Curves are how most pros and quality presets control the detailed tones in a photo. But in today’s short video, I’ll show you a better way to use your curves. We’ve been using S Curve in photography since the dawn of digital. But this is the F Curve!
Why did I stop using the S Curve in my Photography?
Because after years of editing, and studying dynamic range. Creating popular editing packs like Natural HDR and Silver black and white. I realized the S curve was often overdriving on our edits.
So I started creating the F curve in my recipes. It gives contrast control, without giving you a crunchy, overly processed look. It does this because it’s based on chemical film processing and is more flexible.
In this video, I’ll show you how to use the F Curve!
If you want Lightroom presets or Capture One Styles you’ll find great examples of the F curve in the free sampler packs of Filmist Film presets and Silver 5 presets.
It’s easier to add fine control to an F curve because we’re not always looking for that S shape. A film-like curve is useful not only for recipes that require a film-like feel. It simply works on nearly everything.
It might feel like an S curve when you start. But don’t stop there. Pull down the highlights and then lift a little in the middle, pull the shadow area a bit down and the black a bit up. You can vatu this any way you want. Just keep the curve smooth and maintain that highlight drop as needed.
I didn’t have a name for this, I just knew this simple course was giving me results that felt better in most situations, and I started using it a lot. It was only after years of applying this that I realized how simple it was and started calling it the Filmic Curve, or the “F” curve.
Gradually, I started using the normal photography S Curve less and applying variants that merged it into F curve. I watched as my own presets and edits got smoother, with better highlights and even better shadows and contrast.
It’s a simple tweak that transforms your edits.
An F curve can start like an S curve. But the way it drops on top is the key factor in the result. You can then mix shadow lift and drop.
But without Shadow, your curves mean nothing!
When I started developing Filmist film presets years ago, I realized that Film has a softer highlight roll-off than digital has a hard sensor. Contrasting lenses and easy-to-move editing soldiers were getting over-curved. especially with the traditional digital photography s curve.
A curve can add or remove your shadow. The S-curve in photography can quickly pop highlights or put some punch into shadows, and often it works well. The problem is that it tends to do the same thing to every photo, and while it boosts contrast in the edit, you lose fidelity in the roll-off details.
Tone roll-off is a big deal. And what most don’t realize is that you don’t always need to push up highlights because they are actually very perception based.
That highlight will seem BRIGHT depending on the tone of the shadows that surround them. To learn more about shadows watch this video on my channel. In short, combining smooth highlight roll-off with organic feeling shadow gives you a rich result.
In this Ektar recipe from Filmsit the F curve is already part of the process giving a subtle highlight rolloff like film.
The F Curve will replace your S curve crutch!
So instead of the S Curve in your photography, us the F curve because you better control the shadow dimension and how that relates to your highlights as they roll off perfectly, just as they did with Film!
You also won’t always feel like you have to create that S shape will open up how you use the tones in each photo.
I hope you found this useful and will spread it around because the F curve really is better than the S Curve. Please spread this around and let me know what you think in the comments.
Gavin Seim
A strong double drop at the top of this F curve softens the specular highlights that were a problem in the portrait processed with a Portra look.
Ektar 100 is a classic among films. So I made a film preset.
It’s considered great for landscapes and street work and it’s one of the few films still available in 2023. But those who know it well, also love it for portraits. Lots of prestes have been called Ektar inspired. Today I’ll show you the essentials of this recipe of my authentic and detailed Ektar 100 preset.
Get this film preset in my Filmist pack. Or make your own based on what I show in the video. You can get Classic Negative and Portra 160 presets in my FREE Filmist Sampler Here.
Why Ektar over Portra or Fuji Film preset recipes?
The first version of the Ektar 100 presets I made for the Filmist film presets pack was good. But it was now perfect and may not have been your go-to like the Portra Gen.2 presets. When I want something a bit more robust than Porta, Finer than Natura 1600, and more complex than film presets like Classic Chrome, I’ll be going to Ektar.
Rather than being designed for people like Portra, Ektar is more of an all-use film. But despite its rich reds, it makes great portraits, streets, and landscapes all in one film.
Here’s How I made the Ektar 100 like Gen2
Kodaks Ektar has come in various versions, but the most famous and still made is Ektar 100. It’s not an easy look to replicate digitally, but it has complex color magic that is great. Most of the Ektar variants are no longer available, but you still can buy the 2000’s era Ektar 100 version.
So in Filmist v1.8 I went back to the basics. As I show in the recipe overview in the video, it’s mostly about ultra-detailed curves and HSL. I’ve shot Ektar myself in my 4×5 work so I am familiar with its deep colors and often slightly red tint. But the secret to really getting a digital film look right is to refine it tirelessly until it works on all image types.
I researched deeper and watched reviews on the film, and how different people use and process it. How each process works differently to get slight variants. Then you combine all that to make the look really good.
The warm skin tones in Ektar 100 look great if processed well and that reflects in the presets simulation of the film.
What goes a Gen.2 Film Simulation Preset Mean?
Most companies make presets, you buy them and that’s what you get. But I keep refining and updating them and in Filmist I’ve spent hundreds of hours creating free updates since it launched.
Every Gen.2 film preset I make takes more hours of tinkering and study to make that film look perfect on digitally. In Filmist 1.8 I finished the Gen.2 versions of Classic Chrome and Classic Negative presets as well as vastly improved the color nuances of these popular fuji profiles. More on that in this post.
But Ektar 100 is about making the presets for Lightroom and Capture One represent the actual chemical film in every use case. And it’s fantastic. This new version is so much more subtle, and you’ll find that whether you’re shooting the streets of glamorous portraits, it has that natural fine-grain film feel with deep reds and nuanced color gradients. It’s a true Gen.2 film preset and will quickly become a go-to.
The ways reds and blues are rendered is distinct in the Ektar film look presets but it looks amazing in most scenes.
Why should you be using Film simulations as your editing baseline?
I make a lot of good presets, like Silver black and white and PowerFlow presets and more. Then there are actions. You may have those or you’ve made your own.
The film is something special. Using film presets as a baseline for color and black-and-white edits make you see color and shadow. It will make your editing more subtle and you’ll see the nuance that gentle changes make.
Try the Ektar film preset or make your own from the recipe essentials that I show in the video. There are different ways to interpret this film look as a preset, but I this this Ektar 100 like Gen.2 really conveys it well. If you still shoot film, go shoot a roll and tell me how you think this rates.
Thanks for coming and keep shooting – Gavin Seim
Complex shadow definition, fine grain and color nuance make this film a favorite and I worked overtime to re-create that aesthetic.This film preset give a magical undertone that makes ordinary scenes come alive. Film is good at that.Subline reds are a distinct thing about the Ektar 100 feel, but they way they mix with blues in Lightroom and Capture one is great.Like Fujis Classic film looks, Portra and Natura, Ektar Like Gen.2 will be a go-to film preset that you will come back to all the timer.
Classic Negative and Classic Chrome are two very popular color profiles on Fuji cameras. It seems Fuji is the only camera maker who has managed to make its in-camera profiles iconic. That’s because they create their camera profiles from Film. The problem is they only work on some cameras
Filmic presets are the solution.
The Gen.2 Classic Negative Like presets have been refined a lot since my first version a few years ago giving you the JPEG-like colors with the RAW advantages in post.
I just finished Filmist V1.8 with new Gen. 2 versions of my Classic negative-like and Classic Chrom-like presets, as well as Ektar Gen2 (I made a post about that here) With nearly 5 years of development, Filmist has become a king of great filmic presets, and I’m super proud of it.
I’ve been making master preset packs since Lightroom launched. But the hardest to create are my Capture One and Lightroom film presets, Filmist. Presets like PowerFlow and Natural HDR and great. But the film does something magical for digital.
IN it I’ve included the improved Gen.2 version of Classic Negative like for you Fuji lovers, PLUS a few other film presets to get you started. The improved Classic Chrome and Ektar presets are included in Filmist complete.
I love Filmic presets. Here’s why they work so well.
Overdriving sliders in an edit is a very common problem. More is not more in a great photo. That, I believe, is why people like these Fuji camera profiles—they are subtle.
It’s silly, but it hurts a little when my customers reject my recommendation to try Filmist as their next pack. I know they are missing out. I love film presets because when you shoot real film or edit with good film presets, it changes the way you create photos.
Things that were once boring become atmospheric and feel more real. It helps you gain perspective on every other process because film will always have an organic look.
The JPEG Classic Chrom from my Fuji V100V next to the RAW file processed with the presets only. This looks was especially hard to re-create on RAW, but now that I have it I can use it on files from any camera.
I also love Fuji cameras and they have great profiles like Classic Chrome. But I don’t use them much. I nearly always apply the looks with a preset and not a baked-in look because it gives more control. Plus you can use filmic presets on any camera or even video thanks to LUTS.
PS: If you want to create your own Classic Chrome preset for free, you can watch the video I made on the Gen 1 recipe here to get a good starting point.
Filmist 1.8 brings better C1 and Lightroom Film Presets!
In today’s post, I’ll share a variety of photos processed with these Capture One and Lightroom Film presets. Everything comes from my newly updated V1.8 and nearly world-famous “like” versions of these recipes as presets for any camera.
1.8 also has the new Gen 2 of the Ektar 100 which is a really great film. I’ll write more about that in another post. All these looks come thanks to many test images from the long hours, so they are more accurate than ever. The updated version includes the Lightroom Presets, the Capture One Styles, and the video LUTS.
You can also download the Filmist sampler again for the 1.8 version. If you own FIlmist Complete, this is a free update, and you can get your account for the latest install.
Classic Chrome Like, RAW File with presetClassic Negative Like, RAW file with preset
A Classic Negative vs Classic Chrome Profile Review
Classic Negative – is a bit deeper and more intense. It has subdued colors but is more contrasty. It’s well-loved for streets for that reason, though usually, it’s not my favorite for portraits. Turn up the exposure a little on portraits to make it smoother.
Loosely based on Superia 200 and Classic Chrome is very loosely based on Kodachrome. I talked about that in this video.
Classic Chrome – is soft and gentle and sometimes you may need a bit more if your light is not contrasty. But it’s versatile.
While Classic Negative has an almost soft color look, classic Chrome is a bit brighter and more slide film-like, even though it’s not actually that close to the Kodachrome film it was inspired by.
Both produce great results and both can feel very natural. But if you look at these examples you can see how each has its own character. All these examples were done with the presets, which means camera type is not a barrier.
Film presets should be made with extensive testing to work well.
I do extensive homework for every film I make. In fact, making Gen.2 of these was hard because they were already good. I had to spend hours refining fine details in Lightroom and Capture One, and that’s the most tedious part.
When I shoot with Fuji cameras, I use both of these profiles. But in the post, I always take the RAW file and use the presets. Yes even before the built-in fuji-specific RAW profiles for better dynamic range and more accuracy.
It’s important that we can apply these looks to any file, any camera, old or new. Not just the latest model. Because when editing a project, you need consistency, not looks that are all over the map. If I shot part of a project on Fuji and another part on Sony or Canon, I want to be able to edit them with the same feel.
Presets make it easy and turn a recipe that requires dozens of hours to create into a single click. All while leaving you in control. By using presets on Raw instead of baked-in JPEGS, I get smoother highlight roll-off, I can increase or decrease the effect, and I can change my mind later.
The Classic Chrome-like presets on a SONY Raw FileClassic Neg-like presets on a SONY Raw File
Film presets solve a problem.
I made Filmist so we could better bring the darkroom to digital. Before, we had a limited number of films but a nearly infinite number of ways to develop them back in the day. Most are gone now. Today we have many ways to develop with a simple slider and while under-editing creates boring photos that lack atmosphere, over-driving a slider can take a great photo and make it bad instantly.
Film has an organic shadow-rich look. So Wwen you start editing with film presets you get more than just tinkering with sliders. Yes, you save time, but you try things and see things. Colors, shadows, various kinds of reds, and nuances can take a rather plain photo and make it seem like something from the pages of National Geographic. Color, Silver mix, and shadows matter.
You can see in just the Classic Negative and Classic Chrome looks that while the processes are not that intense, they are distinct and when you learn to make the destination or the nuances you become a better photographer and editor. Film makes that process a whole lot easier because it’s backed by hundreds of years of chemical processes and research into what makes our eyes respond to shadow and light.
Below are a few more examples of these modern film-inspired look
Gavin Seim
Fuji RAW File, Classic Chrome Like Lightroom FIlm PresetFuji RAW File, Classic Neg Like Lightroom Film PresetI’ve dialed the looks in for as Lightroom Presets and Capture One StylesIN Both LR and C1, Classic negative is a bit moodier and with less saturated tones.
RAW Portrait Classic Chrome LikeRAW POrtrait Classic Negative Like
We’re going to talk about the 3 Lightroom and Capture One presence sliders today, but I’m not going to teach them the way Adobe does! We’re going to reverse things!
Presence – Clarity VS Texture VS and De-Haze are important!
These all affect the atmosphere. I make use of them in nearly every edit. You’ll also see them used in subtly different ways when I make Lightroom Presets and Capture One Styles pack like Filmist, and Versus when I make tools like Natural HDR.
You’ll also see me use all 3 of these deeply in Lightrooms Ai presets that I include in Silver 5 and Elegance Speed Masks.
I simplify Clarity, Texture and De-Haze in the video. But here’s an overview of what the presence sliders do.
You know about the presence sliders in Lightroom or their equivalents in Capture One. But do you know that these sliders are often used really badly? I’ve taught Lightroom since version 1, but I’ve rarely seen these sliders taught well. Today I’ll show to use them for near-magical results!
The clarity in Lightroom and Capture One allows you to adjust the midtone contrast of an image. By increasing clarity, you can add depth and mid edge definition to your photos, making them appear more detailed in a gritty vs softness sense. Clarity can soften the appearance of an image and give it a more ethereal or dreamy look.
Mixing them up for more presense. Here Elegance Ai masks are used to bit globally we lowered Clarity while increasing Texture. This combination can give a perfect mix of detail and softness.
The texture is a newer but more important feature in both Lightroom and Capture One. It allows you to adjust the amount of detail and texture in an image, which can be particularly useful for enhancing the appearance of skin, fabrics, and other fine details in a photo without the ultra-fine lines and artifacts that come from heavy sharpening.
By increasing the texture, you can make these elements of your image appear more detailed and realistic. Conversely, decreasing the texture can smooth out rough or bumpy surfaces, giving your images a softer look. This can be magic in portrait edits.
All the presence sliders are up a bit here because it brings our richness and texture. But don’t assume that just because it’s food or streets you always want to turn them up. Go down also and watch good things happen.
The De-haze is a useful feature in both Lightroom and Capture One also. It allows you to remove hazey feeling from images. By using the de-haze feature, you can remove this haze and restore the detail of your images in a broader contract sense that’s almost like combining Blacks and Whites. BUT… Don’t always turn this up…
Reversing De-Haze is really taught and VERY powerful. I’ll show that!
I turn Dep-Haze down as much as I turn it up. Maybe more. Because when creating authentic films, organic feeling portraits, and gentle tones, photography ten to use these contrast and presence sliders altogether too much.
IN this POrtrait I used the FIlmist Portra 160 preset and then pulled down Clarity, Texture, and De-Haze a bit to give a natural organic lens feel that reminds me of how we used portrait filter on the lens all the time in the film days.
Clarity, texture, and de-haze are powerful tools in Lightroom and Capture One that allow you to fine-tune the surface of your photos.
I hope you enjoy and share this because if you know what these sliders can do for your photos, you will improve your ability to edit with them. If you use my presets, pay attention to how I apply these 3 sliders. A little can go a long way and really perfected looks can be created using these settings.
Gavin Seim
People often confuse clarity for HDR. But as I show in Natural HDR presets, they are not related. This is too much clarity for this portrait. There are times for a gritty high-pass style portrait. Or maybe you are creating a theme that;’s intense. But unless it’s for a solar reason, avoid too much.
I have 20 years as a photographer, and I’ll still say it. Good black and white presets are key to consistent great B&W edits. I’ll make it easy and free to skip the junk today.
Because they allow you to quickly and easily convert your photos to black and white, enhancing contrast and atmosphere. The capture one styles feature in Lightroom can also be used to apply unique styles, such as film simulations or vintage looks, to give your photos a polished look.
These free presets will improve the quality of your edits and save you time. Even if you’re an expert.
Don’t shy away from a little LoFi. In use Darkroom crush presets all the time and included it in the free presets pack because you will see how when a photo is feeling a bit list this kind of black and white mixing can bring it back.
Silver 5 Black and White presets are my most popular pack.
My Silver 5 Black and White presets are super popular because I’ve been perfecting them for over a decade. They’re great for pro photographers and beginners alike, with a range of styles to choose from. Whether you’re editing portraits or landscapes, these presets will make your black and white photos stand out.
Drive then shadows. I don’t need to pretend its’ day here. I drove the blacks with the Razors preset that I also included in the freestyles pack. Then I used the copper mist tone (also free). If I want advanced tones I’ll use Emulsion platinum actions. But the preset works well for a fast mix.
In the Silver 5 FREE black and white mini presets and styles pack, I picked presets that will nail it every time.
You’re about to download the best free black and white presets you’ve had for free or for money. Yes, iff you like them grab my complete pack because it’s another world of Lightroom and Capture One black and white edits. But what I want you to see in the mini pack is how good formulas will complete the vision you had in your head when you pressed the shutter.
You’ve probably downloaded presets and thought. These are useless, I would be better off making them myself. That’s fine, but ensure you make and refine your presets one way or another. Don’t hold off and just manually edit because you will only get fewer edits in the same amount of time.
I edited the photos on this page only with the free black-and-white presets from Silver 5. There’s nothing like them and obviously, the complete pack makes it even easier. But start here and see how different styles of photos will give you the result you had in your mind’s eye with variants of the channels, curves, and channels that a good preset will give you.
Amazing black and white is more about shadow than light. No one wants to talk about the secret of shadow.
Great black and white photos are all about the shadows, not just the light. People often forget how important shadows are, how they add depth and contrast to your work and take control of the entire photo.
To get the best results, try playing around with lighting and angles to see how the shadows fall. Get it good in camera. Then use Lightroom presets and Capture one Style to mix the shadows with the light in ways you would not usually try manually during post-processing. Don’t underestimate the power of shadow or presets to balance that shadow.
The Portrait black and white presets from the free pack is a perfect start. There’s more in Silver 5 complete. I added the Lightroom AI People presets from Silver 5 and it installs has skin tone and shadow balance and that’s what you want from a great black and white portrait edit.
It’s NOT about more, it’s about knowing what works.
I laugh when I see people telling packs of 1000 presets. If a maker has that little confidence in their formulas, they have no idea how to edit and are wasting your time. I would rather you had only the free presets from my black and white mini pack for Lightroom or Capture One than a pack of 500 useless repeats sold by an internet marketer.
I want to see us improve our black and white in 2023, so grab Silver 5 complete or just the free pack to start and see how much good formulas and good shadow technique quill transform your black and white this year.
Stay tuned to my newsletter and I’ll be sending you more tips and videos in the coming weeks.
Gavin Seim
You may be photographing streets on your Fuji X100V , POrtraits with a Canon or Weddings on Your Sony. It doe not matter. Play with these free black and white started presets I made you and you’ll see how having your presets and styles refined and ready will give you the right edit.
