Spring | FUJI X WEEKLY

Fujifilm Recipes for Spring Flower Photography

*Vibrant Flowerbed* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Velvia Recipe

April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. Yes, it’s wildflower season already, and if you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to program into your Fujifilm camera to capture the colorful spectacle, this article should help with that. No matter which Fujifilm X-Trans camera you have, there’s a Recipe for you to try today!

This is far from a comprehensive list of Film Simulation Recipes that will work well for photographing spring blossoms. There are nearly 300 Recipes, and most of them could be a good choice, depending on the exact subject, lighting, and your style. This list is simply a selection of the ones that I personally like and can recommend to you. Feel free to try other Recipes not included in the list below. If I didn’t include your favorite Recipes for photographing spring flowers, let me know in the comments because I’d love to hear which ones you use. If you are not sure which Film Simulation Recipe to try, these recommendations should get you started.

X-Trans V

X-T5, X-H2, X-H2s

Thommy’s Ektachrome

Kodak Ultramax 400

X-Trans IV — Part 1

X-Pro3, X100V, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, X-T30 II

Vibrant Velvia

The Rockwell

X-Trans IV — Part 2

X-T3, X-T30

Velvia

Kodak Portra 400

X-Trans III

X-Pro2, X100F, X-E3, X-T2, X-T20, X-H1

Ektachrome E100GX

Everyday Astia

X-Trans II — Part 1

X100T, X-E2, X-E2s, X-T1, X-T10, X30, XQ2, X70

Kodak Color Negative

Classic Kodak Chrome

X-Trans II — Part 2

X100S, X20, XQ1

Color Negative Film

Fujichrome Slide

X-Trans I

X-Pro1, X-E1, X-M1

Color Negative Film

Color Analog

Find these Film Simulation Recipes and nearly 300 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

Film Simulation Review: Walk in the Park, Part 1: Kodak Ektar 100

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

April Forest – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Last week I went for a walk in a local park here in Utah. This park has trails that pass through forests. There’s a stream and a small lake. The snow-capped peaks are visible to the east. It’s a beautiful place, especially in the spring when the green is fresh and the flowers are blossomed. On this hike I brought along my Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to it, which is one of my absolute favorite lenses. It’s sharp, small, and plenty fast, plus it’s a versatile focal length. On the way up the trail I used my Kodak Ektar 100 film simulation recipe, which are the pictures that you see here in Part 1, and on the way back down I used my Portra 160 recipe, which you’ll find in Part 2.

Ektar is a color negative film made by Kodak. It’s known for vibrant colors, high contrast and fine grain. It’s the closest negative film to reversal film. In fact, when Kodak discontinued Ektachrome 100VS, they recommended Ektar 100 as the best alternative. It’s a great film for landscape photography, which is why I chose it for this walk in the park.

Ektar film, and especially this Ektar film simulation, can be difficult to use because of the contrast. With the film, there are things that can be done in development and/or printing to reduce the contrast if it’s too much. With these settings, one could use +2 Shadow instead of +3, which is what the recipe calls for, if they wanted less contrast. These pictures are straight-out-of-camera (with the exception of some minor cropping) with the settings exactly as the recipe states.

My opinion is that my Ektar recipe is best suited for low-contrast landscapes, where a boost in contrast and vibrancy is needed. But it can do well in other situations, as well. I thought it served this photographic outing well, although it was borderline too contrasty for the scene. Ektar was a good choice for a walk in the park, but was it the best choice? How does it compare to Portra 160? We’ll take a look at that in Part 2.

Sunlight Through The Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Old Log – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Forest Stream – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Stream & Yellow Flower – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Single Tree Blossom – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Green Tree, White Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Blossoming Branches – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Walk in the Park, Part 2: Portra 160
See also: Film Simulation Reviews

Photoessay: An Arizona Spring in Color

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Colorful Cactus Blooms – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

When most people think of Arizona, they picture dry dusty deserts and sprawling cities. It’s hot. It’s brown. It’s inhospitable. There are endless rows of look-alike stucco homes. Many people might be unaware that the desert bursts with color in the spring. Arizona isn’t just brown, there are vibrant greens, blues, reds, yellows, purples and other colors, especially in the spring, which is my favorite season in the state.

Arizona isn’t all desert, either. While it may be best known for the Grand Canyon, you might be surprised to learn that the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world is in Arizona. There are tall mountains and even winter skiing. The state is full of surprises. It’s one reason why I love Arizona and appreciate visiting whenever I can.

Yellow Palo Verde – Black Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

I used to live in Arizona. Back when I was barely an adult, the Air Force sent me to live in Arizona. I met my wife there. My first two kids were born there. I have a deep fondness for the state. I would love to live there again someday. It’s a wonderful place for photography. I highly recommend grabbing a subscription to Arizona Highways magazine to see many wonderful pictures of the state. A fact that you might be surprised to learn is that Ansel Adams was frequently published in that magazine back in the day. Many great photographers were, and still are.

The photographs in this article were captured a few weeks ago. I used my Fujifilm X-T30 camera with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens and a Fujinon 90mm f/2 lens, which are both excellent examples of Fujifilm’s great glass that they’ve become renown for. I hope that you enjoy this variety of photographs that demonstrate there’s more color in Arizona than one might initially think.

Pine In The Sky – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Green Leaves – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Agave Green – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Cactus & Blue Sky – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Palo Verde In The Windy Blue – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Palm – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Vultures In A Tree – Wickenburg, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Wildflowers & Stone – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Impatient? Stop & Smell – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Yellow Rose of Arizona – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Little Bloom Design – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Yellow Blossom Flowers – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Splash of Red Among Green – Surprise, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Bougainvillea Bloom – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Bloom In The Rocks – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Blooming Cactus Landscape – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Red Prickly Pears – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Beginning To Blossom Red – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Desert Landscape – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Spring Saguaro – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Yucca Bloom – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Cactus Blooming Red – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Red Ball Fruit – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Barrel Cactus – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Cactiscape – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Prickled – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Pops of Yellow – Black Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Yellow Desert – Black Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

One Barrel Cactus Bloom – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Red Spiky Blooms – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Red & Purple Desert Blossoms – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Salt Lake City: Temple Square Spring Splendor

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Vibrant Flowerbed – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

It’s spring, and of course that means spring blossoms. Flowers are in full bloom. Vibrant colors can be found everywhere. One of the more impressive places to see the spring splendor is Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Temple Square is an icon of the city, and a tourist attraction, with visitors coming from across the globe. In the spring the grounds are covered with blossoming flowers.

At Temple Square you’ll find well-kept grounds and interesting architecture. It’s a religious site, and there’s a chance someone might approach you regarding that. I’ve had that happen a couple of times, but it was only slightly awkward and it only happened a small number of times compared to how often I have visited. In other words, most likely you’ll be left alone. This is the church’s property, so be respectful should someone speak with you. It’s usually somewhat crowded, so you’ll blend in with all the tourists snapping pictures.

When I captured these pictures last week, I used a Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to the front. This is a good lightweight combination that’s great for walk-around photography. I spent about forty five minutes strolling the grounds. Temple Square is a great location for flower photography in the spring. Being an urban environment, it’s a bit unexpected. If you find yourself in Salt Lake City, it’s worth visiting.

Singular Red Flower – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bright Red Blooms – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Red & Yellow Blooms – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

The Color of Spring – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Field of Flowers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Touch of Purple – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Church Grounds – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pink Bloom – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival With Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm Lens

Posted on May 12, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Tulips In Acros – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Lehi, Utah, is a suburb of Salt Lake City. Within Lehi is Thanksgiving Point, which is a not-for-profit farm, garden, museum, sports, food and entertainment complex. It was founded by Alan Ashton, who invented WordPerfect software back in the late 1970’s. Within Thanksgiving Point is Ashton Gardens, an incredibly beautiful 55 acre oasis that seems miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city that’s outside the gate. The largest man-made waterfall in the western hemisphere can be found here.

Every year in mid-April through early-May there is a tulip festival inside Ashton Gardens. It’s reminiscent of spring in Holland. In fact, the nearly 300,000 tulips found at Ashton Gardens are imported from Holland. It really is an amazing sight to behold!

As you can imagine, if you are a landscape photographer or love photographing flowers, there are very few places that are better for capturing great images than Aston Gardens in the spring. It’s such a lovely place! There is so much beauty around every corner. If you are in the area during spring, be sure to plan a visit to Thanksgiving Point.

I went to the tulip festival at Ashton Gardens with my newly acquired Fujifilm X-Pro2 and Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR lens. It’s a very good lens that I’ve been very happy to use, and its 24mm equivalent focal-length is great for this type of photography. The X-Pro2 and 16mm combination proved to be perfect for this photographic endeavor. All of these images are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. I used Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome and Acros film simulations for these pictures. Yes, the same recipes that I use on my X100F also work on my X-Pro2.