should have included a B&W Recipe or two, too. Also, interestingly enough, Sepia did have a resurgence of sorts during
the 1970’s—a lot of people forget that. Thanks for the feedback!