Orthochromatic, a register of blue-sensitive plates
The plate that could not see red.
Orthochromatic renders a photograph the way an early plate did: reds dark, sky pale, skin heavy and honest. One tap in the free Lightroom app on iPhone and Android, or in Lightroom Classic.
For alt-process and historical-look creators who want the tonal signature of a nineteenth-century emulsion without the darkroom.
open
Same frame, one tap apart
Early emulsions were sensitive to blue and blind to red. A sky came out white, a red dress came out black, and a face, which is mostly red, came out heavy and freckled. Every entry here reproduces that inversion first, red and orange luminance taken down, blue and aqua taken up, then fits a curve to the plate.
The register is ruled in three parts. Faces push the red suppression hardest, from the reference Ortho Plate to Dark Lip and Heavy Skin, where clarity is raised so blemishes read as they did on a studio plate. Skies lift blue toward paper: Chalk Sky for a blank overexposed top, Collodion Sky over a firmer curve for landscape, Cyan Bright where water and glazing should lift more than the sky does. Plates hold the emulsion itself: Glass Negative with its coarse grain, Slow Plate at the lowest contrast, Plate Camera with nothing but the inversion.
Apply one, then read the file. Each preset sets the colour mixer, the curve and the grain and leaves every slider in reach, so the plate is yours to expose again.
the register
The Register
Every entry on the same four photographs, a face, a lane, a market and a shelf of clay, so you can see what the plate does to red and what it does to blue.
Faces
6 presetsReds held down, so lips darken, freckles come forward and skin carries weight.
Entry 06Freckle Castportrait-aimed, reds dark and sharpening high, so freckles and blemishes read strongly
![Freckle Cast applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Freckle Cast applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Freckle Cast applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Freckle Cast applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Freckle Cast. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 07Dark Lipthe most extreme red suppression of the set, for faces where lips should go near-black
![Dark Lip applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Dark Lip applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Dark Lip applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Dark Lip applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Dark Lip. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 11Ruby Darkdensest interpretation here, exposure down and blacks deep under dark reds
![Ruby Dark applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Ruby Dark applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Ruby Dark applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Ruby Dark applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Ruby Dark. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 13Studio Platefirm contrast with a vignette pulled in, for seated studio work on an ortho plate
![Studio Plate applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Studio Plate applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Studio Plate applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Studio Plate applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Studio Plate. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 14Portrait Platesofter contrast with the heaviest skin rendering, for close portraits
![Portrait Plate applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Portrait Plate applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Portrait Plate applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Portrait Plate applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Portrait Plate. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 15Heavy Skinreds and oranges both at their lowest with clarity high, the most unforgiving of faces
![Heavy Skin applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Heavy Skin applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Heavy Skin applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Heavy Skin applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Heavy Skin. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Skies
6 presetsBlue and aqua lifted toward paper. Sky, water and glazing go pale; brick goes dark.
Entry 02Blue Sensitiveblue and aqua luminance at their highest, so skies and water go pale and empty
![Blue Sensitive applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Blue Sensitive applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Blue Sensitive applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Blue Sensitive applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Blue Sensitive. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 05Collodion Skysky-led: blues bright here over a firmer curve, for landscape on an old emulsion
![Collodion Sky applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Collodion Sky applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Collodion Sky applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Collodion Sky applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Collodion Sky. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 08Chalk Skyhigh-key: whites and blues both up, for a blank, overexposed-looking sky
![Chalk Sky applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Chalk Sky applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Chalk Sky applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Chalk Sky applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Chalk Sky. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 12Blanched Skyblues bright with highlights pushed, the least detail retained at the top end
![Blanched Sky applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Blanched Sky applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Blanched Sky applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Blanched Sky applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Blanched Sky. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 16Brick Darkaimed at masonry and terracotta, where the red suppression does the architectural work
![Brick Dark applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Brick Dark applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Brick Dark applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Brick Dark applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Brick Dark. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 17Cyan Brightaqua led over blue, so water and glazing lift more than the sky does
![Cyan Bright applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Cyan Bright applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Cyan Bright applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Cyan Bright applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Cyan Bright. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Plates
6 presetsThe emulsion itself. The reference inversion, the glass negative, the slow plate.
Entry 01Ortho Platethe reference early-emulsion look: reds render dark, blues render light, skin goes heavy
![Ortho Plate applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Ortho Plate applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Ortho Plate applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Ortho Plate applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Ortho Plate. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 03Red Blindred and magenta pushed furthest down, the heaviest reds in the family
![Red Blind applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Red Blind applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Red Blind applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Red Blind applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Red Blind. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 04Glass Negativemid-strength with grain coarse and large, in the manner of a glass plate
![Glass Negative applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Glass Negative applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Glass Negative applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Glass Negative applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Glass Negative. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 09Plate Camerathe plainest member: the inversion present, everything else left near normal
![Plate Camera applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Plate Camera applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Plate Camera applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Plate Camera applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Plate Camera. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 10Early Emulsionlow contrast ortho with lifted shadows, for interiors on a slow plate
![Early Emulsion applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Early Emulsion applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Early Emulsion applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Early Emulsion applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Early Emulsion. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
Entry 18Slow Platecoarsest grain of the family with the lowest contrast, a long-exposure plate quality
![Slow Plate applied to Entry one, a face on ortho]()
![Before: Entry one, a face on ortho]()
Entry one, a face on ortho ![Slow Plate applied to The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
![Before: The lane, sky emptied to paper]()
The lane, sky emptied to paper ![Slow Plate applied to Red fruit rendered near black]()
![Before: Red fruit rendered near black]()
Red fruit rendered near black ![Slow Plate applied to Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
![Before: Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it]()
Terracotta, dark as the plate saw it Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Slow Plate. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.
how it works
Yours in two minutes
- Buy the setCheckout takes a card; you get a receipt by email.
- Download instantlyThe preset files download right after payment. Re-download any time from your account.
- Import to LightroomOpen the files in the free Lightroom app (iOS or Android) or Lightroom Classic. Lightroom saves them as presets automatically.
- Tap a presetOne tap applies the full look. Every setting stays editable after.
- Single-user license. Yours to use in personal and client work.
- No redistribution. Don't resell or share the preset files themselves.
- Free app is enough. No Adobe subscription needed for Lightroom mobile.
- Keep it forever. Files live in your account for re-download.
the maker
Why I Make These
I am Netzah Elad Topaz. I take photographs and I build software, and the two keep leading me back to the same problem. You were there. The light was doing something you will not see again. Then the photo comes back flat, and it is not what you were looking at.
Closing that gap is the whole job. Every preset here is built from Adobe defaults by hand, with a written note for what it should do to a picture, and it is judged on real photographs before it ships. Nothing is a filter dropped on top of your work.
What I want is simple. You open a photo you almost gave up on, you tap once, and there it is: the day you remember, not the file your camera handed you. That is worth doing properly.
Netzah Elad Topaz, photographer and software builder
get it
Get Orthochromatic
Orthochromatic
$79.99
All 18 presets · one-time payment · instant download
Works in the free Lightroom app · keep forever
Instant download after payment. The download link is also sent to your email and stays available in your account.
questions
Asked and Answered
Why does skin come out so dark?
Because that is what the plate did. Skin is mostly red and orange, and an orthochromatic emulsion barely recorded either. Portrait Plate is the gentlest of the face entries; Plate Camera keeps the inversion and leaves everything else near normal.
Can I use it on a colour photograph?
Yes, and it works best from one. The colour mixer needs the red and blue information to decide what goes dark and what goes pale. A file already in mono has nothing left to invert.
Do these work in the free Lightroom app?
Yes. Import the .xmp files in the free Lightroom app on iPhone or Android, no subscription needed. They also work in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom on desktop.
What exactly do I get?
All 18 presets from Orthochromatic as .xmp files in an instant ZIP download. The link also lands in your email, and the purchase stays in your account so you can re-download any time.
How do I install them?
Two minutes: unzip, then import inside Lightroom. The step-by-step guide covers iPhone, Android, and desktop.
Can I use them for client work?
Yes. The single-user license covers personal and commercial photography. The one thing you can't do is share or resell the preset files themselves.
Can I tweak a preset after applying it?
Always. A preset is a starting point; every slider stays yours to adjust.
What if it's not for me?
Before your first download we refund, no questions asked. After a download, sales are final except a technical fault we cannot fix or a duplicate charge. Details on the refunds page.