Low contrast cinematic film recipe with Eterna film simulation

I’ve been experiementing with low contrast (or matte) film recipe styles recently. I love the cinematic mood that you can acheive with a flattened tone curve, and overall soft aesthetic.

My first published recipe with this approach was Flatpack, a Classic Chrome look with a matte nostalgic vibe. For this recipe, I’ve worked instead from Eterna as a base simulation for a soft tone profile. For added atmosphere, I’ve used a colour balance that evokes a charaterful cine vibe, but also works really well for natural and outdoor scenes.

I’ve tested it in a variety of conditions, and although it is lovely in sunshine, I also really love the look in murky conditions, like mist, cloud and drizzle. It’s a real all weather recipe. I didn’t plan it that way, but it’s a happy accident that I’m very pleased about.

Flat Earth really doubles down on the cinematic vibe, and has a wonderfully calm and mellow tone. There’s also a bit of extra mood from a single stop of underexposure. If you enjoy this look even a little bit as much as I do, then you’ll soon be a champ on your socials with this flat tone style.

Flat Earth Film Recipe Settings

Similar Recipes

More similar recipes, and hundreds more exclusive looks, are available in the Film Recipes App.

Flat Earth Film Recipe: Sample Photos

Using the Flat Earth Film Recipe

Each film simulation recipe has its own character and style. These features mean recipes are more suited to certain situations, or when seeking a particular look. Here are the categories that Flat Earth has been tagged with.