01. The Acros film simulation shows wonderful tonal gradation. I used the Acros G for this set of portraits. Read about my strategy and findings for the new Acros film simulations available in the Fuji X-Pro2. XF 90mm lens at f/2 and ISO 200. I used a monopod for all the photographs in this shoot to allow shutter speeds of 1/125th second with the XF 90mm lens.
Here are 42 photographs taken from a recent bridal collection shoot. I’ve shared them to show how I process my monochrome images using the new Acros film simulation from Fujifilm. Please feel free to read or just browse the pictures for ideas and inspiration.
Acros film simulation showing wonderful tonal gradation
The shoot: A commercial bridal fashion shoot for advertising, editorial and web use
- Client: Abigail Westrup Bridal
- Makeup and hair: Vicki Waghorn
- Model: Victoria Bond
- Location: Clevedon Hall
- Photographer: Damien Lovegrove
- Camera: Fujifilm X-Pro2 with XF90mm lens – All pictures were captured in RAW and processed in Lightroom
I shot in RAW and used the Pro Neg S film simulation with H tone set to -1, S tone set to -1, Sharpness set to -2, Noise reduction set to -3 and the White balance set to K and carefully adjusted for each set up. The White balance is the only element that gets transferred to the RAW processing engine however the other factors give me the perfect image on the camera LCD to enable me to set the lighting contrast and exposure.
02. Variety, detail and fun were the requirements for the shoot. Everything was captures in colour using the Pro Neg S film simulation and converted in Lightroom.
Acros film simulation
Of the four Acros film simulations available in the latest generation of Fuji X cameras Acros G is the one I use for portraits. The benefits of using Acros G over Acros, Acros R and Acros B for portraits is skin contrast is higher and the lips are more clearly defined irrespective of skin colour. Acros R tends to make skin blemish free but also ghostly and lacking in lustre, and Acros B just looks a bit blotchy. For landscapes, the R and B options are very popular and for street and architecture the regular Acros is generally considered the best.
Acros G versus B g
Acros G has a slightly steeper curve in the mid tones giving a touch more visual contrast than B g. My process for working with B g is to get the colour image right using Pro Neg S then make a virtual copy and switch camera profiles to B g before adding a touch of contrast. Now with Across I don’t need the last bit. That’s the obvious bit but there is also some alchemy going on at pixel level too. Acros G is more refined, it delivers more acutance than B g and this is a look that I like very much indeed.
03. Delicate beauty. I love this scoop neck line. It reminds me of a top that Jackie Onassis was wearing back in 1960. (Just before my time).
Background
I spent 16 years working as a professional photographer processing my black and white negatives and then hand printing every photograph. For the final 4 years of my film life I had a darkroom technician to do the work with me because by that time we were shooting 30+ rolls of film each week. I went completely digital in 2001 when I bought a pair of Fujifilm S1 cameras and I have never looked back since.
The lessons I learned from film
The main thing I learned when shooting film is to be consistent. I started by testing every film that was available and I narrowed down my shortlist. I got to know the one or two films I was going to shoot on a regular basis really well so I could predict the look at the shoot and establish a house style. Then I tested and measured each emulsion through experimentation to discover the ideal formula for processing the negatives to achieve the kind of look I was after. One film I used in 35mm cameras (Nikon F100) was Fuji Neopan 1600. I rated it at ISO 800 and processed it in Ilford ID11 developer at 1:1 for 7 ¼ minutes at 24°. This gave me great prints at grade 2 on my LPL enlarger. I then adjusted the printing settings to optimise for each negative. On digital I’ve done almost exactly the same process by testing every film simulation on offer before settling on the two that I’m going to use. I nearly always use Pro Neg S for colour and I use Acros G for black and white (X-Pro2) (B g on X-T1). Even when I’m shooting black and white I set my colour image first in camera ensuring the white balance and tone are spot on in each new scene before I switch to Acros G or B g for the shoot.
04. The shot bottom right of Vicki Waghorn our hair and make up artist shows the colours in the room for reference. That shot is Pro Neg S film simulation. Shooting bridal takes careful exposure control. It’s important to have detail in the lace yet to have white or very near white dresses. The Lovegrove wedding look was always bright and cheerful and this is one reason we attracted top clients. Our competitors were often shooting heavy, dark images at weddings.
There is a trend at the moment for some wedding photographers to pump in contrast and make monochrome pictures ‘pop’ or ‘punchy’. The problem is this will become a dated just like the ‘vintage look’ that was popular a few years back with it’s yellow tinted skies and washed out shadows. HDR is already passed it’s best in a lot of peoples eyes. The good news with the Fujifilm simulations available in X series cameras is they are beautiful, calm and timeless. Classic Chrome is the exception and it’s interesting to note that it never got a Fuji emulsion name because Fuji transparency film was always better than that, and reproduced colours more faithfully than CC. Although most of my cameras have the Classic Chrome film simulation available I find it a bit too ‘Instagram’ for my taste. My advice is get a look that is right for you, get to know it well and make it your own. If, like me, you shoot for commercial clients from time to time, having a clean, pure look in your tool kit is definitely worthwhile too.
05. Pro Neg S on the left and Acros G on the right.
The process
- Set up your camera LCD/ EVF to ensure you are seeing accurate exposure and colour saturation.
- Spend time to test each film simulation to determine the ones that work best for you and your subject.
- Adjust the highlight and shadow tone settings to give an accurate representation of your final look.
During the shoot
- Set the camera to your regular colour film simulation, and set the white balance for the scene.
- Switch to Acros film simulation or your regular monochrome film simulation as and when required. Always have the correct white balance before switching to a monochrome film simulation. If you are shooting in a fast changing environment switch to Auto WB.
- Use the camera screen to asses the lighting contrast and adjust the lighting as required. Get it right in camera. If you resort to a lot of slidery in Lightroom you will have lost the delicate, subtle, effect of the film simulation.
In Lightroom
- Set the film simulation to the same one that you used at the shoot and make final tweaks to the pictures before exporting. Tip: I have set my Lightroom defaults to set the Pro Neg S film simulation automatically for all pictures taken my Fuji X cameras.
How to batch process a set of monochrome images in Lightroom
- Get all the images looking perfect in colour. Spot healed, white balanced, gradiented, brushed and renamed etc.
- Switch to Library and select grid view.
- Select all the pictures and press Cmd & apostrophe to create virtual copies.
- Keeping the original selection switch to Develop.
- Set the picture on screen to the new monochrome film simulation Across or B etc.
- Sync settings and choose just Camera Calibration and Process Version.
- You now have a perfect set of monochrome images.
06. Abigail Westrup adjusts the fit of her dress and we all share a joke. It’s important to have fun on a bridal shoot. The last thing we need throughout the set is the “I’m too cool to smile” look.
I love a good chandelier so I used it as the background for this set of images.
08. High key or low key, the Acros G works for me. There’s a real sheen and vibrancy at pixel level. These are all just batched conversions from colour files with no added anything and I feel despite the soft delicate lighting these images avoided the grey and drab look that is so easy to generate in low contrast lighting.
09. Clevedon Hall was the perfect choice for this shoot. It is a wonderful wedding venue right on our doorstep in the South West of England. There is great opportunity for a wide variety of photographs to be taken throughout the building and extensive grounds.
10. I took beauty head shots too for Vicki to use on her website and I’m always on the lookout for a different angle.
11. This shows Acros G on the left and Pro Neg S on the right. Great tonality starts with great light. I’m usually using hard light sources but fashion often needs soft sources to show the lustre and sheen in the fabrics. Even with the B g film simulation that I’m so used to on my other Fuji X cameras I could achieve 95% of this look with a bit of added contrast and sharpening.
12. The shot on the left and top right were taken with the 35mm f/1.4 lens as I wanted the wider perspective that a standard lens gives me. The rest of the shots in this set were taken with the 90mm f/2. I find it’s easier sometimes to stick to one lens and use it for everything. The 90mm focusses really close so it was great for the close ups too.
About The Author
Damien Lovegrove is a world renowned portrait photographer based in the UK, specializing in making women look fabulous. You can say hello on his website, blog, Twitter and Facebook. This article was also published here and shared with permission.
One More Thing
Damien was kind enough to share a discount code for his Illumination 1 & 2 video tutorials. (they are awesome!). Use discount code diyphoto on check out for a £25 discount
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