ACROSーDaydreams
I believe there is nothing I love more than photography, but in this visceral, all-encompassing and indissoluble bond, the aspect I appreciate the least of this profession is certainly the post-production phase. I have been a professional photographer for over 20 years but, in the spare time between one commissioned job and another, when I can finally dedicate myself to my own photography, I long for simplicity, immediacy and spontaneity. Those aspects, however, must no affect the quality of the work itself.
I have been using Fujifilm since 2016, and here I could list countless reasons why I became attached to the tools of this brand, but I believe that Film Simulations made me definitely fall in love.
Although I often work with color photography, I sometimes still feel the need to visualize my surroundings in black and white, to feel closer to the masters who inspired me and who laid the foundations for street photography in the history of photography, but also to reproduce a sort of dreamlike and surreal atmosphere.
With extreme simplicity, with the new FUJIFILM X-E5, I turned the Film Simulation dial until I found the “A” of ACROS, and my gaze instantly became a real daydream. The view, through the camera’s viewfinder, projects me into a timeless vision of the world, with the depth and brilliance that recall the elegance and gravity of fine silver halide prints. An essential black and white, a deep, sensual and contemporary language but at the same time tied to the past, a perfect vision to transform everyday life into visual poetry.
ACROS is the ideal Film Simulation for minimal and contemplative compositions, where spatial perfection meets the silent presence of the human figure, in a dreamlike and metaphysical vision that recalls the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico. The scenes seem painted, they evoke a sense of mystery, unease and estrangement, a simulation suitable for highlighting the consistency of materials, enhancing all the shades of light on the various surfaces. For this particular project, in addition to having chosen to shoot with ACROS selecting the G FILTER, I modified the shooting settings by creating a new FS RECIPE that I called “METAPHYSICAL NOIR”. In analog film photography, it was common practice to create black and white photographs by applying a colored filter in front of the lens.
Today everything is easier, so by activating the colored filter we prefer in digital photography, Fujifilm’s Film Simulations continue this practice in a contemporary and immediate form. I activated the G, green filter, which is also particularly suitable for portraits. It reduces red skin tones and darkens the lips, helping to make the rest of the face look natural. Unlike analog photography, where it is not possible to check the effect in real time, digital filters such as Film Simulations are instantaneous, viewable directly from the camera. By using the electronic viewfinder to preview the effect, we have the possibility to choose the Film Simulation we prefer.
My FS RECIPE “Metaphysical Noir” is very simple, but often simplicity is also synonymous with effectiveness. For my personal aesthetic taste, I also adjusted the GRAIN EFFECT by selecting a WEAK strength and a SMALL size of the grain itself. The grain helps to give the image a vintage aftertaste, but at the same time I don’t want it to become too invasive, this option I chose I believe is an excellent compromise.
The only other changes to the FS RECIPE I made were in the TONE CURVE section, applying a +1 or +2 to the HIGHLIGHTS, to have a nice white point in the illuminated portions of my photos, and a +3 or +4 to the SHADOWS so as to emphasize the contrast between differently lit areas.
Images with deep blacks and detailed highlights, which contribute to a great sense of three-dimensionality but at the same time with an extremely rich tonal gradation in every nuance.
FUJIFILM X-E5, FUJINON XF23mmF2.8 R WR lens combined to ACROS G Film Simulation, and the FS RECIPE “Metaphysical Noir” represent the perfect match to develop ordinary moments into visual metaphors and daydreams.
