In September, I spent nearly two weeks photographing beautiful Italy. While there, I used two film recipes, one for Matera and one for Florence. I wanted to separate the two locations, creating a different feel while still maintaining my style of photography.

With Fujifilm, there are many choices when it comes to shooting modes. There are various built-in film simulations for ease and convenience and endless ways to customize your look based on reputable film stocks and personal looks. With numerous choices for capturing an image, one must be familiar with how those choices affect your image.

Travelling is very exciting; you are experiencing locations and cultures foreign to you, and there is much to experience. As a result, using any of your precious and limited time to learn your camera and what you think would be the best simulation or recipe to use is best completed well before you get to the first stop of your travels. You do not want to be switching between many recipes or searching for and tweaking settings while you are away. It’s distracting and can result in unfavourable results with your images.

What is a Film Simulation/Recipe?

If you use Fujifilm digital cameras, you are probably aware that there are options to simulate film stocks using built-in camera settings or recreate your looks and recreations by adjusting individual settings and saving them in one of the available save spaces on the camera. You can change colours, contrast, and other settings to mimic the aesthetic of film stocks. Alternatively, you can adjust settings to create a completely original “recipe.” A film simulation or a custom recipe can dramatically alter the mood and feel of your photos, and continuously using one simulation while on a trip can help create consistency throughout your work.

Why Choose a Film Simulation Before You Travel?

There is no question that less gear results in less hassle. Although there are times when a longer lens is necessary, lots of gear often causes decision paralysis; you wonder what would be best in every situation. Less choice can result in less frustration, less time missing key moments, and more time enjoying your travel experience, which is the most important.

A limitation in choice is also true when creating and utilizing film simulations and recipes with your Fujifilm camera. With numerous options and limited space to save them, you must have what you want easily accessible and ready to go before you travel.

Having your camera set up to access your recipes quickly will save time. Still, the most important thing about using a film recipe is familiarity with it before you travel. Use the recipe often, capture photos, and import and view them where you do your post-processing work. This is where you will see what you like and what you do not and will have the opportunity to pivot and change settings or abandon a recipe altogether. For example, photos from recipes you find online may look great, but these are not your photos. It’s not your situation, nor your subject.

It is crucial to know how the simulation affects your photos and whether the look it produces fits what you envisioned, which means using it often. If possible, use the simulation in different shooting environments and weather, ensuring bright, sunny days are included with cloudy, overcast ones.

Consistency

Keep it consistent. You don’t want too many different looks throughout your travels. Sometimes, the absence of colour can be the best choice, so using a few black-and-white photos within your final gallery makes sense. However, you don’t want to bounce back and forth with different looks too much. This can alter a viewer’s experience as they peruse your gallery. Choosing one look can be complex, as experimenting with processing choices can yield numerous options you like.

When travelling, I recommend limiting the number of simulations for any given outing or travel to maintain consistency and streamline your post-processing workflow. I’d advise sticking with one simulation and shooting RAW + JPEG for flexibility.

Less Time with Post-Processing

It’s easy to accumulate many photos from your travels, especially when shooting RAW + JPEG, which doubles up on every picture taken. However, having both versions can be beneficial, as it allows you to use your JPEG or, if desired, the RAW to edit as you see fit. If you use JPEG, the post-processing time may be quick, as choosing a film simulation allows you to get the desired look straight out of the camera, reducing the need for post-processing. You may make minimal adjustments on what could be hundreds of photos. (or none at all) Using RAW can take more time to create a consistent look, as each image usually has multiple adjustments and tweaks.

Conclusion

Selecting the proper film simulation is more than just a technical choice; it’s a creative decision representing your travels. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with various simulations and choose one that aligns with your intended look. Being prepared and doing so before you set off on your travels will ensure that this critical decision is finalized before you are immersed in a new destination. You can focus more on capturing what you intend.