Shooting LomoChrome Purple A Surreal Twist on Everyday Scenes

So I’m making my way through all the film stocks I can get my hands on at the moment and Lomo Purple, makes you see the world differently. It’s not the sort of roll I’d reach for every day, but in the right place and at the right time of year, it turns familiar landscapes and scenes into something altogether otherworldly. Although this film can be shot anywhere between ISO 100 and 400, I decided to shoot it at box speed—ISO 400—for my first roll.

What is LomoChrome Purple?

For those unfamiliar, LomoChrome Purple is a colour-shifting film from Lomography designed to mimic the look of the now-discontinued Kodak Aerochrome infrared film, I’ve tried to mimic this on digital before and I will definitely not be able to afford a roll of Areochrome so this was my next best bet. It’s not true infrared, but it gets close to that trippy, surreal look—greens shift to purples, reds stay relatively red, and blues often turn into a subtle turquoise or cyan.

Unlike more traditional colour films, the "correct" exposure for Lomo Purple is a bit more subjective. It doesn’t behave like Portra or Ektar. In fact, part of the appeal is that it doesn’t behave at all—at least, not in the way you might expect.

Buttermere, I’m not sure what it is about this image but i’m really drawn to it.

Shooting at ISO 400

Shooting at ISO 400 gave me fairly rich colours and contrast straight out of the scan. From what I’ve seen, rating it at 100 tends to bring out lighter, more pastel tones, whereas 400 keeps things punchier and deeper. That worked for me. I didn’t want the film to feel washed out—I wanted drama.

One of the first things I noticed is how dramatically green foliage shifts into shades of purple and magenta. Even dull, overcast days were transformed into dreamlike, moody scenes. Grass becomes lavender, hedgerows become maroon. It’s disorienting, but in the best way.

That said, metering can be tricky. I leaned into the unpredictability by using centre-weighted metering and trusting the camera (most of the time). In high-contrast scenes, it’s easy to blow out highlights or lose shadow detail, so bracketing might be worth considering if you're shooting something you care about.

Subjects That Shine

LomoChrome Purple works best when there’s a lot of green in the frame. Parks, forests, suburban gardens—they all come to life in strange new ways. Architecture and urban environments can also be interesting, especially when you mix concrete greys with the magenta foliage the film creates.

Portraits? They're hit and miss. Skin tones can look odd, though that might be exactly what you're after. It’s not flattering in a conventional sense, but if you’re going for an editorial or experimental look, it might be perfect.

Somewhere near Grasmere, all I remember is a nice cup of coffee and donut down the road.

Final Thoughts

LomoChrome Purple isn’t for everyone. If you like clean, true-to-life colours and consistent results, this might drive you mad. But if you’re open to letting go of control, embracing the weird, and seeing your surroundings through a new lens, it’s a fun ride.

Shooting at ISO 400 gave me solid results, especially in good light, and I'd happily shoot it again at the same speed. I’m curious to try it at either 100 or 200 ISO next time to compare the shift in tones.

Film stocks like this remind me not to take photography too seriously. Not everything needs to be technically perfect. Sometimes it’s enough to play, experiment, and enjoy the ride.

Climbing Helvellyn