Although its name scares, photograph of “Double exposure”I don’t know of a photographic technique that has provoked as much inspiration in photographers as this one. As an amateur photographer it would be a shame if you let this topic pass, because of how difficult it might seem to you, wasting the GIANT flow of creative photographs that you could get thanks to this technique.
As always, I promise to try to make this article easy to understand. I will also try to convince you to make your first “double exposure” immediately after reading this post. Please don’t be someone else. «article that I read and I leave it there for as long as I touch». You read this today and play today.
Let us begin.
Exposure what…?
In photographic jargon and in this context the word “exhibition” means “photography”, nothing more and nothing less. I know that with these words I am going to provoke more than one purist who will want to go into the more technical details of what an “exhibition” is, but guys, we are talking soon to simplify the concept and that we all understand each other. Exhibition here is «Photography». Double Exposure is… double photography.
What can I achieve with the double exposure technique?
Anything. With double exposure the creative possibilities in photography are multiplied. Everything you could photograph before can now be done by combining it with any other subject, object or motif: ghostly body effects, reflections, silhouettes interwoven with each other. The possibilities are endless.
Double exposure not only allows you to achieve compositions impossible to achieve with a single photo, but even with it you get photos that you could not have even imagined. While you dedicate yourself to producing a double exposure, many times you are the first surprised by the message, story or feeling that is captured by the combination of both photos.
If a photo is worth a thousand words, imagine two. In my opinion, double exposure is something very close to non-verbal poetry. It is something very visual that can produce feelings or emotions in the viewer that are not always easy to describe in words.
How to take double exposure photos?
Originally, with analog photo cameras, double exposure was achieved by shooting two photos in a row, one after the other, without passing the film or reel. The same space on the film or negative was used to shoot two different photos. One on top of another.
With today’s DSLR cameras there are mainly 2 ways to get a double exposure:
- Shooting the 2 photos separately and later merging them using Photoshop or any other photo editing program.
- Using the function called “Double Exposure” or “Multiple Exposure” of your camera. Not all cameras offer this extra feature, but some do. This function allows you to shoot a first photo from the camera itself and then superimpose it on a second frame and shoot, obtaining as a final result a Double Exposure already made. In some cameras you have the possibility to merge the 2 photos once they have been taken. I know that the Nikon D3100, D5100 or D7000 are some of the cameras that offer this feature. For all three cameras the option appears in the setup menu. retouch under the name “Image overlay” (or look at the user manual, for the D3100 page 158, the D5100 page 181, D7000 page 256). On the D7000 you can also use the menu option “Multiple Exposure”from the menu Shooting.)
Cameras from other brands also incorporate it, but I couldn’t tell you what models they are.
Your photo camera does not include this photo “combine” function. You either don’t have Photoshop or let’s say you don’t master it to the point of being able to merge two photos into one. What do we do?
If you have an iPhone, an iPad or an Android phone or tablet, you can 🙂 There are endless applications, many paid but some free, that you can download to your mobile and from there create your double exposure works.
I am not going to recommend any one in particular because I have not used any, but if you go to the AppStore or the Google Play Store and search for “Double Exposure” or in English “Double Exposure” you will be surprised by the number of applications there are.
Tips for a spectacular Double Exposure
Now comes the interesting part. Remember that here the artist is you. The camera or the editing programs are a simple “tool”, but the creator of the photograph is you.
Here are a few tips that will shorten the path of learning and allow you to start produce stunning photos right out of the box. Tricks and advice that most of the photographers who are experts in this matter already apply and that I would like you to know from now on:
- Always try to include a human or animal factor in the composition. One of the two photos must contain a person, animal or animated being. The other photo may contain an element of nature: trees, flowers, vegetation, etc. Basically we are merging something alive that has emotions and facial expressions, with something static that is nature, a pattern, something that serves as a background. It usually gives very good results.
- The photo in which the subject, person or animal appears, try to shoot it against the light. The more “silhouette” appears and the more “dark” the person appears, the better result you will get.
- The second photo, the one of the environment, nature, wall or trees, shoot it with the correct lighting level. You don’t need it to be underexposed. The idea is to create contrast between the first (dark subject) and the second (well exposed environment).
- As it is about merging 2 photos, be careful not to fall into a final photo that is too full of colors. To avoid this, try to keep a minimum number of colors in each of them. The first photo that does not have more than 2 predominant colors, and the second, maybe 1 or 2 colors at most, predominant. Assemble everything keeping in mind the predominant color (or 2 colors) that you want the final photograph to have.
- If it is too complicated for you to eliminate the excess of different colors, how about we work on the photo with the idea of producing something in Black and White?
- The orientation of the two sockets does not have to match. You can reverse the direction of a photo (from horizontal to vertical) in order to merge it with an originally vertical one. (See example of the previous photo, in which trees have been photographed vertically in the background).
a bit of inspiration
Finally, I need you to feel a little inspired, to feel and perceive the beauty of Double Exposure photography. It will make your mouth water:
They are photos that other mortals have taken and that you too, based on a little practice, can achieve and even surpass.
Hey, I have written this article with great care and love. If you see that something is missing or some concept about double exposure photography is not clear to you, do not hesitate to ask. As always, if you have found this article minimally useful, I would appreciate it if you would leave me a vote or recommendation on Facebook or Twitter.