As a photographer living in a world full of colour, it’s often rewarding to remove that element from the equation when capturing images. By shooting in black and white it allows you to focus on light, composition and the emotion you are trying to pull from an image.
Moving through Sydney with the custom shadow play FS RECIPE dialled into the FUJIFILM X-E5, I quickly realised how different the city felt when you remove colour. Through ACROS, it became timeless with everyday scenes, from catching the ferry into the city or even just walking around Bondi. Shooting in black and white slows you down. It forces you to notice the way light falls at different times of the day and the shapes that are formed by the city.
For portraits, the adjustments I made to the FS RECIPE really came alive. The softened HIGHLIGHTS (-2) and contrast introduced in the SHADOWS (+1) gave my subject depth while keeping the mood gentle. Without colour, I could concentrate on expression, finding interesting compositions and focus on the relationship between the subject and the city/nature.
The series quickly became about contrasts. The SMOOTH SKIN EFFECT (STRONG) against the sharp detail of palm leaves. The interplay between Sydney’s architecture and the pockets of nature scattered throughout it. One of my favourite frames captures the harbour bridge softened by the palms in the foreground. It’s an image that could only belong to this city, where structure and nature coexist so closely.
What struck me most was how sunset light, which typically feels warm and golden, took on a mysterious and dramatic quality when captured in black and white.
At night, the recipe shifted again. By dialling down the HIGH ISO NR, I let the natural grain surface as the ISO climbed. This was where the ACROS base really showed its strength. The grain didn’t feel like digital noise. It added texture, atmosphere, and weight to the shadows. City lights glowed, while the skyline silhouettes itself in tones that feel timeless. The city became more mysterious, more cinematic, almost as if it were revealing a side you don’t notice in daylight.
What I loved most about this project was how it made me see Sydney with fresh eyes. I’ve spent the last two years here living here, exploring the city and beaches many times, but by removing colour and fine tuning the ACROS Film Simulation actually gave these familiar places a new energy. Photography isn’t only about what you put in the frame, it’s about the perspective you choose to bring to it. A shift in shadows, a small tweak in contrast, or even the choice to see in black and white can completely reshape how a place feels.
Working within the limitations of a single Film Simulation also pushed me creatively. By sticking with this FS RECIPE, I wasn’t distracted by endless possibilities. Instead, I trusted the process and leaned into consistency. That gave the series a sense of cohesion, even as it moved between portraits, landscapes, nature and architectural details. Each frame feels like it belongs to the same story.
In the end, this wasn’t about chasing the perfect FS recipe. It was about slowing down, paying attention, and finding the connection between the city and nature. The ACROS Film Simulation has always been one of my favourites, but customising it for this project made it feel more personal. It became more than a setting. It became a way of seeing, a way of translating how I experience Sydney into photographs.
I hope these images reflect that balance, not just Sydney’s skyline or icons, but the quieter places where palm leaves meet the buildings, where shadows stretch across the pavement, and where people find themselves framed between nature and the city.
