In my continuing quest to expand my repertoire of photographic techniques to help me better express my creative vision, I returned to playing with in-camera double exposures. I did a few back in the spring, but never fully explored their potential.
I had a quick trip to Toronto in the last week and something inspired me to try a few more double exposures. Here is the pink dahlia again. In this image I think it has a completely different mood (I also added a magic texture by Kim Klassen.)
Double exposures really lend themselves to surreal, dreamlike, impressionistic effects — and make for great abstracts — which I’m drawn to in photography. Sometimes you just don’t want your view of the world to be too real and too literal!
This technique can, of course, be done easily with layers in Photoshop, but the joy of doing them in camera is the element of surprise when you create something unexpected. You never know quite what you’re going to get. You don’t have anywhere near the same control, but you do have some control, especially as you refine your process.
One great way to use double exposures is with creative portraits. Here are a couple I tried with my beautiful sister. (She may even use one for her Facebook profile pic!)
We were in a sweet tearoom in a little town north of Toronto. I shot her silhouette against the big window and blew out the background. Then I ran around the tearoom looking for content to fill in the underexposed areas. It takes just seconds and the results can be interesting. Of course you can combine this technique with textures or other processing techniques to get the feeling and meaning that you’re striving for to your heart’s delight.
If this appeals to you at all and you have this feature on your DSLR, I urge you to give it a go…and share your creations!
Sharing with Kim Klassen’s Texture Tuesdays.
Sherrygaley.com 
ooooh, now you’ve peaked my interest! I have to break out of the box and start trying some new techniques. These images are fabulous!
Wow! Amazing creativity ♥
I guess that’s what I like so much about it, Indigo! I’m going to try more portraits — I’ve seen some amazingly beautiful ones online.
This is so creative and yes, it creates a dreamy, almost surreal effect. What a great thing to try to make a unique portrait of a friend (or sister).
Cheryl, thanks so much for the encouragement. You take after your Aunt Clara!
Thanks, Dotti. I do like to take a break from reality from time to time…
😉
Thanks, Lisa. I couldn’t resist shooting a double of the dahlia to see how big it could get!
This is so unique Sherry…I have never tried it but someday, who knows…love the one with the grass but my very favorite is that beautiful, soft dahlia.
Very surreal, very pretty, very creative. Love!
Wow! these are fantastic, Sherry.
I especially love the flower.
Glad you’re finding it fun, Melinda! That makes me happy. I’d love to see your pics. You’ll have to look for something more masculine to combine your hubby with…;-)
Some time, when you’re out and about, why not?
Yes, that’s so true, Sheryl-Elaine. The camera can do so much more than we usually use it for…probably much like our brains and bodies 😉
Thanks, Sandra. I have a long list of techniques I want to try. This is # 26. 😉
I kinda thought you’d enjoy the effect – it’s you but it’s more than you! It was a fun day. Thanks for taking us to the tea room!
Thanks, Laurie. Probably not worth taking drastic action to play with doubles….but since I can, I am enjoying it. I keep thinking about shooting film, not for this, but just because I’m retro like that….
They are so much less involved than doing the same with Photoshop! And I like the element of surprise…
Just tried it- what fun! Now I need to work on understanding the process better. Right now I have a silhouette of my husband in flowers- not his best look! 😉
I LOVE this! I don’t think my camera can do this- but maybe. I’ll have to check. I just love the silhouettes- what a cool idea!
These are really cool, Sherry! I haven’t given this a try, but I think I should.
beautiful reminder of what is possible with the camera ……..
You’ve been having fun, Sherry! Interesting techniques which I’ve never tried! I’m not into Kim Klassen textures at all, but I do love the first image of the leaves and the one of your sister with the superimposed grass blades is really fun and clever!
I love the double-double leaves! I guess it is a little self-serving to say I love the ones of me – but I do, because they don’t look like me! And yes, one will be making its way to Facebook as my new profile pic! Thanks.
I love those first two images! I used to like doing multiple exposures when I shot with film – they were fun and the results could be pretty interesting, though I didn’t try enough of them to get any good at it. Alas, I don’t think I can do them in-camera now that I’m digital (at least not on my camera). I guess my options would be to seriously upgrade my camera, or dig out my old SLR & buy some film!
I love double exposures and you have done some wonderful ones. They are so fun to do aren’t they?