Rose Spectra | A perfect film simulation for portraits and travel
- Sep 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 11
Rose Spectra started with portraits. I wanted a look that brought a gentle warmth to skin tones, with a soft rose tint that feels nostalgic. The result is a film simulation with creamy, subtle tones and a delicate pink cast that flatters faces without overpowering them.
But it’s not just for portraits. I’ve found it works beautifully for travel shots, everyday moments, landscapes, even vlogs. It’s the kind of look that makes your footage look a little dreamier, if you will.
Overview
What makes Rose Spectra stand out is its versatility. It doesn’t lock you into a specific mood but instead adapts gracefully to different environments—whether it’s golden-hour portraits, overcast street shots, or soft indoor lighting. The gentle rose tones harmonize with both natural and artificial light, giving your images a consistent, cohesive feel. It’s a look that prioritizes subtlety and mood over drama, which is why many creators find themselves returning to it for everyday use.
Adapting film simulations on different cameras
Each camera model will have a slightly different color science. The rule of thumb is, cameras released in the same year have pretty virtually the same color science, so adjustments are not necessarily needed.
This recipe was calibrated on the Sony a6700, which tends to lean slightly warmer with a subtle yellow cast compared to other Sony models. For example, the Sony a7C generally renders cooler tones with a slight magenta shift. To match the look of the a6700, try increasing the Kelvin temperature by 100–200 on the a7C.
For older Sony models, I recommend not only raising the temperature by +200K, but also adjusting the color filter one step toward green, especially if your camera leans magenta like the Sony a7III. So if the base filter setting is B7–M1, shift it to B7 for more accurate results.
👉 I have multiple articles showcasing how to color match color between multiple Sony cameras. Check them out!
Who is it for?
Unlike high-contrast film looks like X-Tarr, which hit hard and leave an impact, Rose Spectra is more reserved. It leans into creamy highlights, subtle pink undertones, and warm skin tones, letting the subject lead and the grade stay out of the way. There’s still depth and richness, it’s not flat, but everything's balanced.
It works well for:
Portraits
Travel and lifestyle
Vlogs
Simple landscape scenes
Rose Spectra won’t be for everyone. It probably won't win over lovers of deep contrast and saturated blues. If you like loud colors, you’ll probably find it too soft. But if you’re after warmth, subtle emotion, and photos that feel familiar right away, it might click.
Try it out! And if you do, share the JPEGs with us!
Get access to all film simulations down below
SOOC JPEGs of Rose Spectra
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