Serna Cinema

by jalejandre.photo— (0)0 downloads

Demo images (9)

About this recipe

Serna Cinema is a free Nikon Picture Control by jalejandre.photo.

**Serna Cinema: A Personal Look at La Serena** Sometimes, to explain where we come from, we don't need words, but a specific light. Serna Cinema is my way of translating Extremadura through my Nikon. It's not just a color recipe, but the result of many hours observing how the light of our region, La Serena, transforms everything it touches. With this approach, I wanted to escape that perfect, cold, digital "look" that comes pre-installed. I wanted something with the texture of a memory. Looking at the photos, a clear intention is evident: the yellows and ochres carry the weight of granite and dry earth, while the reds of a simple sign or soda crates in the sun leap out with an almost cinematic force. I like how he treats the shadows. They aren't deep blacks that hide everything, but rather retain an organic nuance, as if time had washed them clean. And the skies... the skies of La Serena have a very particular blue, and here they appear soft, letting the golden light of the afternoon take center stage. It's a recipe for photographing what's in front of us without pretension: a railway line disappearing into the horizon, water cascading in the dam, or a roadside gas station. With Serna Cinema, these everyday scenes cease to be mere places to pass through and become frames from a film that only happens here, in our home. It is, ultimately, my homage to that understated Extremaduran charm which, when you know how to look at it, is one of the most photogenic things in the world. *Note: I recommend using a cloudy white balance to obtain a golden and creamy tone*

Before using this recipe

This recipe or downloadable preset may not include all settings recommended by the original creator. For the intended look, also set the recommended White Balance, WB shift, exposure compensation (EV), and any other camera settings.

Not recorded here yet: White Balance, WB shift, Exposure compensation (EV). Check the creator’s original recipe for them.

Please visit jalejandre.photo — creator’s website for complete instructions and the latest updates. The exact original recipe page has not yet been verified. The recipe or file hosted here may be an older version.

How to apply

Nikon · File import

For: Nikon Z cameras (Z5, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z9, Z30, Z50, Z fc, Zf…) and recent DSLRs such as the D780

1
Download the file
Save the .NP3 file to your computer. Keep the original name — it becomes the Picture Control name on the camera.
2
Copy it to the memory card
Use a card formatted in the camera. Put the file in the NIKON/CUSTOMPC folder (create it if missing) or in the card root.
3
Load it into the camera
Choose the file, then pick a free custom slot (C-1 to C-9). You can rename it on the camera.
MENUPhoto shooting menuManage Picture ControlLoad/saveCopy to camera
4
Select the look and shoot
Pick the custom slot you just filled. It is also available from the i menu.
MENUPhoto shooting menuSet Picture ControlC-1…C-9

The look is baked into JPEG/HEIF files. RAW files keep it as metadata — NX Studio shows it, Lightroom does not.
Copy file to memory card under NIKON/CUSTOMPC/ folder, then load via Menu › Manage Picture Control › Load/save › Copy to camera.
Flexible Color presets require a Nikon Zf (firmware 2.00+), Z6 III, Z8 (firmware 3.00+), Z9 (firmware 5.30+), Z50 II, Z5 II, or ZR.
The Zf, Z6 III, Z50 II, and Z5 II can also sync Picture Controls wirelessly via Nikon Imaging Cloud or Nikon NX Studio.
Menu names vary slightly by model and firmware.

Nikon setup guide ↗Tweak it in the Picture Control Editor ↗