Discover how the HARMAN RED 125 35mm redscale film can turn your photography into striking, dystopian-style masterpieces. Here’s Focus Editor, Philip's experience shooting with it...
Introduction: What is ‘redscale’ in film photography?
Redscale is a technical term in film photography in which you essentially shoot through the back of colour film rather than the front.
By doing so, you expose the red layer of the film (a film roll is made up of several different layers), and you get images primarily made up of red, yellow, and orange hues.
It can create a spectacular effect, resulting in images that feature a striking, some might describe it as doom-like colour palette. This is why redscale is often described as 'dystopian' or 'apocalyptic'. It has long been a popular staple in the lomography and experimental photography community. That's a community which is only growing, and this is where the HARMAN RED 125 35mm film comes in, which I discuss in this article, along with a gallery of sample images.
Historically, getting the redscale look has always been a bit of a DIY process for photographers, where they would ‘flip’ the film roll to get the effect. However, now that there’s a 35mm redscale film on the market that’s available at a wide range of photographic outlets, it has made it much easier (and far more accessible) for all photographers to acheive this look.
What is the HARMAN RED 125 35mm film?
HARMAN Photo, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of analogue film, released a redscale film roll earlier this year, the ‘HARMAN RED' redscale film. This ISO 125 35mm film has been designed to give the redscale look when used in a film camera. The cassette is placed in the camera, just like any other film roll, but with the redscale film, the sensitive red layer is exposed first.
You can read about the HARMAN RED film in more detail on its dedicated page on the HARMAN website, or if you want to explore its more technical and chemical aspects, you can download the film’s technical information PDF.
In the UK, where I’m based, the film stock retails at £12.99 and is generally easy to find. You can buy it online on the HARMAN website or at physical shops like Wex Photographic. HARMAN also distributes internationally and is available at major film retailers worldwide.
What was it like using the film?
Inserting the film was the same as using any other type of film. I loaded it into the camera as usual and took photos like I would with any other 35mm film.
"On first impressions, well, wow!"
It’s just worth noting that, although classed as ‘medium range’, the ISO is lower than many of the film stocks on the market right now at ISO 125. However, as explained on the HARMAN Red page, you can shoot the film as if you were shooting at different ISO (therefore with different fstops and shutter speeds, with recommended ISOs being between 100 - 400 to get the best results). This is called ‘pushing’ and ‘pulling’ the film, and in the case of the HARMAN RED 125, it can give drastically different results.
The results: impressions and sample images
On first impressions, well, wow!
I’ve never seen a film like it make such an effect. It’s certainly apocalyptic and dystopian-looking, giving me very British 1970s public information vibes. I found the grain relatively fine for an experimental stock, but still noticeable, and shadows block up quickly - but that adds to the look.
Below is my contact sheet for my first roll, some highlights taken in London and Sardinia, and a range of different types of photographic subjects, some of which I found better than others for this type of film.
For disclosure, I’m using an old Chinon 35mm SLR camera that, due to defects, can only shoot at 1/100s. So I’ve had to guess the f/stop to get the best exposure, sometimes with hit-and-miss results (agaubn this is all experimental, so that's fine), which involved pushing and pulling the film. You’ll see some of my images are a little over- and underexposed in places, but as mentioned above, what is fascinating with this film stock is how much that affects the images' colours, look, and feel.
The images were also shot in a range of conditions, from overcast to sunny, and what I find really fascinating about some of these images, those looking up at buildings mainly, is the purple/ blue tint in darker areas. Those images were shot in overcast conditions, and it’s an effect I didn’t expect to see, but I like it!
I had the film roll processed at Gulabi Independent Film Lab in Glasgow, which has done a stellar job. Technically, processing a redscale film requires a slightly different process by the lab, and Gulabli handled it fine. If you’re concerned about the lab not being aware that it’s a redscale film, generally, they should, but you can highlight it to the film lab where you’re getting it processed. If the lab doesn’t want to process the redscale film, look for another lab that will.
Gulabi also scanned my film, and they did a great job with that, too. I’ve only made minor adjustments to the photos' colour balance and exposure settings. Only subtly to bring the most out of each image, and to my taste, not to change the colour palette of the shots to remain loyal to how the photos were taken.
What to consider when using the HARMAN RED film
Remember that this film stock is experimental and is intended to create something bold and unusual with your photography. If you’re after consistency with your images and technical perfection, then I would say this probably isn’t the film you’re looking for.
Also, if you choose to use it, the results can vary hugely depending on the exposure settings, subject matter, light conditions, and how much you push and pull the film. Remember, the unique thing about this 35mm film compared to others is that the colours will vary dramatically depending on shooting conditions, but I think this is something to be embraced.
What conditions and subjects work well with the HARMAN RED film?
I’ve found that the HARMAN Red 125 35mm film worked best in bright conditions with strong shadows and bold colours, as this is where you get the most definition in the redscale look. However, as evident from the images above, it can also give unusual results in overcast conditions with some contrast in the scene.
Where the HARMAN Red didn't work so well, was in very low-light conditions where the scene didn’t have much contrast or colour variation:
What photo projects could work well with the HARMAN RED film?
As I’ve touched upon in this guide, if you want to do any photo project with a dystopian or apocalyptic tilt, this film will be right up your street!
Also, anything with a strong retro vibe, like 1970s fantasy or 1960s psychedelic, is a good choice.
If you were looking at creating a unique photo book or a poster, using some entirely redscale would make it really stand out!
Would I use the HARMAN RED film again?
Yes, I absolutely would.
While it’s not a replacement for my everyday photography and how I take pictures, as you can see from the sample images, it is an unusual and fun film stock to work with.
If I ever want to try this look again or use it for another experiential piece, I wouldn't hesitate to use this film stock. If you choose to do the same, you might be amazed at what you end up with.
While my preferred type of photography is outdoor, travel, landscape, and urban, this film stock could work well with various photographic subjects. Portrait photography, for example, could work fantastically with this film stock, as could macro photography and still life.
Other Redscale Options
It’s worth noting that the HARMAN Red 125 isn’t the only redscale film on the market, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most accessible.
Lomography, for example, makes the Lomography Redscale XR 50–200, which has a wider exposure latitude and can, depending on how you shoot it, produce deeper oranges and more muted reds.
As mentioned, redcale has long been a DIY technique. Some photographers still create their own DIY redscale rolls by re-spooling standard colour negative film backwards, though that takes more time and effort.
I chose HARMAN Red because it was easy to find and straightforward to use; so a great entry point into redscale photography.
Final thoughts: Who is this film for?
HARMAN RED is for photographers who want to experiment, particularly those who want to create something surreal, vintage-inspired, cinematic, and even apocalyptic!
It’s a perfect film stock if you’re interested in alternative processes or want to push your visual storytelling into unusual territory. On the other hand, if you’re looking for consistency or technically accurate images, this probably isn’t the film for you.
For me, it’s not going to be my everyday film stock, but it’s certainly one I’ll happily return to when I and want to shake things up.
If you’re curious to see how this unique film stock could transform your photography, pick up a roll of HARMAN RED 125 and experiment for yourself. As always too, don’t forget to share your results with the world by uploading them to your Picfair Store!
