6 EASY Tricks To Edit Your Photos To Look Like Film

The nostalgic charm of analog photography has grown increasingly popular over the last few years, though not surprising. Its effervescent tones, manual touch, and relatively simple approach spark a fresh kind of inspiration in artists around the world. And while the tangible process of film is hard to replicate, the pictorial outcome is much easier to manipulate.

Softwares, like Lightroom or VSCO, make it fun and easy to process images similar to vintage goodies. While this guide is simple in essence and relatively basic in terms of technicalities, the below tips are a beginner’s guide to understanding the steps needed to host a similar color profile to film.

So, let’s dive in.

1. Recognizing The Various Film Stocks

To plot your specific edit, you must discover which film stock(s) you’d like to emulate. I’ve combined some of the more popular film stocks below.

• Kodak Professional Portra 160 - The Versatile Light Range
• Kodak Professional Portra 400 - The One With Perfect Skin Tones
• Kodak Professional Portra 800 - The Low Light Compatible
• Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 - The Black and White Details
• Kodak Professional Ektar 100 - The Vibrant and Colorful
• Kodak Gold 200 - The Golden Warmth
• Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100 - The Experimental
• CineStill 500 D - The Cinematic Tones and Dark Features
• CineStill 800 T - The Grain for Nighttime Street Action
• Fujifilm Superia X-TRA400 - The Purple-Tinted Majesty
• Ilford Delta 400 - The Finest of Detail for Panchromatic Images
• Ilford HP5 Plus - The Stark Contrast and Bright Highlighter

Additionally, if you’re hungry for more, I wrote an example article on the 7 best Kodak 35mm and 120 film stocks that features more information about each roll and additional visual examples from other photographers. There’s also a guide for FujiFilm and CineStill in case you’d like to take a gander. I highly recommend reading these pieces if you want an in-depth analysis of the various stylizations per stock.

Which colors best suit your subject? What stock might look best for your photo’s lighting condition? Do you want a funky hue or a desire for more natural skin tones?

2. Clarity, Sharpness, and Grain

When editing an image to mimic film, your aim will be to emulate the characteristics of vintage cameras. Many of the cameras had less sharp lenses and fewer problems with fringing and flares. It'd be worth starting your edit by positioning the clarity down very slightly to copy that effect.

Some artists like to add grain to their images by adjusting the sliders in Lightroom, a super popular effect that's more characteristic of film than digital.

3. Play With Tonal Curves

Film photography possesses distinctive qualities that differentiate it from its digital counterparts. One of the hallmark features of old film is its muted shadows and subdued highlights. This characteristic nostalgic look can be emulated in today's digital realm using tools like Lightroom or mobile apps such as VSCO.

To achieve this look, utilize the 'tone curves' function. Adjusting the tone curves can elevate the darker shadows, giving them a softer, faded appearance. Simultaneously, reducing the whites' intensity will help achieve those characteristic faded highlights reminiscent of vintage film.

4. Warm It Up

Vintage cameras often imprint a warm, golden undertone on their photographs, a hallmark of the analog era. This nostalgic tonality can be replicated with modern tools, mainly using your editing software's HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) panel.

To emulate this classic warmth, tweaking the hue settings to introduce warmth. Then, reduce luminance in brighter zones and enhance the saturation, especially focusing on hues like yellow and orange. This approach will bring you closer to that cherished filmic ambiance.

5. Three Primary Colors

Although it may sound intimidating, this is perhaps one of the easiest yet most impactful ways to shift the vintage vibe in your image. It’s similar to the HSL panel, but instead of a range of colors, you only work with the (3) primaries: Red, Green, and Blue. Tweak the blue to a few degrees left for a more aqua shine, which always gives your image a pop of unique color.

Create your roadmap, right? Once you find the particular film stock you desire to emulate most, study the colors within the stock’s shadows and highlights. Place a more purple-by-contrast in the shadows to mimic Kodak Gold 200.

Focusing on these 3 primary colors will impact your image best.

6. Grain

Film photography enthusiasts often appreciate the inherent grain in analog photos, which can range from subtle to quite pronounced, imparting a strong texture. While I personally find digitally-added grain inauthentic and somewhat gimmicky, judiciously introducing texture to your digital images can convincingly mimic a filmic appearance to the untrained eye.

When adding this effect, it's important to exercise restraint. It's particularly effective in darker, moodier shots.

7. Try Presets!

While creating presets of your own is fun and experimental, why not make it easier on yourself and purchase some film-like presets to start with?

We offer super batches that are more natural and timeless, to a more 70’s nostalgic vibe. Compatible with both Lightroom and Photoshop, these Professional-made presets are perfect for having a go-to consistent look to your photos.

💌 There's More!

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