Underglow, Deep Mood in Golden Light

Underexposed Classic Negative film recipe for a dark tones look at sunset or sunrise

Over the winter months gloomy weather can dominate the days and when the sun is out, it can be low in the sky and disappear earlier in the day. Certainly in the UK we can lose it by 4pm. So, for these shorter days I’ve been experimenting with moody looks that play with darker tones and use underexposure as part of the toolkit.

I’ve been sharing some of these moody looks in the Film Recipes Facebook Group and adding them to the 500+ collection that will be part of the Film.Recipes app. This one though was so much fun that I really had to get it released to everyone as part of this site.

This recipe is a specialist, and really does need the right conditions to get the best from it. Ideally, you’ll be using the first or last moments of sunlight, and shoot into the light to have fun with silhouettes and flare. Critical to the look is also the underexposure, which can be set at least -1EV but can go further.

That said, if you have no sun to work with, you can have fun with gloomy conditions and get a deep tone moody look from shady and cloudy scenes as well. Scroll for samples and you’ll see what I mean.

Timing is everything to get coppery sunlight and a deep mood with the Underglow Film Recipe.

Underglow Film Recipe

  • Simulation: Classic Negative
  • Grain Effect: Off
  • Colour Chrome Effect: Weak
  • Colour Chrome Blue: Strong (IV) / Weak (V)
  • White Balance: Auto
  • WB Shift: +4 Red, -7 Blue
  • Dynamic Range: DR400
  • Highlights: -2.0
  • Shadows: +2.0
  • Color: -4
  • Sharpness: -2
  • ISO Noise Reduction: -4
  • Clarity: -2
  • EV compensation: -1 EV or more
Getting creative with the last of the sunlight and the Underglow film recipe.
The character is different when using mid-afternoon light. Underglow film recipe
Sunset is play time with the deep contrast of Underglow film recipe
Gloomy weather bring a different possibility when using the Underglow film recipe
Bad weather is now a good excuse to go out taking photos, with the Underglow film recipe!
A hazy Summer morning using the Underglow film recipe
Not an obvious choice for vacation photos, but fun for added mood. Underglow film recipe
Coastal flowers in the afternoon sun, using the Underglow film recipe
A later autumn fern in the morning sun, with deep tones from the Underglow film recipe
Coastal sunsets, captured using the Underglow film recipe
Last summer sunset captured in amongst the wheat with Underglow film recipe
Forest moods are given the deep and dark treatment with the Underglow film recipe
Try something different with the underexposed look of the Underglow film recipe

To see more photos taken with film recipes, and to share your photos with others, why not join our Film Recipes Facebook Group 📷

FILM.RECIPES is now on YOUTUBE. Let’s try out some film recipes!

Mistery Machine Film Recipe Video
(Foggy day photography)
Turqish Film Recipe Video
(Go crazy with colour)
Venus Mars Film Recipe Video
(Sunset over the ocean)

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