“Photography has always been my way of slowing down. With CLASSIC Neg., it feels like I’m borrowing a palette from another time, one where mornings weren’t rushed, and colors breathed at their own pace.”
Cilincing is a small fishing village on the northern edge of Jakarta. It’s the kind of place where life unfolds without hurry; boats creak gently in the water, children run barefoot along weathered concrete, and the air smells faintly of salt. Early in the morning, the light there is soft and forgiving, painting every corner with quiet.
That’s where I decided to take the FUJIFILM X-E5 with the new XF 23mmF2.8 R WR lens for my CLASSIC Neg. shoot. I was drawn to the moment, the color, and the minimalism the scene offered. I wasn’t chasing people’s faces or dramatic events, just the essence of being there.
CLASSIC Neg., to me, has this vintage warmth that instantly transports you to another era. It’s not just about the colors, it’s about the pacing of the image, the slower rhythm it suggests. The greens are muted, the reds carry a gentle nostalgia, and every tone feels like it belongs to a memory rather than a file.
For this shoot, I kept the look intentional:
- WHITE BALANCE: AUTO with R +1 / B -1, to keep shadows from turning too green.
- TONE CURVE: H -1.5 / S -1.5, to flatten contrast and echo the soft analog feel.
- GRAIN EFFECT: WEAK, SMALL—just enough to remind the eye of film stock texture.
- COLOR: +2, to bring life back into certain tones without breaking the mood.
The result is a visual diary of Cilincing’s quiet beauty. Soft light bouncing off peeling paint, sandy paths leading to the sea, and the unhurried movement of people starting their day. CLASSIC Neg. didn’t just document the scene, it preserved the pace of it.
When I look back at the frames, it’s as if I’m holding a set of postcards from a simpler chapter of life. That’s why CLASSIC Neg. resonates with me: it doesn’t just show what I saw, it keeps me there.
