Faux Cross-Processing

Cross processing is simply developing film in a different process then it was intended to be processed. The most common type of cross processing is developing slide film as colour negative film. Normal slide film is processing is called E6 and normal colour negative film processing is called c41,

If you are interested here is a slide show of some of my slide film cross-processed in c41.

Also here is my blog posting exposing some of the myths of cross-processing:


Now days there are plenty of actions that try to duplicate the "Cross-processed" look. But it turns out much of what we consider the cross processing look and feel is as a result of a lab scan as opposed to a printed photograph. Mini lab scanners when scanning cross processed film as a normal c41 assumes a nonexistent orange base plus a normal colour channel gamma.

I am interested in duplicating the look of cross processing by back engineering a normal image back to a faux cross processed negative. Just for fun after scanning I converted a Portra 400 negative film to a cross processed slide by reversing the result and then reversed the negative back to a positive assuming a none existing orange base that a regular negative film would have.

This is my first attempt in using a model rather then a canned action:

Original Photo

Faux Cross Processed