I’ve previously enjoyed shooting fresh Lomography Redscale, a reverse-spooled color film that uses the tinted film back as a filter of sorts, at ISO 200. The film has an extended range, and having shot it at ISO 400 in the past and deemed it too underexposed, I was pleased with it at ISO 200. So, when I decided to use long-expired rolls as part of my refrigerator-film-drawer clearing project, I decided to shoot them at ISO 200.
It turns out that really wasn’t slow enough! This decade-plus expired film took on a new look, with nearly teal, profoundly grainy shadows. The results are nearly “duochrome,” with the primary colors being pale orange and nearly teal green.
The grain is excessive to me, and I’m considering smoothing it digitally to play up the duochrome-like characteristics. I’m unsure I am brave enough to shoot the remaining roll at ISO 100 in hopes of better contrast.
Still, I don’t regret trying this film to see what I would get: these kinds of surprises are why daring photographers play with expired film.