Of all the slide films out there, Fujichrome Velvia 100 is my ultimate favorite for cross processing (xpro). It’s so different from the more common Velvia 50, and most other slide films for that matter.
The Velvia 100 exhibits very strong red tones when cross processed, but I’ve seen it vary from yellow to purple depending on the temperature of the light. Some images appear to be almost redscale, but with more contrast and tonal separation. Others don’t appear to have a very strong effect at all. Gotta love the randomness of xpro!
I love this film/developing combo so much that I wanted to share some photos from my own archive and from other folks on Flickr. From these selections alone, you can see how varied the results may be. And yet… they’re all so similar with that striking red tone.
photo credit: Brian Auer
© photo credit: Tomas Webb
photo credit: forbesphotographer
photo credit: stephanie ★
photo credit: Brian Auer
photo credit: boliston
photo credit: slimmer_jimmer
photo credit: rachel a. k.
photo credit: daniel jabra
photo credit: Leo Uehara
photo credit: .scribe
photo credit: Brian Auer
photo credit: tpedrosa
photo credit: stephanie ★
photo credit: Brian Auer
photo credit: Stitch
photo credit: slimmer_jimmer
photo credit: dusterdb88
photo credit: .scribeAnybody else out there a fan of Velvia 100 Xpro? What’s your take on this film? Leave us some links to your shots in the comments!
April 20th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Found an interesting article about the myths of randomness in cross processing slides in C41. I haven’t shot any slide film yet but have some sitting in the fridge.
Thanks for the website.
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Brian Auer Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 11:10 am
I’d be curious to see the article. My experience so far with cross processing has shown high variability in colors depending on the temperature of the light, the exposure, and the chemicals used (Kodak vs Fuji vs 3rd party). Perhaps if all those aspects were held constant from roll to roll, the cross processed film would be consistent — but that’s true of most films.
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jojonas Reply:
June 29th, 2010 at 1:19 am
I too have read an article about xpro not really being random. I guess I read it about half a year ago on some blog. The writer went into good detail when describing how he’d been using slides in c-41 chems for a long time with consistent results. If I find the blog I’ll get beck to you..
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Tomas Webb Reply:
June 29th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
It can be predictable, but it will change depending on Kodak or Fuji chemistry. I feel that I can accurately predict how mine will turn out now.
April 23rd, 2010 at 4:43 am
Ya know, I came over here to look at the photos and enjoy the Xprocessed goodness. And then spent the whole time laughing because of that damned dinosaur photo again. Every time I have almost forgotten about it, it pops back up. Thanks for the early morning laughs.
(and all of those excellent photos!)
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bernardo roustand Reply:
September 18th, 2010 at 3:18 am
i just shot my first roll of fuji velvia 100 in my USSR lomo “smena”, and as far as i researched these pics looks like “velvia 100F”, that has more of a reddish tone due to the fact that the film is blue/green instead of red/brownish (positive vs. negative). correct me if i’m wrong but i heard velvia 100 and 50 were discontinued and replaced by this “100F”, wich is less recomended for xpro, since the colorshifting is less impacting then his older brothers velvia 50 and 100 (without the F).
anyway great photos!
once you go xpro, you don’t go back!
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April 25th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Nice to see my picture there. Thanx!
And yes – Velvia is one of my faves, too.
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May 4th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
I’ve never cross processed film before, part of me is scared of the results. What happens if I get a frame that I would rather of wanted it in the original colour? I guess you’d have to shoot a whole roll knowing that you’re going to cross-process it.
THECONTACTSHEET
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May 6th, 2010 at 9:17 am
I did some cross processing in response to another post about getting stuck in a rut. And randomly I chose Velvia 100 as my film to start with.
I photographed Annalie Wilson a singer
http://photos.sambern.co.uk/2010/05/04/annalie-asleep-with-piano/
And Shoreditch park in Spring
http://photos.sambern.co.uk/2010/05/06/atomic-spring/
Both cross processed Velvia 100 shot on a Holga 120 CFN. The reds came out really strongly in some of the shots, really noticeable in skin tones. But I don’t have that gorgeous red hue thats in some of these photos. Possibly because exposure isn’t very exact on a Holga.
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May 13th, 2010 at 9:41 am
is it to be become red a characteristic of velvia or is it random?
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Brian Auer Reply:
May 13th, 2010 at 10:43 am
It’s a characteristic of Velvia 100 to turn red after xpro. The Velvia 50 will turn blue-green, similar to Ektachrome.
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