IN-CAMERA MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

The term is multiple exposures, but after years of experimenting with this technique, I landed on simply double exposures--just two images on one "frame." The reason for this decision is that I found that the images get too "muddy" and too "busy" when I create three or more exposures. I'm not trying to discourage you from doing so.It just doesn't work well for my taste.

Before I get to the 'how,' let's talk about the 'why.' As I say in my popular book, Right Brain Photography, I think like an artist first; photographer second. My three years as an art major were the foundation for my artistic bent with photography. Double exposures feed my love for artistic creativity. They are part of my creative aesthetics repertoire. 

Ever since I first picked up a camera and joined a camera club in Fort Worth, Texas, photography has carried the torch of extreme detail, extreme sharpness, and shadowless exposures. There is nothing wrong with that. I have lots of images, especially those I sell commercially, that fit that description. However, to add diversity to my portfolio, I like to mix it up a bit. That includes creating Surrealism through photography, photographing a variety of subjects, shooting intentionally under-exposed images, creative camera body techniques, Impressionism through photography, and, yes, double exposures.

Now, let me move on to the 'how.' 

These are the steps I take when I want my double exposures to have that impressionistic feel.
1) My camera is on a tripod and set for manual focus. I normally set my f/stop to f/5.6. I take the scene slightly out of focus (thus the need for 5.6). I take a test shot to make sure I like it. It should not be too much out of focus or too bright. If necessary, I make proper adjustments and re-shoot it. If I like the way the first of my two images looks, I am now ready for my double exposure.
2) I engage my double exposure feature for two shots. The options are up to 10 shots! 
3) I re-take the test shot, since I know how it's going to look. That will be the first of two exposures. 
4) I then set my f/stop to f/16 and refocus manually to get a sharp image. In addition, I also underexpose the second planned shot, usually by – 2/3. Click. I’ve got my double exposure. This is more art than science.

Now, when I don't want an impressionistic-like image, the only procedure I do differently is to keep the same f/stop throughout the process--usually f/11-f/16. I want both images to look sharp. In step 1, I don't want the first shot to be under or overexposed. I then continue to step 2 and so on.  

Okay, now you know what I do and how I do it. Actually, the most difficult part to all this is not the steps; the process, but to allow the imagination to go wild and imagine how subjects may blend together well. By well I don't mean perfect, but, rather, will a certain combination give me a cool, creative, mysterious, or a Salvador Dalí-ish look to it? Think creative aesthetics. We're not trying to document a subject; we're trying to create art.

With that long introduction, here are some of my examples of double exposures.

I saw this street performer standing still on a New Orleans, Louisiana corner--in the French Quarter. I liked what I saw, but at the same time, I felt like I had not quite captured the essence of the French Quarter--Nawlins. I turned my glance away from him to an artist behind me. I loved that she was painting on pieces of shale. I walked closer to her and started chatting. Her theme was blacks picking cotton in the old South. My right brain took over. It occurred to me that I could superimpose one of her art pieces over the pantomime across the street. She let me get some shots of her pieces, which hung on a fence-like structure--the kind you see at outdoor art festivals. 

I took a photo of her art, horizontally. Then I walked back to the street performer and got a vertical shot of him, superimposed against the artist's art. Voila! Now, I had captured the essence of Nawlins. 

Below is that same photo turned sideways, so you can more clearly see the artist's art on shale.

I saw these twigs and leaves on a pebble walkway at the Denver Botanic Gardens. I thought they might look good together as a double exposure. 

I saw yet another street performer, but he was in downtown Boulder, Colorado. As I looked up, I saw an interesting balcony with closed shutters keeping the inside from view. So, I decided to "put" him in front of the window shutters. Click. 

Now, back to flowers--tulips, to be exact. 

I thought I'd have fun one Halloween season. I bought a small scary skull. When I got it home, a crazy idea hit me. How would it look if four "people" were talking to each other? I titled it, "Heady Debate." Now, for this particular set-up, creating 4 images worked well. I had to be careful as to where I placed the skull in-between shoots. I used a piece of scotch tape to mark where I had to place the skull all four times.  

It was in the middle of my birthday hike. I like taking hikes on my birthday. I guess it's my way of convincing myself that I'm not aging. You can laugh at that. 

It was during the hike that I came across this old road surrounded by trees. It just felt like a double exposure.

I was playing with the idea of an image titled "Self-talk." I guess I was working backward. I had the idea, now I just needed someone to talk to himself. So, I asked a friend of mine if he'd mind modeling for me for this crazy Idea I had. When he arrived, I orchestrated the shot. I told him to sit on one side of this coffee shop booth and pretend that he was listening to someone telling him something. Click. Then I asked him to sit on the other side and pretend he was trying to make a point, to himself! In both instances I told him what to do with his head, hands, glasses, etc. 

It looks like a ghost talking to himself. This is about throwing away the rules, the expectations, and perfection. It's about just having fun with the medium of photography, fed by the imagination. I don't see with my eyes. I see with my imagination.  

 

This last example was the very first double exposure I ever tried. We're talking circa 1986! Think about it. In 1986, I didn't have an LCD display screen to see what I got. No previews.  

What you're looking at is The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas superimposed over the Heroes of The Alamo that were carved into this huge obelisk near The Alamo. 

So, I highly encourage you to let your hair down, think "no right angles," think outside the box, and just have fun with it! Enjoy your new self, and send me some of the fun shots you take. E-mail me at vegaphotoart@gmail.com.

Take care!