SOOC was live today! In case you missed it, you can watch it (plus the Pre-Show!) above.
In Season 02 Episode 02, Nathalie and I finished up our discussion of the Kodak Tri-X 400 Film Simulation Recipe, and introduced the next recipe-of-the-month: Kodak Vision3 250D! Be sure to watch it if you weren’t able to catch it when it was live. Also, be sure to share your pictures captured with the Kodak Vision3 250D recipe (click here) to be shown in next month’s broadcast!
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
Don’t have the time to watch the whole thing now? The Viewer’s Images slideshow, which is much shorter, is below. Take a look! I appreciate everyone who submitted pictures, who tuned in, and who participated. Today’s show wouldn’t have been nearly as good without you, so thank you!
109 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Color Analog”
The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly App Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many Early-Access Recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the App, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
For this Film Simulation Recipe I didn’t attempt to model any specific film; instead, I wanted a low-saturation, low-to-mid contrast recipe that would remind me of color negative film. I wanted it to be warm, but not overly warm. After several tries, I landed on some settings that I liked. While I didn’t have any film in mind when I created this recipe, it is vaguely reminiscent of Kodak Portra 160 NC, which was a “neutral color” (low-saturation) version of Portra film that was around from 1998 to 2010, when it was discontinued. It’s not an exact match to that film, but is simply by chance in the neighborhood of it. As Lefty Gomez famously said, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
I think this recipe is a good “everyday” daylight option. If I were to suggest C1-C7 Custom Presets for the X-Pro1, this is one that I would include. I would also consider Color Negative Film, either Kodachrome I or Kodachrome II, Vivid Color, Superia Xtra 400, and Monochrome. I know that’s only six (not seven), but you wouldn’t have to remember to change the White Balance Shift when switching presets because each of these calls for a different White Balance type. I suppose I’ll have to create a recipe to fill that seventh spot (actually, I’m already working on it…), but in the meantime you could pick one other recipe—you’ll just have to remember to switch the shift when changing presets—or leave the seventh spot empty.
This new Patron Early-Access recipe is compatible the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras. Those with X-Trans II and Bayer cameras can also use it, although the results will be just a little different. If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Color Analog” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
Daffodil Garden – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Daylight Pines – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Pear Blossom Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Creek Rocks – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Newly Bloomed – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
White Fruit Tree Blossoms – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Round & Red – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Aperture Artifact Apparition – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sunlight Through Tree Branches – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Suspended Sun – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Reflection Structure – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Diesel – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Ektachrome”
Ektachrome is a line of color transparency film introduced by Kodak in the 1940’s. I did some research, and counted 40 different emulsions over the years that carried the Ektachrome name! Generally speaking, Ektachrome was less warm than Kodachrome (although it depends on which Ektachrome you’re referring to), and also less archival. While Kodachrome was discontinued in 2009, Ektachrome can still be purchased today. I’m not certain which (of the 40) Ektachrome films this recipe most closely resembles. It has more of a general Ektachrome feel rather than being an exact copy of a specific emulsion.
This was a Patron Early-Access recipe, but has been replaced by another, so it is now available to everyone! If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, be sure to look for the recipe that replaced this one. This “Ektachrome” recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 cameras. Unfortunately, even though the X-M1 is X-Trans I, this recipe is not compatible with that camera. I really like how this one looks, and I think some of you will really appreciate it, too!
Two Cans – Weber Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Pro Neg. Std Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +1 (Medium-Hard) Shadow: +2 (Hard) Color: -1 (Medium-Low) Sharpness: +2 (Hard) Noise Reduction: -2 (Low) White Balance: Daylight/Fine, -1 Red & +3 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Ektachrome” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-Pro1:
House Flag – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Dead Wood – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Cattails – Farmington Bay, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Succulent Shelf – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1 – “Ektachrome”
Boy On Couch Watching TV – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Drinking Fountain – Weber Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Two Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Berries in a Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Blackberry Bush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Francis Peak Summer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
SOOC Season 02 kicked off last month, and it’s hard to believe but Episode 02 is right around the corner: this Thursday, April 14, at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern! In this broadcast we’ll conclude discussing the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month, which is Kodak Vision3 250D. Also, as a reminder, if you have some spare time, join us for the Pre-Show, which begins 30 minutes before the broadcast.
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
What kinds of things do we talk about? Well, in this “SoundBite” (as we’re calling it) from the last show (below), we give some ideas of recipes that might work well in artificial light situations. These aren’t the only recipes, obviously, that work well in artificial light, but just some that you can try. If you missed Season 02 Episode 01, be sure to watch it now!
Please make a black-and-white-only camera. I’m writing this because I want one, but—more importantly—it has become quite obvious to me that many Fujifilm photographers want one, too.
How do I know this? A few days ago I published a Creative Collective article entitled Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition, and the response that I’ve received has been overwhelming (in a good way). If Fujifilm made a monochrome model (which I propose is called “Acros Edition”), people would buy it. I have zero doubts about this. I’d buy one. A number of Fuji X Weekly readers would buy one. I’m not suggesting that it would do as well as the X-T3, but it would get a lot of attention. People would talk about it. There is a real interest and demand for a black-and-white-only Fujifilm camera.
I know that it’s not as simple as just removing the X-Trans color array from the filter and—presto!—a B&W-only camera. It’s far, far more complicated than that. Because of this, it’s understood that the camera will cost more than the X-Trans version. I personally think that the X100V or X-Pro3 would be the best base for an “Acros Edition” model, but the X-E4 could also work if you want to reduce the cost of the camera. Even if it was in an X-T3 or X-T30 body, I’d definitely still buy one—just don’t put it into a body with a PASM dial and I’ll be happy.
There needs to be some schtick, too, because people will say, “I’ll just use the Acros film simulation, and it’s basically the same thing, yet I can still get color pictures if I want.” There are advantages to monochrome-only, and while it might seem that making such a camera would be enough on its own, it isn’t—there has to be at least one more trick that makes the camera unique, in my opinion. Something that not only further separates it from other Fujifilm models, but other monochrome-only models. What exactly? I have a few ideas. Perhaps a new film simulation: Neopan (based on Neopan 400 Pro, Neopan 1600 Pro, or Neopan 400CN)—the “Acros Edition” camera would have Acros, Neopan, Monochrome, and Sepia (I suppose) as the four film simulation options. I think it would also be cool if there were push and pull process options for these simulations, where the pictures become more or less contrasty and grainy (much like push and pull processing film), depending on the settings selected. Another idea is to have a removable IR filter like Sigma did with their SD Quattro cameras, allowing photographers to easily use their cameras for full-spectrum B&W photography whenever they want. How about built-in colored filters? Since there would be no +Y, +R, & +G faux filters, it would be interesting to have real color filters built into the camera, sort of like the ND filter on the X100V. Adding some sort of extra uniqueness would give the camera even more buzz and would make it even more desirable.
My only point here is that I know for certain that there is an interest in a black-and-white-only camera made by Fujifilm. So, if there’s anyone at Fujifilm who happens to read this, please pass it up the chain that such a demand exists. People would pay a premium for a monochrome model. I personally would.
Sincerely, Ritchie Roesch Fuji X Weekly
Now it’s your turn! Would you be interested in an “Acros Edition” Fujifilm camera? Which body would you want it in? What special feature should it have? Leave a comment! I don’t know if Fujifilm will ever read it, but they might, so it’s worth a try!
Fujifilm just discounted the X-T3 WW, which is an X-T3 without a battery charger (USB charging only). The X-T3 used to be Fujifilm’s flagship model until the X-T4 was released two years ago, but they still offer it brand-new because it is a best-selling model, even outselling the superior X-T4. The X-T3 WW is one of the absolute best bargains available today, but now (through June 5th, apparently) the X-T3 WW is an even better bargain! If you’ve thought about buying one, it’s a really good time to do so.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
The Fujifilm X-T3 WW body-only is $100 off, now only $999.95! AmazonB&H The Fujifilm X-T3 WW + 18-55mm kit is $200 off, now only $1,299.95! AmazonB&H
A few months back I published an article, Best Fujifilm Cameras Under $1,000, and the X-T3 WW was listed as “Best Value Just Above $1,000,” but now that it’s on sale it would be my best value recommendation for $1,000 or less. The X-T3 also made it to number three on my 10 Most Important Fujifilm X-Trans Cameraslist.
Last Light on Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Fujicolor Pro”
The Fuji X Weekly App is free, yet becoming a Fuji X Weekly App Patron unlocks the best App experience! One benefit of being a Patron is you get early access to some new Film Simulation Recipes. These Early-Access Recipes will eventually become available free to everyone in time, including this new one. In fact, many Early-Access Recipes have already been publicly published on this blog and the App, so now everyone can use them. Patrons help support Fuji X Weekly and, really, without them there would be no App. So I want to give a special “thank you” to all of the Patrons!
This “Fujicolor Pro” recipe is intended to produce a nice analog-like color-negative-film aesthetic with a classic Fujicolor palette. Those with cameras older than the X-Pro3 don’t have access to the Classic Negative film simulation, and there’s no substitute to mimic Classic Negative, so I wanted to create a next-best-thing recipe. While I didn’t attempt to mimic any specific film, I had Fujicolor Pro 160NS in my mind as I made this. There are already recipes for that film (here and here), and this recipe isn’t “better” than those two, but more of an alternative version that you might really like. I also had pulled-process Fujicolor Pro 400H on my mind (there’s also already a recipe for that); again I didn’t necessarily try to mimic that film and process specifically, but had the intention of producing a general Fujicolor Pro “memory color” (similar to what I did with my Nostalgic Color recipe). This “Fujicolor Pro” recipe is a good all-around option that works well in a variety of daylight situations.
Parking Garage – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Fujicolor Pro”
This “Fujicolor Pro” Patron Early-Access Recipe is compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans III and X-T3 & X-T30 cameras. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and I’d suggest Grain size Small.
If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, it’s available to you right now on the App!
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Fujicolor Pro” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-H1:
Stairs Up – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Main St. Market – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Yellow Among Green – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Frary Peak Sage – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Great Salt Lake Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Lake Between the Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Salt Lake From Antelope Island – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Island Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Jetty – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Sunset Over Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-H1
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Inside City Creek – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodacolor VR”
This Film Simulation Recipe was an experiment. I started out with my Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe, but instead of using a cool White Balance with a warm White Balance Shift, I did the opposite: I used a warm White Balance with a cool shift. After many adjustments to various settings, this ended up not resembling the Fujicolor 100 Industrial recipe much at all, but it does have a great vintage print-film aesthetic that I really like.
I wasn’t sure at first which film this recipe most closely resembled (since it wasn’t intended to mimic any specific film), although it seemed to have some similarities to Kodacolor VR. I already have a Kodacolor recipe (plus a variant of it), which does a great job at mimicking Kodacolor VR; this recipe and that one look somewhat similar, but definitely different. Then I ran across some pictures that looked very similar to the ones you see in this article, and it turned out that they were shot on Kodacolor VR film that had expired. So I think this recipe, while it does resemble Kodacolor VR, as well as ColorPlus 200 (which is a direct descendant of that film), it most closely looks like Kodacolor VR that’s been stored a little past its expiration date. Of course, one film can have many different looks, depending on how it was shot, developed, scanned and/or printed, and (in this case) stored, so this recipe serves as a nice alternative to my original Kodacolor recipe.
Leaning Tower – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Kodacolor VR”
This “Kodacolor VR” recipe was originally a Patron Early-Access Recipe, but is now available to everyone! If you are a Fuji X Weekly App Patron, there is a new Early-Access Recipe that replaced this one, so be sure to look for that. This recipe is compatible with Fujifilm X-Trans III and X-T3 and X-T30 cameras. For those with newer X-Trans IV cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0 (or perhaps -2), and I’d suggest Grain size Large, but use Small if you prefer.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +1 Color: +2 Sharpness: -1 Noise Reduction: -4 Grain: Weak Color Chrome Effect: Off White Balance: 10000K, -7 Red & +8 Blue ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this “Kodacolor VR” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Summer Reeds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Corner Through Leaves – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stones & Glass Ceiling – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Building a Building – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Small Spaces Between – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Twilight Telephone Poles – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stoneground – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Goes for Gold – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Night Parking – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Doki Doki – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Escalators – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Coming Train – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Trax – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Waiting on the Platform – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Glass & Sky – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tall Downtown Buildings – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
SOOC Season 02 kicked off last month, and it’s hard to believe but Episode 02 is right around the corner: this Thursday, April 14, at 10 AM Pacific Time, 1 PM Eastern! In this broadcast we’ll conclude discussing the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe and introduce the next recipe-of-the-month, which is Kodak Vision3 250D. If you haven’t uploaded your photographs captured with the Kodak Tri-X 400 recipe, be sure to do it soon (click here). Also, as a reminder, if you have some spare time, join us for the Pre-Show, which begins 30 minutes before the broadcast.
For those who don’t know, SOOC is a monthly live video series, with each episode focused on a different Film Simulation Recipe. It is a collaboration between Tame Your Fujifilm (Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry) and Fuji X Weekly (Ritchie Roesch). SOOC is a fun and educational experience where we not only talk about Fujifilm camera settings, but also answer your questions and give tips and tricks. Basically, we’re trying to help you master your Fujifilm camera, with a focus on simplifying your photographic workflow.
If you missed Season 02 Episode 01, you can watch it below.
If you missed last month’s Pre-Show, you can watch it below.
And if you missed the Viewer’s Images, you can watch it below.
I’ve said for awhile now that Fujifilm should make a black-and-white only camera. There’s actually an advantage to a monochrome sensor. With a typical Bayer color array, only 50% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information, while the other 50% are recording color information. With an X-Trans sensor, 55% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information while 45% are recording color information. With a monochrome sensor, 100% of the light-sensitive sensor elements are recording luminosity information. Because of this, you get a higher perceived resolution, as pictures will appear more richly detailed, and there’s more shadow latitude, which also improves high-ISO capabilities. You can also use color filters like with black-and-white film.
Fujifilm has said that they have no plans currently to make a monochrome camera. You can actually convert any Fujifilm camera to be black-and-white only, but it is expensive and extreme. I’ve wanted a monochrome-only Fujifilm camera for awhile, but I’m not willing to convert one, and I’m impatient waiting for an official model to come out. So what did I do? I made my own.
Introducing the Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition!
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
Of course I didn’t actually make a black-and-white only camera. My X100V-Acros is just an X100V, and is capable of capturing color images. There’s nothing unique about it, other than it now says “Acros” underneath Fujifilm X100V on the top. What makes this camera an “Acros Edition” (other than the additional word) is that the C1-C7 Custom Presets programmed into it are all black-and-white Film Simulation Recipes.
The idea for this wasn’t mine. A Fuji X Weekly reader actually used just one recipe—a black-and-white recipe—on his Fujifilm camera for a whole year. Another reader was seriously considering doing the monochrome conversion to his X-Trans II camera, but then he realized that the resolution increase was going to be similar to his X-Trans IV camera, so instead of going through with the conversion he decided to dedicate his X-Trans IV camera to black-and-white recipes. I simply copied his idea.
Let’s talk about that resolution bump of monochrome-only cameras. Because you’re able to tap into the full-resolution potential of the sensor, you get a more detail-rich image. A converted 16mp X-Trans I or II sensor would be equivalent to a 23mp Bayer camera, a 24mp X-Trans III sensor would be equivalent to 35mp, and a 26mp X-Trans IV sensor would be equivalent to 37.5mp, roughly speaking. But, of course, it would also require a lens capable of resolving that much resolution, which many (but not all) Fujinon lenses can. Also, as I pointed out in my Fujifilm X vs GFX article, such a resolution increase only really matters if you print large or crop deep, and otherwise isn’t a big deal at all. In other words, the 26mp sensor in the X100V is already a lot of resolution, so it doesn’t matter that the camera isn’t actually monochrome-only. I can simply pretend, and be happy with that.
Yesterday I took my Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition out for the first time. I went to Antelope Island State Park, and also stopped at a local park along the way. The purpose of this outing was to try out all seven of these recipes. Below are the pictures!
Blooms Among Pine – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Two Tree Trunks – Syracuse, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “B&W Infrared”
Unneeded Boat Cleat – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Moody Monochrome”
Please Stay Out – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Moody Monochrome”
Dry Dock – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Moody Monochrome”
Deserted Dock – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Boaters Beware!! – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Drought – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Sage & Sand – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Layers of Grey – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Moody Monochrome”
Rocks Reflected – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Monochrome Negative”
Bush in the Rocks – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Monochrome Negative”
Brush & Lakeshore – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “Monochrome Negative”
Crushed Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “B&W Superia”
Francis Peak and Brush – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “B&W Superia”
Buffalo Peek – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V-Acros – “B&W Superia”
I love black-and-white photography, probably because I first learned photography on black-and-white film. If you love it, too, I invite you to try using only black-and-white recipes on your Fujifilm camera—make your own “Acros Edition” of whatever camera you have. I like the idea of a Fujifilm monochrome camera, so I think it was inevitable that I decided to do this—I now wonder why it took so long. Once I have my seven recipes nailed down, the next project will be to capture 24 or 36 exposures with each before changing recipes, kind of mimicking that limitation of film.
Since I have three apps now—Fuji X Weekly, Ricoh Recipes, and RitchieCam—I’ve been asked by several people for advice on app development. I’ve also been meaning to discuss some of the things I’ve learned, because it’s interesting, and maybe it’s useful information to a few of you. I’ve hesitated to write this as it might seem like a boring topic—perhaps even controversial or offensive at times—and unrelated to Fujifilm, but I truly hope that by the end there’ll be something for you. I write from real-world experience, but I’ve also researched this fairly extensively over the last year-and-a-half (including reading several books on the topics), so I’m not making this stuff up.
I have received a lot of criticism over the pricing structure of my apps. There are three options: free, freemium (the app is free, but there’s a fee for some features), and premium (not free). Within freemium and premium are three options: one-time fee (to unlock everything), à la carte fees (pay individually for this or that), and subscriptions (reoccurring monthly or annually).
One-time fees used to be the most common, but are much less so now. Why? Apps used to be popular for a season, then the next trend would make them irrelevant, so the life cycle of apps was typically pretty short, usually two years or less. Nowadays apps have a much longer lifespan—often a decade or even indefinitely—so the one-time fee model makes no sense. You wouldn’t buy a vacuum cleaner and expect it to be up-kept and improved upon by the manufacturer for years to come—not without additional fees, anyway—but people expect that from apps and software. Apps that use this model are abandoned as soon as new customers become less frequent. There are numerous apps in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store right now that succumbed to this fate. In my research I came across countless apps that hadn’t been updated in years, where the most recent review was two years old, and it was begging the developer to update the out-of-date app. This model is good for short-term projects, but is not good if you want an app to be around for years and years to come, because as soon as the financial motivation dries up, the app is neglected and abandoned.
The apps that use à la carte fees are often gaming and dating apps. You pay to unlock something, such as a level redo, puzzle hint, or something like that. This can be affective, but you have to be careful because if not done tastefully it can come across as scammy. People don’t like paying “hidden” fees around every corner.
So that leaves us with the subscription model, which is a win-win, and allows the app to continuously improve into something greater over time. This is best-case for the developer because it ensures continuous resources, and best-case for the customer because it ensures the app will improve regularly over time and not be left abandoned. More and more apps are going this route, and it is now the most common model. It’s all rainbows and roses except for one thing: many people don’t like subscriptions in general, and some people passionately oppose it with all their heart, as if it were some great evil.
Premium apps are good if you can get the word out. It can be tough to gain traction, because most people don’t want to pay for things, so they won’t buy it. That’s why freemium is often preferred. Here’s the thing, though: 95% of people will use the app for free, and only 5% will subscribe—it’s actually more like 8% on Apple and 2% on Android (yes, this is true!). Apple users are much more likely to spend money on apps than Android, but either way we’re still talking about small percentages. That also means that 95% of people will pass on premium apps. With freemium, for 95 people who are using it for free, they’ll tell others, which will lead to 20 new users, and one of those will subscribe. That’s why a lot of developers choose freemium over premium—it’s a little easier to gain the traction you need to be successful.
Now let’s talk about free apps, or even the “free” aspect of most freemium apps. There are two sayings: there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and if you aren’t the customer than you are the product. Both are true. In addition to all of the time I put into creating, maintaining, and improving apps, there’s a real cost that I pay out of pocket. In fact, each time one of my apps is opened on your phone, I am charged an extraordinarily small fee, which does add up. Just because you are not paying, doesn’t mean someone else isn’t paying on your behalf. That lunch might be free to you, but it isn’t free.
If you aren’t willing to be the customer, app developers turn you into the product. They sell you ads or—much worse—sell your data. Ads are annoying, but a lot of people are willing to put up with them in exchange for something being free. For app developers, unless you have millions of users, ad revenue doesn’t add up into anything more than pocket change. The real money is in data harvesting. Companies want to serve personalized ads that are highly affective, and they need to know everything about you in order to do this. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry because it works, and, because of this, you unknowingly spend much more than the cost of an app subscription. That’s the cost of being the product.
Here’s the creepy part. If I were to harvest data with, say, the RitchieCam app, I could know so much about you. If I have access to your GPS, I could know where you live, and, comparing that with Zillow, I could know more-or-less how affluent you are. I could track where you work, and, referencing Google maps, could know what industry you are in. I could know where you shop. I could know where you eat out at. I could know where your kids go to school. Since I have access to your camera and library, I could deduce the size of your family, your family’s genders, who your friends are, if you have pets, I could read the text on your screenshots. I could do all of this and so much more. Rest assured that I do not collect or sell any data whatsoever, which isn’t particularly common, because I’m leaving money on the table. Most free and freemium apps are indeed collecting and selling your data, because there’s no free lunch, so they’ve turned you into the product for profit.
What I have said might sound farfetched, but it isn’t. In fact, what I pointed out was really just the tip of the iceberg. You have apps on your phone right now—apps that you regularly use and trust—that go well beyond what I described in the previous paragraph. Have you ever talked about something out-loud and five minutes later see an ad for it? Ads are highly personalized and targeted because your apps know so much about you, and companies pay big bucks for that knowledge, because it means even bigger bucks—your bucks—become their profits.
Again, I want to make it clear that none of my apps collect or sell data. It’s to my own detriment that I do this, but I do it for you because you deserve it, and it’s the right thing to do, even if it is rare. On my apps, you are never, ever the product. I “pay for your lunch” for you if you are using the apps for free, and I happily do that.
You might be surprised to hear this, but I am told frequently that I do not give enough away for free. I am told that I am selfish and greedy because I have the audacity to charge “so much” for things. I am told that my approach is wrong. I am sorry if you feel that way, but I deserve something for my work, right? Trust me, I’m not rolling in the dough or becoming wealthy from this. I have enough to put food on the table, a roof over my head, and take trips sometimes (adventures are often more worthwhile investments than gear), but I couldn’t go out and purchase a GFX system right now. This is to say that the perception of my compensation is often exaggerated and misunderstood—I’m doing alright, but if I were indeed greedy and selfish I could be doing better. The accusations are hurtful because they’re untrue.
There’s a lot that can be debated on what exact paths are the best paths. I chose the freemium model after much research and advice from others with experience within the industry. Some might disagree with that decision. I chose not to turn those using the apps for free into products. Some would say that’s leaving money on the table, and everyone else is doing it anyway. I chose the subscription prices for a reason—I’ve received a lot of criticism from that, and many “Monday morning quarterbacks” tell me that I got it all wrong, although the books I’ve read and those I’ve spoken with within the industry tell me that I am where I should be (I “got it right” thanks to all the research that wen’t into the decisions to begin with, but there’s always different paths and varying philosophies). As Abraham Lincoln stated, “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.” In other words, nothing that I do will make everyone happy, but I hope that many people find my apps to be helpful and worthwhile tools. I hope that most of those who subscribe find it to be worth their money, and that they don’t feel ripped off or swindled—that they’re good values for what they deliver. Not all will feel that way, though, and that’s just the way it is.
For those wanting to create an app, you have to know that, no matter how much research you do, and no matter how much of your heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears you pour into it, there are some who won’t like it and some who will criticize your decisions. Mean and hurtful things will be said about you. You can’t make everyone happy, and you have to know that and accept that, but if you do what you believe is right—especially if you’ve done extensive research—you’re going to make some people happy just for the fact that you did it. The tricky part is figuring out how to maximize happiness and minimize the dissatisfaction, while also being fair to yourself, because you deserve satisfaction and compensation for your time, money, and hard work that you poured into it. It’s definitely a difficult and precarious balancing act that has to be regularly analyzed and addressed, and perhaps adjusted if needed.
I know this lengthy article has nothing to do with the regular content of this website, but I hope it is helpful for a few of you, and that most of you got something out of it (even if it is simply awareness of what your apps are doing behind the scenes). I didn’t write this as any sort of complaint or “woe is me” statement, because I don’t mean it that way whatsoever. I am quite happy with what I’m doing, and I know that it is helpful to many of you—it is even having an impact on the photography continuum, something I never imagined would happen! I’m really honored and blessed to be a part of this. I’m extraordinarily flattered and humbled if I’ve impacted your photography in some small way. It really is my pleasure to do all that I do for the Fujifilm community. With all of that said, I think it is important to be authentic, which means being vulnerable, and sharing this information is one way to do that. Perhaps somehow this was a meaningful article for some of you, and maybe it was worth your time today to read, even if it wasn’t about Fujifilm cameras.
Of the different faux filter options for Acros, +Y is the one I use the least. I think it goes back to my film days when I used color filters with B&W film. I would select Orange or Red before Yellow, because Yellow is fairly subtle, but the advantage of the Yellow filter is that it doesn’t block as much light. Of course, the faux filters on Fujifilm cameras don’t affect the exposure like real filters with film. Anyway, recognizing that I infrequently use Acros+Y, I set out to make a Film Simulation Recipe that uses +Y and produces an aesthetic that I like. I think it is important to challenge myself sometimes, so if there’s some setting or gear or option that I don’t use often, forcing myself to use it helps me to grow as a photographer. That’s why I made this recipe.
I wanted something with an overall darker curve, so that it would produce a moody look. Maybe deep blacks reminiscent of Tri-X, and maybe a push-process feel. I didn’t have any specific film in mind, but I’m reminded of this time that I push-processed a roll of Ilford Delta 400, but inadvertently got it wrong—I underexposed two stops, and only had the lab push it by one stop, so the pictures were largely underexposed, and they were darker and moodier (yet less contrasty and grainy) than I had intended. This isn’t exactly the same as that, but not too dissimilar, either, so that’s why I call this recipe Moody Monochrome.
Early Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Moody Monochrome”
Because this film simulation recipe uses Clarity, it is compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. If you have an X-T3 or X-T30 or X-Trans III camera, ignore Clarity and Grain size, and use a diffusion filter, like a 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Black Pro Mist, to get similar results.
Acros+Y Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: -1 Shadow: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -2 Clarity: -3 Grain Effect: Strong, Large Color Chrome Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect Blue: Off White Balance: Fluorescent 3, -4 Red & -9 Blue ISO: 3200 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Moody Monochrome” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Stop West – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Watch For Falling Bikes – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Sun Beams – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Tower in the Middle of Nowhere – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Path Through The Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wetland Boardwalk – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Wetland Grass – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Creek in the Trees – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Creek, Stick & Vines – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Log Above The Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Grey Brush – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Cat on a Log – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
Seagull Sky – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 – “Nostalgia Color”
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:
Top of Falls – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Old Greenhouse – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Columbia Rainbow – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Haystack – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Beach Boys – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Crashing Waves at Pinnacles – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Columbia River – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
River Boat – Astoria, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Water Falling – Multnomah Falls, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Rocky Shrub – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Daffodils – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Approaching Pear Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-E4
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There’s a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
I just released the first “major” RitchieCam app update. For those who don’t know, I created an iOS camera app to simplify and streamline your iPhone photography. The app is free, and is intended to be a useful free tool, yet becoming a RitchieCam Patron unlocks all of the filters and the best app experience.
There are a lot of features that I want to incorporate into the app, but it takes time and work to implement them all, so they will roll out over time. In other words, RitchieCam is just going to get better and better! I just released the first significant update—if you have RitchieCam on your phone and it didn’t automatically update, be sure to manually do it in the App Store now.
One new feature is the volume button—either up or down—as a shutter release. Depending on how you hold your phone, this is a more convenient way to take pictures. Instead of tapping the circle shutter at the bottom, you can press either volume up or volume down to accomplish the same thing. The ability to use the volume buttons to capture photographs was highly requested, so I’m pleased to be able to include it in this update.
Another new feature is additional aspect ratios. Originally, all RitchieCam photos were in iPhone’s standard 4:3 aspect ratio, which is necessary if you want to use the full resolution of the sensor. But if you prefer a different shape, there are now five aspect ratios to choose from: 4:3, 3:2, 5:4, 1:1, & 16:9.
Here are some photos, all captured using the Standard Film filter on RitchieCam, illustrating the different aspect ratios:
4:3 / 3:4
3:2 / 2:3
5:4 / 4:5
1:1
16:9 / 9:16
RitchieCam saves the pictures in Apple’s High Efficiency Image Container (HEIC, also called HEIF) format, which maximizes image quality while simultaneously taking less space on your phone. It’s also necessary for implementing some new features down the road. The downside to HEIC is that it is less universally compatible with non-Apple programs. For those who prefer JPEG over HEIC, you now have that option—tap the Gear icon, and you’ll find the Format toggle about halfway down.
The other improvements are less obvious. RitchieCam will now remember the last Flash and EV settings used (as well as the aspect ratio), which will hopefully improve the user experience for some of you. There are several behind-the-scenes optimizations to improve speed, stability, and quality, which you’re not likely to notice, but micro improvements add up over time, so they’re important to continuously work on.
And that’s the update! Already work has begun on the next one. If the feature you were hoping for isn’t in this one, with any luck you won’t have to wait too long for it, but I do ask for your patience, because these things do take awhile. In the meantime, I hope there’s something in this update that you find helpful to you.
A couple days ago Serr (Instagram, YouTube) dropped an incredible video, called Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes that will make you stop shooting RAW II. If you haven’t seen it, I included it above—I promise that it’s worth your time and you won’t be disappointed. I was blown away by it! Serr has some impressive video and photography skills, and they’re on full display in this feature. In other words, stop what you’re doing and watch it right now!
The Film Simulation Recipes mentioned in the video are:
What’s in the April issue? The cover story is B&W IR Photography on an Unconverted Fujifilm X100V, which is a guest submission by Tim Walters, and a wonderful article. If you’ve ever wanted to try infrared photography but don’t have a modified camera, this article is for you! There are a total of 18 photographs this month, including the cover image (above). I hope that you find it enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring!
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
As you probably know, I have published over 200 Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras—it’s fast approaching 250! There are so many looks that you can achieve straight-out-of-camera no matter your Fujifilm model. But I’m not the only one who has created recipes, and maybe you’re after some look that I haven’t yet published, so I thought I’d compile a list of websites where you can find more recipes. Using Google, I was shocked by what I found: so many people have published recipes! I’m sure my list below is not exhaustive—if you know of something I’ve missed, feel free to leave it in the comments. It’s really quite amazing what’s out there!
If you have the Fuji X Weekly App on your phone and are an App Patron, you can use the Blank Recipe Cards feature to add any recipe that you find to the App so that you can always have it with you. Or if you’ve created your own recipe, you can add it into the App. Or if there’s a recipe that you’ve modified in some way and want to keep track of that modification, you can use it for that purpose, too.
Anyway, below are various websites that I found that have Film Simulation Recipes for Fujifilm cameras. Take a look!
This new version of the recipe isn’t intended to more accurately replicate the film, but instead offer a nice-looking alternative that still retains a vintage Kodak essence. It has a “memory color” that is reminiscent of classic Kodak slide film. I especially like how this recipe renders blues.
Tetons in March – Grand Teton NP, WY – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Brilliance”
Because the Kodak Brilliance recipe uses Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue, it’s only compatible with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras. I believe that you could also use it on newer GFX cameras, although I have not personally tested it. For the X-T3 and X-T30, feel free to try it, ignoring Clarity, Color Chrome FX Blue, and Grain size—it won’t look exactly the same, but will be pretty similar.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR200 Highlight: +4 Shadow: -2 Color: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpness: -1 Clarity: +2 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Weak White Balance: Daylight, +2 Red & -1 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: -1 to 0 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Kodak Brilliance” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100V and Fujifilm X-E4:
On the Cusp of Spring – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Wet Fern – Columbia River Gorge, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Hanging Orange – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Blowing East – Hammond, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Beach Staircase – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Misty Ocean – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Helicopter Behind Haystack Rock – Cannon Beach, OR – Fujifilm X-E4
Shipwreck Shell – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V
Peter Iredale at Sunset – Fort Stevens SP, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Do straight-out-of-camera JPEGs from Fujifilm X cameras actually resemble film?
I used to shoot film. I learned photography at the height of film, in the late-1990’s. I disliked digital when it began to get popular. Yes, I was a film snob for at least a decade, almost two. I don’t want to rehash my journey (you can read about it here), but I simply want to convey that for a long time I was a film-only guy, and I have a lot of experience with it. Now I rarely shoot film (only occasionally); instead, I use Fujifilm X cameras. I make Film Simulation Recipes that often mimic various film stocks and analog processes. I know a thing or two about film, Fujifilm, and making Fujifilm resemble film.
The answer to the first question—what makes film photographs special?—is soul. Digital and film, while very similar, have unique attributes—there are advantages and disadvantages for each. Digital is often very mathematical and clinical, which certainly serves a purpose. Film is more random and serendipitous, which is the character that gives it soul. With digital, the possibilities for an exposure are endless, but with film it is much more limited—yes, there’s a lot that can be done in the darkroom, but you’re still limited by the film itself and how it was shot. You get what you get—especially if it’s slide film—but that’s the fun of it.
You might want your digital pictures to look like film for that analog soul. How can you get the best of both worlds and achieve a film-soul in a digital picture? How can you leave some of that clinical-ness behind and replace it with randomness and serendipity? My first advice is to use Fujifilm cameras, as Fujifilm has sought to use their vast film experience to infuse a little of that soul into their digital cameras. Next, I suggest shooting JPEG using Film Simulation Recipes, which make it a you-get-what-you-get process more similar to film. Then try some of my tips for achieving a film-look in-camera, such as diffusion filters, vintage glass, high-ISO, etc., etc.. This isn’t the only method, but simply what I use and recommend.
Can you capture digital pictures that resemble film? Could they actually trick someone into thinking you shoot film when you don’t? While I think the answer to both questions is “yes” (at least to some extent), I think they’re the wrong questions. Instead, the questions should be: what process works for me? And: do my pictures have soul?
If your process doesn’t really work for you, then change it. It took me years to figure out what process works for me: shooting SOOC JPEGs using Film Simulation Recipes on Fujifilm cameras. I don’t edit (aside from minor cropping, straightening, and very occasional small adjustments), which saves me tons of time. The three pictures in this article are recently captured camera-made JPEGs using different recipes on different cameras. That process is great for me, and it might be for you, too, but it’s not for everyone because people are different. You have to do what works for you and not worry about what others are doing.
While the serendipity of film gives it soul, and some of that soul can also be found in Fujifilm cameras (and even in other cameras and processes), the number one thing that gives a picture soul is the photographer. What you do with your photography gear to craft an image is what’s most important. When you infuse a bit of yourself into your images, that’s what makes it special—much more than anything else. So whether your pictures do or don’t resemble film doesn’t matter, just as long as your process works for you and you are photographing with vision. Capture the images that you want to create in the way that you want to create them. The rest just doesn’t matter.
There’s a photographic wonderland in the Pacific Northwest that everyone should visit if they have the opportunity: Fort Stevens State Park, which sits at the furthest northwest corner of Oregon where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. It’s about a 25 minute drive west of Astoria. There are many great picture opportunities at this historic location. If it’s your first visit, you might not know what you’ll find or where to begin—this article is intended to be a guide, so be sure to bookmark this if you think you might go.
Let’s take a look at what you’ll find at this incredible apex of Oregon!
Peter Iredale Shipwreck
Peter Iredale Remains – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – Vibrant Color filter
Probably the most famous and most photographed landmark is the Peter Iredale shipwreck. This ship was a four-mast barque sailing vessel made of steel that, in 1906, was enroute to Portland from Santa Cruz, Mexico, with a load of rocks. High winds pushed the ship off course, and it ran aground at high tide near the Fort Stevens military base. Nobody was hurt, and for whatever reason the ship was left abandoned. What’s left of the ship can still be seen to this day, and is now an iconic picture location.
There are basically two times to photograph the Peter Iredale shipwreck: higher-tides and lower-tides. At higher-tides, the boat is partially covered in water and the waves crash into the metal remains. It’s less accessible and more photographically limited at high-tide than low-tide, and you’ll definitely want a telephoto lens, but it’s still worthwhile to capture some images. You can use the grassy sand-bluffs to frame the ship. At low-tide, you can walk right up to the ship—heck, you can drive right up to the ship! It’s most ideal if you can catch the shipwreck at low-tide and at sunset (this tide chart might be helpful), and a wide-angle lens will be your friend. Most likely you won’t be the only one at the boat, and it takes some patience to not get other people in your images (or yourself in their pictures).
Finding the shipwreck is super easy. Enter the park on the Peter Iredale Road and follow the well-marked signs (Google Maps). The parking lot is not far at all from the shipwreck, so it’s easily accessible. At low-tide you can drive right onto the beach (I suggest 4-wheel-drive), which makes it even more accessible.
High Tide
Beached Ship – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Fujicolor Super HG”
Wet Shipwreck – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Fujicolor Super HG”
Shipwreck Shore – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Ferrania Solaris FG 400“
Shipwreck Remnants – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – B&W Fade filter
Peter Iredale’s Bones – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Gold v2“
Rusty Ship Hull – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – Color Negative Low filter
Golden Shipwreck – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “The Rockwell“
Fort Stevens Military Base
Underground Building – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – Vibrant Color filter
Fort Stevens State Park has an intriguing past—if you are a military history buff, this is a must-see place! Fort Stevens was an active military instillation from 1863 to 1947. On June 21, 1942, a Japanese submarine fired 17 shells at the base. While several of the shells hit Fort Stevens, aside from several severed power lines and some damage to a baseball diamond, they didn’t do any major destruction and nobody was hurt. This was the only attack on the 48-contiguous states during World War II.
There are a lot of old military buildings in various conditions within the state park—about 25 structures, some of which are massive—and many of these are open to the public. It could be an all-day or even multi-day event to explore them all, or, if you’re not all that interested, can be briefly experienced within less than an hour. There are three sites: Fort Stevens Historic Area (Google Maps), Observation Pillbox (Google Maps), and Battery Russell (Google Maps). The Fort Stevens Historic Area is where most of the buildings are located plus the visitor’s center. The Observation Pillbox is accessible via hiking trails. Battery Russell is located not far from the Peter Iredale shipwreck, and can be easily explored right before or just after seeing the old boat.
For photography, wide-angle lenses are probably your best bet, and a large aperture option is a good idea. Consider bringing a tripod for shooting in the dark. Those interested in military history or abandoned buildings will find Fort Stevens State Park to be a treasure-trove of photographic opportunities!
Watch Your Children – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – MetroColor filter
Abandoned Fort – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – B&W Fade filter
Big Hole – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam – B&W Fade filter
Empty Walkway – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – B&W Fade filter
Spiral Stairs – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400“
Old Fireplace – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Stairs in the Forest – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Pacific Ocean
The Big Ocean – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Fujicolor Super HG”
There’s about four miles of sandy beach along the Pacific Ocean within Fort Stevens State Park. There’s also additional beach access on the Columbia River side of the park, which is interesting, too—especially if you want to see large ships coming and going—but the vast ocean with its lengthy sandy-beach is the real star.
At the south end is Strawberry Knoll (Google Maps), which is a good place for 4×4 vehicles to access the beach, but for everyone else will require a short hike to the ocean, and there’s limited parking. The easiest beach access is probably at the Peter Iredale shipwreck (Google Maps), which has more parking, but is also the most visited site. As you drive north on Jetty Road, Lot A (Google Maps) has easy beach access and plenty of parking, Lot B (Google Maps) has plenty of parking but it is a short hike to beach, Lot C (Google Maps) has an observation tower, a lot of rocks, a longer hike to the beach, and tons of parking, and Lot D (Google Maps) has plenty of easy beach access and parking, but technically this is the Columbia River side, and the water will be a lot more calm. Any of these locations can be good for photography.
I recommend having both telephoto and wide-angle lenses at your disposal. High-tide and low-tide can be interesting, and sunrise, midday, and sunset all offer interesting light. There’s no right or wrong time to go, and visiting at different times and during different conditions will give you vastly different photographic opportunities. I think one could spend days, weeks, or even months photographing the beaches at Fort Stevens and not run out of inspiration.
Beach Alone – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Pacific Shore Monochrome – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
South Jetty – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Ilford HP5 Plus 400”
Other Sites
Morning Drive – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – MetroColor filter
There are miles of hiking trails, thick forests, camping, ponds, lakes, and streams within Fort Stevens State Park. There’s abundant wildlife, including deer, elk, sea lions, bald eagles, heron, puffins, and occasionally gray whales off the coast. No matter where you are in the park, there are picture opportunities literally everywhere! The landscape is just incredible, and surprisingly varied. It might be easy to overlook all of this in-between the beach, shipwreck, and abandoned base, but don’t! Keep your eyes open, your adventurous spirit eager, and your camera ready, and you’re sure to capture some amazing yet unexpected pictures.
If you have the time and energy, the Fort Stevens/Jetty Loop/Ridge Loop Trail is great—mostly paved and fairly easy, but at nine-miles is a bit long (you don’t have to cover the whole thing). Coffenbury Lake (Google Maps) is worthwhile, and somewhat accessible from the Battery Russell parking lot.
If you are a wildlife photographer, you’ll definitely want to keep your long-telephoto lens handy. If you are a landscape photographer, wide-angle lenses will often be your best bet. Having a couple cameras, one with a telephoto lens and one with a wide-angle, or perhaps a good zoom lens, is a solid strategy.
Forest Pond – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Ferrania Solaris FG 400”
Elk Alone – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 90mm – “Fujicolor Super HG”
Clatsop Spit Tower – Fort Stevens SP, OR – iPhone 11 – RitchieCam app – B&W Fade filter
Conclusion
Driftwood & Shipwreck – Fort Stevens SP, OR – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodachrome 64”
Fort Stevens State Park is one of the most spectacular locations in northwest Oregon! It is a worthwhile photographic excursion that can be experienced in a day, but if you have more time to spend in the park you will surely be rewarded for it. Some parts of the park (Coffenbury Lake and Fort Stevens Historic Area) require a daily self-pay $5 parking fee per vehicle, and camping isn’t free, but otherwise the other parts of the park don’t have any fee to access.
I used three cameras to capture these pictures: Fujifilm X-E4, Fujifilm X100V, and iPhone 11. On the Fujifilm cameras I used various Film Simulation Recipes, and on my iPhone I used the RitchieCam app. All of the pictures in this article are unedited (aside from minor straightening and cropping, they’re straight-out-of-camera images), which means that I didn’t spend hours manipulating them in software. This is a great way to save time and make photography even more enjoyable. Capturing photographs that don’t require any post-processing is a wonderful way to streamline your workflow and simplify your photographic life. When traveling, where you’re making tons of exposures and opportunities to post-process those pictures are limited, things that save you time can make a huge difference. If you own a Fujifilm camera, I invite you to try Film Simulation Recipes (check out the App!) on your next photography outing. If you own an iPhone, download the RitchieCam camera app for free today!
