Pawel Pogorzelski shot Midsommar in near-constant Scandinavian daylight, trading darkness for a bright, high-key dread — blown highlights, pale skies and pastel florals under a sun that never sets. The palette is soft and lifted, unsettling precisely because it is so open and luminous.
Midsommar is a horror film set almost entirely in bright daylight. Under a sun that never sets, meadows glow white, flowers and dresses are pastel, and the brightness becomes unsettling instead of comforting.
Bright, high-key meadows with soft, slightly washed-out colour. Light comes from everywhere and there are few shadows.
Recipe: Endless Daylight ↓Soft pastels, flower crowns and white fabrics. Gentle colour with a dreamy feel.
Recipe: May Queen Bloom ↓Flatter, cooler light at key moments. Colour drains and the mood turns cold.
Recipe: Ättestupa Flat ↓Midsommar proves horror doesn't need darkness. Shoot in full daylight, overexpose slightly and keep colours soft — the unease comes from things looking too perfect.
Midsommar's bright, airy daylight feels slightly unreal partly because the highlights bloom. A black mist filter does in camera what no recipe can: it makes highlights bloom and softens contrast slightly, without washing out the blacks. A 1/4 strength is the safe starting point.
The size depends on your lens, not the camera body — pick it on the product page.
| XF 35mm f/2 R WR | 43mm |
| XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR | 58mm |
| XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR | 62mm |
| XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR | 67mm |
| XF 18-55mm / XF 16-50mm kit | 58mm |
| XF 16-80mm kit (X-T5) | 72mm |
| XC 15-45mm kit (X-S20) | 52mm |
| X100VI (with AR-X100 adapter) | 49mm |
X100VI: the lens has no filter thread, so you need the AR-X100 adapter ring first, then a 49mm filter. Several lenses? Buy one large filter (e.g. 67mm) plus a K&F Concept step-up ring set and use it on all of them.
The recipe handles colour and tone. These handle what a recipe can't.
Bounce low sun back into faces. The gold side adds the honeyed fill these warm recipes are built around.
Shoot wide open or drag the shutter in harsh daylight — motion blur and shallow focus give the handheld, unpolished texture.
Rent or stream it tonight, then pause on a frame and shoot it.
The disc carries far more image detail than a stream — worth it for a film you study.
Astia for bright, soft pastel scenes and Eterna for the cooler, flatter moments.
Shoot outdoors on a sunny or bright day, add +1/3 to +2/3 exposure compensation and keep colours soft.
All settings work on current X-Trans V bodies such as the X-T5, X-S20, X-T50 and X100VI. The X-T4, X-S10, X-Pro3 and X100V run them as well, and X-T3-era bodies can use them if you skip Clarity and Color Chrome FX Blue. Every body renders slightly differently, so take a few test shots and adjust.
Pawel Pogorzelski, who also shot Hereditary for Ari Aster.