Many people have been getting into film photography recently, and it’s not hard to see why. There’s something special about the gritty, old-fashioned look that you can only really get with a 35mm film camera. Shooting digital can be expensive and time-consuming, but don’t worry.
Here we are going to explain some useful tricks that will enable you to obtain a film look on your mobile images using VSCO.
Color
Many photographers are returning to film because of the unique colors that different types of film stocks can provide. To apply different color grades to your digital photo, you have to download one of the best VSCO photography apps. There are a number of free and paid filters available that can help you turn your digital photo into an antique-style image. But which filters will give you the best film look? Out of the options below, pick a few.
VSCO Lightroom Presets
I think the Kodak Portra series stocks are great for skin tones and color corrections. If you’re a fan of the film like I am, you probably already know everything about these three stocks, but in case you don’t know, each number represents the ISO.
Shadows and Highlights
Although digital cameras have a large dynamic range, this actually makes it harder to take pictures that look like they were taken with film cameras. This is because older film cameras have a smaller dynamic range, which causes highlights and shadows to appear more faded. To create a similar effect, you can bring your dark tones and shadows up while bringing your highlights down.
Tips & Tricks:
Grain
The most important thing to remember when trying to make digital photos look like film is not to forget about grain density. If you’re not a fan of adding grain to digital photos, that’s okay. However, it can help add depth and texture to your picture. Digital photos often look significantly different due to the lack of noise and grain unless they are shot at a high ISO. Although shooting at a high ISO can add some texture to your photo while you are taking it, adding grain in post-editing will allow you to keep a high-quality version of your photo as well as a “film version”.
Tips & Tricks:
Lower Clarity
A lower level of clarity is often a by-product of older film cameras. This is because older film cameras usually don’t have the best optics. By reducing the clarity of a photo, you can give it the unpolished quality often found in film photos. Lowering the clarity of your digital images is a great way to make them look more vintage and film-like. It takes a developed eye to use it just right.
Tips & Tricks: