I love déjà vu; the feeling it triggers deep inside, so familiar and yet so elusive. That’s why I’m constantly searching for it. You find it in the most unexpected places. That’s exactly what makes it so appealing to me. The journey becomes the destination. The moment you let yourself drift, that’s when you encounter it most often. NOSTALGIC Neg. is the best companion for this. Because NOSTALGIC Neg. leaves room for interpretation and development. The warm tones work both on the go and at home. Perhaps a very slight hint of sepia, but only just. This keeps NOSTALGIC Neg. versatile enough to capture all kinds of visions. Feelings are captured in shots like half-forgotten memories — just right for all the vintage lovers out there.
What makes NOSTALGIC Neg. special
FUJIFILM’s NOSTALGIC Neg. is not a replica of a specific colour film, but rather a photographic look that was partly created in the laboratory. It is inspired by the emerging photographic art of 1970s America, the New American Colour Movement, which itself looked back on a disappearing and bygone era. Amber tones were brought into focus, giving the images a golden glow. The motifs included both landscapes and scenes from everyday life. And just like that, NOSTALGIC Neg. is just as at home on the street as it is in the kitchen, imbued with a touch of nostalgia and melancholy. Lush shadows and golden amber colours give images a warm, soft and dreamy look, reminiscent of old photo prints. This Film Simulation is perfect for the type of photography I enjoy most – romanticizing the everyday, wherever that may be.
My FS RECIPE: “Vintage Lover”
My FS RECIPE is called “Vintage Lover”. Firstly, because it is intended for all vintage lovers, myself included, of course. Secondly, because I believe it brings the romantic aspect to the fore. And that’s what it’s all about for me – the search for beauty in everyday life.
I like a beautiful contrast between shadow and light. For me, however, it’s always a question of balance, especially if you like to photograph in different lighting conditions. With TONE CURVE, I always like to take a little out of the HIGHLIGHT -0.4 and deepen the SHADOW a little (SHADOW +1).
To enhance the vintage feel, I like to work with a slight film grain (GRAIN EFFECT: SMALL/WEAK). In addition, I work with a SHARPNESS -2 to further enhance the nostalgic, elusive effect.
Depending on the lighting conditions, I occasionally adjust the WHITE BALANCE, but in most cases, a little warmth works well (AUTO / R: 3, B: -3). I find that this setting supports the character of the NOSTALGIC Neg.
I set the COLOR saturation to the maximum (+4). I like rich colours, and especially with snow, it was important to me to highlight the colours that are there and thus emphasize the contrast.
My FS RECIPE works both in bright snow and candlelight – perfect for the cold season. Although I can hardly wait to capture the lush new green of spring.
In use: A FS RECIPE for all occasions
Berlin feels like it’s in its fifth month of winter, so it was clear to me from the start that I would combine cozy interior scenes with street shots. My FS RECIPE also had to work in both natural light and candlelight. And that’s exactly what “Vintage Lover” is: a FS RECIPE that doesn’t distort the qualities of Nostalgic Neg., but emphasizes them while remaining as versatile as possible. It works just as well for a candlelit breakfast as it does for white swans on dark water or dramatic red tulips in a vase.
Photographing with NOSTALGIC Neg.
NOSTALGIC Neg. is a relatively new Film Simulation, but one that has incredibly enriched me and my photography projects. I like to draw inspiration from photography from earlier decades, not only in terms of motifs, but also colours. NOSTALGIC Neg. saves me a lot of steps here. Images straight out of the camera have never been so close to my final vision as with this Film Simulation. I can see immediately whether a subject matches what I had in mind. And that frees me up immensely. I can concentrate much more on the feeling I want to capture, knowing that NOSTALGIC Neg. and “Vintage Lover” will take care of the rest.
