How to Use Lomochrome Purple for Creative Color Shifts

By ShutterGroove | Published: 2026-10-25

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to shoot and develop Lomochrome Purple 35mm film to achieve surreal color shifts. This guide covers exposure tips, lighting choices, and common mistakes to avoid.

Quick Answer

To get creative color shifts with Lomochrome Purple, rate it at ISO 400 in bright sunlight for strong purple tones, or push to ISO 200 for more subtle hues. Avoid mixed lighting sources to prevent muddy colors.

Why Lomochrome Purple Behaves Differently

Lomochrome Purple is a color-shift film that replaces natural greens with purples and blues with turquoise. The effect is not predictable like standard color negative film—it depends heavily on the light spectrum and exposure. Understanding this unpredictability is key to using it creatively.

Steps to Shoot Lomochrome Purple

Choose Your ISO Setting: Set your camera to ISO 400 for the strongest purple shift. Use ISO 200 for a more balanced, subtle effect. Avoid ISO 100 unless you want very muted colors. Common mistake: Using ISO 100 indoors can result in muddy colors with little shift.
Shoot in Bright Sunlight: Lomochrome Purple works best in direct daylight. The UV-rich light enhances the purple and turquoise transformation. Overcast or shaded conditions reduce the effect. Checkpoint: If the sky is overcast, consider pushing the film to ISO 400 to compensate and boost color shift.
Avoid Mixed Lighting: Stick to natural daylight. Mixing tungsten, fluorescent, or LED light with daylight creates color casts that clash with the film's shift, producing dull or greenish results.
Develop Normally: Process Lomochrome Purple in standard C-41 chemistry. No special development is needed. Over- or under-developing can alter the color shift unpredictably. Common mistake: Trying to push or pull development without testing first can ruin the intended color effect.
Review and Adjust: After your first roll, note the lighting conditions and ISO used. Lomochrome Purple's results vary by scene, so keep a log to refine your technique.

Product Facts

Lomochrome Purple 35mm Film ISO 100-400: Lomochrome Purple 35mm film has an ISO range of 100-400, giving flexibility in different lighting conditions. You can shoot in various light levels, but the color shift changes with your chosen ISO setting, so test a roll to see what works for your style.
Lomochrome Purple 35mm Film ISO 100-400