Fuji’s Acros film simulation is right up there with Classic Chrome as one of my favorites. It’s moody and crisp right out of the box, adding a sharp look to your images. It’s great on its own, but can be a lot of fun to customize.

I put this film simulation together for a recent trip to LA and was curious how it would perform at the Getty, especially on a gloomy, rainy day. Turns out it was the perfect way to capture the moodiness of the weather contrasted with the stark white architecture of the Getty.

These images were taken as JPEGS with the X100F and adjusted lightly in CaptureOne, with a matte S-curve applied to complete the look.

Like its contrasty cousin, Classic Grunge, LA Noir is more about setting a mood than creating perfect images. It’s been awhile since I’ve studied in black and white, but this moody sim invited me to experiment with dark, light, and the areas in between.

I found it works best overexposed by half a stop, give or take.

FUJIFILM SIMULATION RECIPE: LA NOIR

Film Simulation: Acros (R)
WB: Auto
WB Shift: 
DR: 100%
ISO: Auto
Color: 
Shadows: +2
Highlights: +1
Sharpness: -2
Noise Reduction: -1
Grain: On (Weak)