### Firstlight # Film Simulations Firstlight filters are inspired by the amazing legacy of 19th and 20th-century photography. Each filter pack is based on the films and photographic processes that created over a century of legendary images. # Pioneers ### Prism Prism is reminiscent of 3-strip technicolor, which uses red, blue, and green channels. It is extremely saturated, imparting an aqua character to neutral gradients. - Classic Technicolor effect from the 1940s and 1950s - Increased contrast, with desaturated greens, aqua blues, and deeper reds shifting to magenta - Pure teals and blues dominate - Good skin tones - Saturated and punchy; playful _Photo credit: [Leonardo Merlo](https://www.pexels.com/photo/dog-on-snow-field-2123916/)_ ### Maxwell Inspired by the research of James Maxwell, this simulation seeks to reproduce color images via a front-projection 3-color process. Maxwell’s work would later be expanded upon by Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky. _Photo credit [Maria Clara](https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-in-orange-top-and-blue-denim-jeans-kneeling-on-green-plants-posing-3755360)_ ### Lumière This simulation is based on the Autochrome mosaic screen plate process, an early film made with potato starch with red, green, and blue color crystals. While its color palette and innate saturation is extremely limited, it will reproduce red, green, and lavender with moderate accuracy. - Initially not suitable for Asiatic and African skin, this filter is modified to widen the skin tone range - Reds and greens become dark and primary - Desaturated, dream-like impressionist quality _Photo credit: [Yogendra Singh](https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-in-red-saree-4512176)_ ### Judith Judith is a replication of the 2-strip technicolor process using red-orange and blue-green channels. It interprets all colors as shades of teal and clay. - Otherworldly 1920s and 1930s motion picture effect - Sky and water renders in teal - Skin tones smooth out due to desaturation - Use for portraits and scenes with a structured, graphic approach _Photo credit: [Tyler Nix](https://unsplash.com/photos/dqhYzvAsjUg)_ # C41 ### Plus Plus is an interpretation of the Kodak ColorPlus 200 pallette. Skintones are constrained to a pleasing but narrow tonal range. Blues are rendered a dreamy teal. - Reds, yellows, and greens desaturate, while blues veer into teal - Use in outdoor settings with sand, brick, or rock contrasted with blue sky, like a beach or desert _Photo credit: [Sébastien Jermer](https://unsplash.com/photos/n7DY58YFg9E)_ ### Gold This simulation evokes Kodak Gold – it is both warm and saturated. - Nostalgic, with bright sunny tones - Emphasizes yellows and blues to create a warm feel - Retains warm tones, even with flash - Good for outdoor shooting, especially at sunrise and sunset _Photo credit: [Eloise Ambursley](https://unsplash.com/photos/59Td06omPVc)_ ### Lesko A desaturated version of Portra 160, with a narrow color palette optimized for rendering pleasing skin tones. - Smooth, natural color palette that is balanced with medium saturation and low contrast - Downplays redness in skin to create a smoothing effect - Lack of color accuracy with reds, magentas, and oranges - Use for portraits _Photo credit: [Wilfred Sequeira](https://unsplash.com/photos/tXNjCm4bN8Y)_ ### Gypsum Gypsum exhibits the vibrancy of Kodak Portra UC. The entire color palette is optimized to produce luminant and pleasing skintones. - Bold, saturated colors while retaining pleasing skin tones - For portraits, but can also be used for general purpose - Try it with scenes that need a color pop _Photo credit: [Jorge Saavedra](https://unsplash.com/photos/94qZsII4kN8)_ # Chrome Filter Set ### Koda An interpretation of Kodachrome 40, faded after years of archiving. - Does a fair job of skin tones - Oranges desaturate, greens avocado - Early to mid-century vibe - Classic National Geographic look; landscape/street photography _Photo credit: [Paulé Wood](https://www.instagram.com/p/BqSG83RFID7/)_ ### Leopold The color palette of Kodachrome 64, hybridized with the brown-biased black point of an aged Kodachrome 25 transparency. - Dramatically transform greens, with beautiful saturated clay-colored reds - Warm tones, including skin tones - Kodak 64 was optimized for [white skin tones](https://petapixel.com/2015/09/19/heres-a-look-at-how-color-film-was-originally-biased-toward-white-people/); the hybridization with Kodachrome 25 makes this filter work with all skin tones _Photo credit: [Godisable Jacob](https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-girl-car-daylight-facial-expression-1154762/)_ ### Veloura - A simulation of Fuji Velvia 100, underexposed by ½ stop - Deep shadows with a strong blue cast - Deep inky blacks, high contrast - Rainy days and twilight scenes; blue/golden hour compositions - Not intended for portraits _Photo credit: [Gabriela Palai](https://www.pexels.com/photo/alone-animal-bird-clouds-395196)_ ### Layton Based on Kodak Ektachrome, this vibrant simulation exhibits striking cobalt blues. - Cobalt pure blues - Use for skies and seascapes; a natural dehazer for landscapes - Not intended for portraits _Photo credit: [Naomi August](https://unsplash.com/photos/a9nRi_rnV88)_ # B&W Filter Set ### Bingham Based on the daguerreotype flat-plate process, with wider spectral sensitivity and high mid-tone contrast to enhance fine textures. - Far less sensitive to red, renders lots of skin texture - High contrast - Use for street photography _Photo credit: [Yannes Kiefer](https://unsplash.com/photos/VZfSq4TQTHY)_ ### Electrum A simulation based on the legendary Kodak Tri-X, this moderate contrast film is suitable for a wide range of compositional scenarios. - Used widely for photojournalism in the 1960s - Has a slightly aggressive contrast - Slightly less sensitive to red; darker skies - Imparts texture to the skin without appearing rough or cratered _Photo credit: [Johann Walter Bantz](https://unsplash.com/photos/BowRurRX5e8)_ ### Salt Based on a printing process used to enlarge and publish B&W film, with a subtle red/yellow color cast. - An overall ochre/reddish tone, sensitive to blue - Reproduce a vintage look; nostalgic - Good for architecture, textured cityscapes, and ruins _Photo credit:_ [_Nojan Namdar_](https://unsplash.com/photos/mNe1DJQopAc) ### Noir A high-contrast, neutrally panchromatic rendition of 1940’s B&W motion picture film, with dark, almost featureless shadows. - Extreme contrast, with deep inky blacks - Use for shots evoking drama, mystery _Photo credit:_ [_SHAYAN rti_](https://unsplash.com/photos/XJpwiweyQi8) # Instant Filter Set ### Seventh Based on Polaroid 669, with a cool color cast and low innate contrast. - Daylight balanced - Use for portraits and scenes that evoke a retro feel _Photo credit: [Sharon McCutcheon](https://unsplash.com/photos/vN-OH756zcE)_ ### May Reminiscent of Impossible 600 Color instant film, rendered with a slightly wider color palette. - Desaturated, with soft textures that make analog photography so distinctive - Chalky skin tones, darker midtones _Photo credit: [Eva Grey](https://unsplash.com/photos/RCEIlageunE)_ ### Ulster Reminiscent of expired Polaroid 600 Color instant film, with a sepia color overlay. - Low contrast - Great for portraits with a vintage feel _Photo credit: [Tracey Hocking](https://unsplash.com/photos/JDVD4OAfaXQ)_ ### Crescent Based on underexposed Fujifilm Instax 400 Instant Film, this simulation is low contrast, with denim-blue shadows. - Vintage northern-light feel - Good for moody portraits and street scenes _Photo credit: [Kaylah Matthews](https://unsplash.com/photos/6e5hgWV2DAo)_ # Infrared Filter Set ### Roxa Based on aesthetic cues from Lomochrome Purple, this simulation paints in cyanic and violet hues. - Blue becomes green, green becomes purple, yellow becomes pink, red loses saturation - Create fantastical portraits and landscapes - Skin tones become less saturated - Works best with bright scenes _Photo credit: [Joe Ciciarelli](https://unsplash.com/photos/BVNmFNShq6U)_ ### Via A simulation of a high-contrast monochromatic infrared film which will render blue skies an inky black. - Create dramatic sky effects, emphasizing cloud contrast for landscapes - Simulate a moonlit scene at midday with slight underexposure - Extreme contrast with skies; turns foliage white and cuts through fog and haze _Photo credit: [Elliott Engelmann](https://unsplash.com/photos/4xEfxMShEUM)_ ### Callaïs Inspired by Lomochrome Turquoise, this is a false-color film. Light tones and colors in the scene will take on varying bluish colors, ranging from aqua to cobalt, while greens will be intensified and blues will reverse to a yellowish golden glow. - Warm colors become blue, blue becomes golden and green becomes emerald - Works best with bright scenes containing blue and green, like sky and grass _Photo credit: [Paulé Wood](https://www.instagram.com/p/BimSeVAl07m/)_ ### Redscale Kodak Aerochrome was a false-color reversal film designed for “vegetation surveys, camouflage detection and earth resources.” Chlorophyll from the vegetation reflects infrared light, and the healthier the vegetation, the more vibrant the red tones. - Use with scenes that contain a lot of green vegetation - Skin tones take on a pinkish hue _Photo credit: [Wes Hicks](https://unsplash.com/photos/tKiAr9vbPfo)_ # Print Filter Set ### Cyanotype A reproduction of Cyanotype, one of the most prolific optical printing processes of the 20th century. It pre-dated photocopies, used to reproduce technical drawings for engineering and architecture. - Renders tones in cream and blueprint blues - Extremely high contrast - Unsuitable for darker skin tones, blows out lighter skin tones _Photo credit: [Candice Picard](https://unsplash.com/photos/eI5yqPjpObU)_ ### Lumen A simulation of a gum bichromate photographic printing process developed in the 19th century, this simulation renders in saturated ochre hues. - Low contrast, monochromatic and desaturated yellows and oranges - Reminiscent of the dawn of photography - Use to capture a historical feel _Photo credit: [laze.life](https://unsplash.com/photos/1IX7S1zxG7U)_ ### Tyrian A reproduction of a Cyanotype optical print on a purple-dyed substrate. - Extremely high contrast - Great for architecture and signage _Photo credit: [Maarten van den Heuvel](https://unsplash.com/photos/WhayBiwx8Ng)_ ### Fern An interpretation of the subtle green color cast common on some deteriorated gelatin silver halide prints. - Maintains detail while increasing contrast - Reds, yellows, and greens darken, while blues go lighter - Skin tones get denser - Good for timeless street scenes and landscapes _Photo credit: [Jeff Sheldon](https://unsplash.com/photos/4vr9a_sdJ78)_