In the Season 3 finale of SOOC Live, Fuji X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I discussed double exposure photography at length, and especially how to do it in-camera on Fujifilm models. If you are interested in the topic and didn’t catch that episode when it was live, you may want to take some time and watch it now. I’ve included it below. If you are short on time, skip ahead to the 35 minute mark, and begin around there.
I’m not going to rehash all that was said during the show (you’ve got to watch it)—this is a lengthy and complicated topic that can go many different directions. Really, books can be (and have been) written about it. Instead, I want to talk about Film Simulation Recipes for double exposures, and also provide a little more explanation for some things that maybe weren’t clear in the broadcast. I hope it all makes sense by the end.
The three Film Simulation Recipes that we discussed in the show and are challenging you to shoot with for the remainder of December plus most of January are Mystery Chrome, Dramatic Monochrome, and Faded Negative. Some notes about each:
Mystery Chrome is fully compatible with X-Trans III cameras, plus the X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on newer models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (Small or Large… I recommend Large). For those using newer cameras, we recommend using the Average setting for this Recipe, but don’t be afraid to try Additive.
Dramatic Monochrome is fully compatible with the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on X-Trans III cameras, simply ignore Color Chrome Effect—the results will be nearly identical. To use it on newer cameras, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Off, Clarity to 0, and choose a Grain size (Small or Large… I recommend Large). For those using newer cameras, we recommend using the Additive setting for this Recipe, but don’t be afraid to try Average.
Faded Negative is fully compatible with X-Trans IV cameras, except for the X-T3 and X-T30. To use it on X-Trans V models, set Color Chrome FX Blue to Weak instead of Strong. This Recipe is not found in the Fuji X Weekly App because it requires further explanation on how to use it, and the App format is not conducive to that; however, in the broadcast Nathalie provides a great tip for how you can use the New Recipe (Blank Recipe Card) feature to add it to your App if you’d like. Be sure to read the article before attempting to use this Recipe.
You can use any Film Simulation Recipe with double exposure photography, but in my experience the ones that work best are Recipes that are especially contrasty. For the purpose of the show, we’re using three specific ones; however, feel free to try any Recipe that interests you. The color pictures below were captured using the Ferrania Solaris FG 400 Recipe, and Kodak Tri-X 400 was used for the B&W. As for submitting images for the Viewers’ Images Slideshow, please only use the Mystery Chrome, Dramatic Monochrome, and Faded Negative Recipes.
One thing that perhaps should have been demonstrated in the show but wasn’t is what in-camera double exposures look like, taking a peek at each of the two exposures individually and then the combined image. Since the newer cameras can save a RAW file of each exposure (which can be processed into a JPEG in-camera), it’s possible to demonstrate this pretty easily.
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Average
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Average
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
Double Exposure using Additive
I would say that double exposure photography takes a lot of practice to feel comfortable with, but there is a ton of potential for creativity. It’s worth trying, and it’s worth going through a lot of failures in order to get good at it. There are also so many different approaches and methods that can yield very different results. You’ll discover some of these as you practice. So my encouragement for you is to try and try again. If the pictures aren’t very good at first, don’t give up! Keep at it, and pretty soon you’ll surprise yourself with what you create.
One last thing: below I’ve included the Viewers’ Images Slideshow for the Reala Ace episode. If you haven’t yet seen it, be sure to watch it now. I want to express a very big “Thank you!” to everyone who submitted their photographs for inclusion in it. I always enjoy seeing your wonderful pictures!
Tomorrow—Thursday, December 7th—is the season finale of SOOC Live. Not only that, but it’s also our holiday special. Oh, and we’re going to take a deep dive into double exposure photography. Join Nathalie Boucry and I tomorrow at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 12:00 noon Eastern as we bring Season 3 to a close. This is an interactive program, so your participation makes it even better. I hope to see you tomorrow!
If you don’t already subscribe to the SOOC Live YouTube Channel, be sure to do so now—otherwise you might miss out on future broadcasts. To make it easy to find, I’ve included tomorrow’s show below:
Double exposure photography is simply two exposures on a single frame; however, getting good results can be quite tricky. There’s actually a whole lot to it, with a number of techniques and considerations to talk about. There’s also a ton of creative potential, and various ways to use double exposures that you might not have thought of. You can get amazing straight-out-of-camera results that perhaps seem impossible to achieve in-camera, but are indeed possible.
This article contains five of my double exposure photographs. Perhaps you are surprised by some of them, as they might not appear to be double exposures. You might also be surprised to learn that they’re all camera-made JPEGs. We’re going to talk about the specifics tomorrow, so be sure to tune-in if you want learn more about double exposure photography on your Fujifilm camera.
I love making retro faded-film-like looks on Fujifilm cameras using the multiple-exposure feature. I have created a number of Film Simulation Recipes which utilize double-exposures to achieve a faded aesthetic. Some of these Recipe are Faded Negative, Faded Color, Vintage Color Fade, Faded Monochrome, and Split-Toned B&W. This type of Recipe isn’t nearly as popular as the “regular” ones that don’t use multiple exposures, and I’m pretty sure it’s because these are a lot more difficult to use. They are way less convenient and practical; however, they can be a good challenge and a lot of fun, and you’ll achieve results that a fairly unique.
I didn’t come up with a new double-exposure Recipe, but I did come up with a slight variation to this concept that I thought I’d share with you. If you are looking for something creative to try, this might just be what you are looking for. In any event, you’re sure to make some interesting images.
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
The concept of this project is pretty simple, and can be done with most Fujifilm cameras. I used my Fujifilm X100V, but you certainly don’t need that model for this project. As long as your Fujifilm camera has a multiple-exposure mode—and most do—you can join in on the fun.
Step one is to choose a Film Simulation Recipe. I went with Kodachrome 64 simply because I like that recipe. While you can use any Recipe, I find that ones with mid or high contrast tend to work better than low-contrast Recipes. So pick your favorite Recipe, whichever one that is, and let’s see what happens.
The second step is to set your camera to capture double exposures. Look for Multiple Exposures in the Drive Menu or on the Drive selector on the top-plate (depending on your camera model). For newer cameras, make sure that you have Average selected in the Multiple Exposure Control submenu. Refer to your camera’s manual if you are not sure.
After that, you’ll want to tape two colored pieces of paper together (I used simple construction paper—see above). You can use any two colors. I chose blue and yellow because they are contrasting colors, and thought it might make it more dynamic. Be creative or thoughtful with whichever colors you choose. A problem you will encounter is that the line between blue and yellow is fine and not feathered. It goes sharply from one color to the other, which is not what you want. We’ll address this in a moment, but for now keep it in mind.
Next, capture the first exposure. The subject can be whatever you want it to be. The camera will ask you if you are satisfied with the exposure or if you want to try again. If you are happy with it, press OK and get ready for the second exposure.
For the next step, which is the second exposure, you will capture an image of the two-colored paper, including a bit of both colors in the frame—it can go straight across or diagonal. You want the picture to be blurry, so flip the camera to manual focus and ensure that it is out-of-focus. This will make the sharp line fuzzy, and will blur out the paper’s texture. I also used a slow shutter speed and moved the paper during the exposure, to further grade the transition between yellow and blue. The camera will allow you to make multiple attempts until you are satisfied, so don’t be afraid to redo the second exposure if you aren’t happy with the results.
I haven’t done a whole lot to explore this concept. I’m sure there are a ton of creative possibilities. Use your imagination, and you are likely to capture some intriguing images.
Sometimes I get into a double exposure mood. It might seem difficult to create good double exposure pictures—thankfully, Fujifilm cameras make double exposure photography easy! In this article I’ll explain just how simple it is to do it, and also explain why it’s difficult to do it well.
Note: this was a Creative Collective article, but now it’s available to everyone.
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Double exposure photographs are two exposures that are captured together on a single frame. You can combine the two pictures with software, but it’s much easier to do it in-camera. Most Fujifilm cameras are capable of capturing double exposures, and they all work pretty similarly, although not identically.
First, you have to know that the camera will create a low-contrast image, so Film Simulation Recipes with a lot of contrast work best for double exposures. Low or mid contrast recipes can work alright sometimes, but high contrast recipes are the ones that most often produce the best results. I used the Kodak TRi-X 400 recipe on my Fujifilm X100V Acros Edition for these pictures, which I captured earlier today while on a walk in a park in Irving, Texas.
Next, you have to set up the camera. Exactly how this is done depends on the model, but you’ll either find it on a knob on the top of the camera or through a button titled Drive. Definitely open up your camera’s user manual (click here) and look for “Multiple Exposures” if you are unsure what to do. For the X-Pro3 and newer models, you’ll additionally have to decide how the exposures are combined—go to the Shooting Menu, select Multiple Exposure Control, and choose Average.
At this point you are ready to create double exposure images; however, it’s important to know how double exposures will render. Light areas on light areas will be light, with the least amount of detail. Light areas on dark areas will be a muddy middle. Dark areas on dark areas will be dark, and will often show the most details. When you are capturing double exposure photographs, you have to think about how these things will work together, and how they’ll interact with each other. This, of course, comes with practice, but the good news is that the camera will show you exactly what you’re going to get, so you can know before you even capture the second exposure if it will work or not.
When you capture the first exposure, the camera will ask you if you are satisfied with it or if you want to redo it. If you are happy with it, it’s time to capture the second exposure. The camera will superimpose the first exposure over the second and you’ll see exactly what you’re going to get when you capture the second exposure. If you like what you see, capture the image. The camera will then give you another opportunity—are you satisfied with the second exposure? If not, you can redo it.
Once you get into the swing of it, you’ll find the creative juices flowing, and you’ll have more and more success with your double exposure pictures. It takes practice and a lot of trial-and-error. I find that about 50% of my attempts are at least acceptably good, and perhaps one-in-five are ones that I like. In other words, most of my attempts aren’t great, so you can expect to have a fair amount of duds.
The newer Fujifilm cameras will also keep a RAW file of each exposure (in addition to the double exposure JPEG). Below are a few examples of each exposure that makes up the double exposure image, plus the final double exposure photograph.
Frame 1
Frame 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
Exposure 1
Exposure 2
In-Camera Double Exposure
The tricky thing is creating a more compelling picture when the exposures are combined. If the frame is more compelling as single exposure, the double exposure wasn’t a success. A double exposure photograph is great when the two exposures are stronger together than as individual exposures. That is the challenge of this type of photography. It might take a lot of practice to figure out how to accomplish this, and I don’t think there is much of a substitution for practice. The best thing that you can do is get out with your camera and try. Try and try again.
Here are a few more double exposure photograph examples:
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
In Camera Double Exposure – Fujifilm X100V – “Kodak Tri-X 400”
Creating double exposure photographs on Fujifilm cameras is easy; however, creating compelling pictures takes practice. Most attempts are likely to be mediocre at best, if not downright failures, but don’t give up! Keep at it, and you’ll begin to create some creative pictures that you’re quite happy with.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
I love double exposure photography! If done right, you can cleverly create exceptionally artful pictures. But how do you do it on your Fujifilm camera? What are some easy techniques that give good results? In this article I’ll discuss this topic in detail and provide some useful tips to help you make your own artistic double-exposure photographs.
Note: this was a Creative Collective article that required a subscription, but it is now available to everyone!
Many Fujifilm X cameras have the option to shoot “Multiple Exposure” photography (an old camera trick where two or more exposures are combined into one frame for artistic effect), although on most Fujifilm cameras it is actually “double exposure” photography, as you can only combine two exposures; however, some newer models are capable of combining up to nine exposures. For this, we’ll be doing double exposures, and not more.
You access (depending on the model) Multiple Exposure through a knob on the top plate or through the Drive button on the back. If you are not sure, check your user manual. For the X-Pro3 and newer models, you’ll also have to go into the Shooting Setting Menu, select Multiple Exposure CTRL, and choose one of four options: Additive, Average, Bright, or Dark. Additive or Average are the two options you’ll want to consider for this project. Bright and Dark work well for making color images from toned black-and-white, but otherwise are tricky, and I don’t recommend them for this.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
How are Additive and Average different? Additive is literally adding one exposure onto the next, so you have to significantly underexpose both frames or else get an overexposed image. Average mixes both frames together by averaging the difference. Additive tends to produce brighter pictures (although it depends on the two exposures), while Average tends to produce flatter images. I find that Additive often delivers results that I prefer, but Average is easier to use. There’s no right or wrong choice, but the way that you use each is different. For cameras older than the X-Pro3 that don’t have these options, what you get is the same thing as Average.
No matter your camera, with Multiple Exposure activated (through the top plate or Drive button on back, depending on your model), you capture the first exposure. The camera will ask if you want to keep it and move on or reshoot—if you didn’t get it quite right, you have this chance to try again. Once you are happy with your first exposure, you’ll hit “OK” and move onto the second exposure. The camera will show you the two exposures, which is a great benefit of doing this on a digital mirrorless camera. Line up the frame as you’d like it, adjust the exposure as you wish, and capture the second image. The camera will show you the double exposure, and it will ask you if you want to keep it or reshoot the second exposure—if you didn’t get it quite right, you have a chance to try again. If you are satisfied, select “Back” and you’re done!
You can use any film simulation recipe that you’d like. For these pictures, I used Ferrania Solaris FG 400. Recipes that have more contrast often work better than ones with less contrast. If you want to get really creative, you can even change recipes in-between exposures, and have two different recipes in one image—I didn’t do that here. Clarity is disabled for cameras with the Clarity feature. If you shoot RAW+JPEG, I’m not certain if older cameras will keep a RAW file for each exposure, but newer cameras will; however, the double exposure itself will not have a RAW file, you only get a JPEG.
Once your camera is all set up, and you’re ready to go capture some pictures, you’ll have to find some interesting subjects to photograph. The easy way to get artful double exposure images is to photograph two opposing things. For example, the picture at the very top of this article combines leaves and metal. You can look for smooth and rough. Manmade and natural. Cool and warm. Soft and hard. Bright and dark. Find two things that don’t seem like they should belong together, and use those for your double exposure image. You certainly don’t have to limit yourself to that—it’s simply a starting point. Not all of your ideas will work well, but some will—keep experimenting, and you’ll get some good pictures. I like to think of one exposure as being the main image, and the other as texture.
Average
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
Let’s look closer at some techniques if you are using an X-Pro3 or newer camera and select Average, or a camera that’s older than the X-Pro3 (which uses Average). What I like about Average is that you can achieve a more painterly effect with it—almost impressionist.
In my experience, the main image of the two exposures needs to be exposed brighter than the secondary exposure. For example, in the picture above, the leaves (first exposure) were exposed more than the road (second exposure). The camera will produce a fairly flat photograph, so to make the main subject stand out more you will want to consider making it a little brighter than the background, adjusting exposure compensation between shots. Thankfully, the camera will show you exactly what you’ll get, and you can adjust the exposure compensation to be exactly as you want before you even capture the second exposure. The Ferrania Solaris FG 400 film simulation recipe that I used for these pictures has only moderate contrast, and using a more contrasty recipe will produce a less flat photo. Best case scenario is a contrasty scene captured with a contrasty recipe.
Using Average is the easiest way to get good double exposure results. It still can be tricky, but it is more obvious what you need to do with each of the two exposures to get what you want. Let’s look at some examples:
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
The top image is a combination of a wild plant of some sort and a large stone (which filled the entire frame). The middle image is a combination of a stump with autumn leaves on it and a flowing creek (looking down from a bridge). The elements in the last image are a little more obvious, and is more of an example of mediocre results. In my experience, it’s more common to get mediocre results than great pictures, but if you keep trying and keep creating, you’ll definitely get some double exposure photographs that you’ll love.
Below is an example of two exposures that made a final double exposure image using Average. You can see that the leaves are brighter in the first exposure (not overexposed, though), and the rusted metal is darker in the second exposure (slightly underexposed). In the double exposure picture, the two images are combined into a lower contrast photograph that’s almost painterly. If the first picture had been exposed 1/3 stop brighter, the leaves would have been slightly brighter in the double exposure image (but not by a 1/3 stop). When you carefully select the subjects to combine, you can make them more compelling together than they are as separate images.
First exposure.
Second exposure.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
Additive
In-Camera Double-Exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
Additive is an option only found on X-Pro3 and newer cameras. I like Additive because you can get brighter, slightly less flat images than using Average, yet the results are fairly similar. I find it to be less painterly, and more like double exposure images on film.
Additive is trickier to use. Since each exposure is added onto the previous ones, two correctly exposed images will make one very overexposed double exposure picture, which means that both exposures need to be underexposed significantly—one to two stops, sometimes more. The camera will not show you exactly how bright the double exposure image will be until after both images are captured, so you’ll have a lot more failures with Additive than Average. Like Average, you’ll likely want the main exposure to be a little brighter than the secondary exposure. There’s certainly a lot of potential for creative concepts with Additive, but be sure to give yourself more grace. I guess you could say that Additive has more potential for greatness and failure simultaneously. Let’s look at some examples:
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
The top picture in this group was an early attempt. Maybe I’d title it The Nature of Music but I don’t think it’s anything profound. What I like about the second picture is that it is fairly dark, yet the flowers really stand out. The third photo is a simple cinderblock wall and a tree stump, which could have some metaphoric meaning.
Below is an example of two exposures that made a final double exposure image using Additive. You’ll notice that both exposures are pretty dark, especially the second one, yet the double exposure image is fairly bright, bordering overexposure. I probably should have reduced the exposure of one or maybe both images by 1/3 stop. The method to achieve good results is definitely different and more difficult with Additive, and the trick is to underexpose.
In-camera double exposure using Fujifilm X-E4 & Ferrania Solaris FG 400recipe.
Conclusion
The quick and easy way to get artful double exposure photographs from your Fujifilm camera: – Use a film simulation recipe. Often higher-contrast recipes do better than lower-contrast ones. – If your camera is newer—no older than the X-Pro3—choose either Average or Additive. Average is easier. For Additive, be sure to underexpose. – Set the camera to Multiple Exposure, which you access via the top plate or Drive button, depending on your model. – Choose two subjects that are opposing in some way. – Expose the “main” image more (brighter) than the “secondary” image. – Don’t be afraid to retry if the results aren’t as good as you’d like them to be. – Don’t be afraid to really experiment and try things just to see what happens.
Double exposure photography can be a fun and rewarding experience. It doesn’t have to be difficult to achieve good results—in fact, Fujifilm cameras make it pretty easy, no matter your model. I believe that anyone can do it, and whether you are experienced or a beginner, it’s worth trying. If you’ve never done it before, try double exposure photography the next time you are out with your camera.
Country Fence in Winter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Faded Negative”
I’ve created a number of film simulation recipes that require double exposures, including Faded Color, Vintage Color Fade, Faded Monochrome, Faded Monochrome for X-Trans II, Split-Toned B&W, and Bleach Bypass. These recipes are a little more difficult to use, and, because they require further explanation, you won’t find any of them on the Fuji X Weekly app. This one, called Faded Negative, won’t make the app, either (perhaps there will be a way to include them on a future update). These double-exposure recipes aren’t for everyone, but some people love them because you can create a great vintage look that you’d never expect to get straight-out-of-camera. I know that this Faded Negative film simulation recipe will be greatly appreciated by some of you.
To use this recipe, you’ll need to first select “Average” under “Multiple Exposure CTRL” in the Shooting Menu. What’s great about this particular double-exposure recipe is that the only change you will need to make in the settings between the first and second exposure is exposure compensation (many of these require more adjustments than just exposure compensation). You want the first exposure, which is the scene you are capturing, to be bright, and the second exposure, which is a green piece of construction paper, to be a little darker. You can control how much “fade” there is by the second exposure—the brighter the exposure, the more fade there will be.
What makes this recipe work is the second exposure of a medium-green piece of construction paper. You want this exposure to be out-of-focus. If it’s in-focus, you’ll get the texture of the paper in the image, which is perhaps something you want, but probably not. You can manually focus a blurry image, or if you just hold the paper closer to the lens than the minimum focus distance, the paper will be blurry even with autofocus.
Me, with an X100V and green paper, photographing with this recipe. Photo by Joy Roesch.
This is what happens when the second exposure is in-focus instead of out-of-focus.
No photograph will last forever. Some films are more prone to fade than others, and some prints are more prone to fade than others. Faded pictures are a reality of photography. While some people would consider faded images to be a negative thing, there are others who appreciate the aesthetic, and want to incorporate it into their art. This Faded Negative film simulation recipe is for those who want to achieve that look straight-out-of-camera. This recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10 and the upcoming X-E4.
Classic Negative Dynamic Range: DR400 Highlight: +3 Shadow: +4 Color: -2 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: -2 Clarity: 0 Grain Effect: Weak, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect Blue: Strong White Balance: Auto, +4 Red & -6 Blue ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 1/3 for the 1st exposure, 0 to +1/3 for the 2nd exposure (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new Faded Negative film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X100V:
Reeds & Blue Sky – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Faded Tree – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Pine Snow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Blackberry Leaves in Winter – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Winter Road – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Snow Covered Wagon – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Dark Forest Sunlight – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Jon Riding Shotgun – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V – “Faded Negative”
Polaroid Presto Girl – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Analog Cameras – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Fake Plant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Tulip on a Table – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Shelf Greenery – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Broken Barn – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Winter Forest Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
Snow on a Wood Fence – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X100V
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This picture is a combination of 8 toned B&W exposures. All done in-camera on a Fujifilm X100V.
There are many creative ways to use multiple-exposure photography on your Fujifilm camera. You can create pictures that might not at first glance appear to be multiple-exposure, yet using this tool opens up different aesthetics that aren’t otherwise possible to achieve in-camera. The multiple-exposure feature on your Fujifilm camera is often underutilized—there’s so much potential!
I’ve done a number of experiments with multiple-exposure photography, and written many articles on the topic. Below you’ll find links to some of those posts. If you missed them, or maybe you haven’t thought about multiple-exposure photography in awhile or at all, I invite you to give it a try!
Young Boy With An Old Camera – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Vintage Color Fade”
Two days ago I posted my “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe, and yesterday I posted my Split-Toned B&W recipe. Today’s film simulation recipe takes elements from both of those to produce a look that reminds me of something found on Nik Analog Efex. I call it Vintage Color Fade. It’s actually similar to my Faded Color recipe, but with modifications, producing a different result. This recipe definitely has a vintage analog aesthetic to it, with some very interesting results. It’s quite amazing that you can do this in-camera!
My Vintage Color Fade film simulation recipe requires the use of the double exposure feature of your camera. You make the first exposure using the settings under “Exposure 1” below. Then, before capturing the second image, switch to the settings found under “Exposure 2″ below. The only difference between the two sets of settings is the film simulation and the B&W tone, so it’s pretty easy to switch between them. The first exposure is of the scene that you want to capture, and the second exposure is of a piece of paper, which I prefer to be out-of-focus. The paper that I used was a medium-blue 8.5″ x 11” construction paper, the same paper that I used in the Split-Toned B&W recipe. The color of the paper doesn’t matter, but whatever it is should be medium-grey in black-and-white. How bright the second exposure is will determine how faded the picture will appear.
Exposure 1
PRO Neg. Hi
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Color: +4
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -5 Red & +5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Exposure 2
Acros
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Tone: +6 (warm)
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -5 Red & +5 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1 to -3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Vintage Color Fade film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Love You Always – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Indoor Potted Plant – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Fisher Price Phone – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Young Film Photographer – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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Vintage Bolsey Camera – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Split-Toned B&W”
While creating my “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe, which requires double exposures, I also discovered how to split-tone black-and-white pictures in-camera using double exposures. Split toning was originally a darkroom technique where one would give their black-and-white print a bath in two different toning chemicals, which resulted in shadows and highlights having two different colors. There are many different ways to split tone and many different potential results. This Split-Toned B&W recipe loosely mimics the aesthetic of ferrocyanide toning (blue) with diluted sepia (reddish-brown). You can get similar results very easily with software, but it’s fun to achieve a split tone effect straight out of camera.
For this recipe, you’ll capture the first exposure as normal. I find that increasing the exposure by 1/3 to 2/3 stop over what you might normally do produces better results. For the second exposure, photograph blue paper. I used an 8.5″ x 11″ medium-blue construction paper for my pictures. I like to purposefully make the second exposure out of focus, although I’m not sure that it matters much if you do. You can control the strength of the blue tone by how bright the second exposure is. The darker the exposure, the less blue there will be and the less faded the picture will appear. The brighter the exposure, the more blue there will be and the more faded the picture will appear. It’s fun to experiment with this, because you can vary the look significantly by how you expose the second image. If you want the highlights to be warmer, simply increase the tone of the first exposure to be more warm, or even use the Sepia film simulation instead of Acros. You could use a different color paper, or even use a cool tone instead of warm on the first exposure, if you wanted. You could really play around with this and come up with all sots of different looks.
Exposure 1
Acros
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Tone: +6 (warm)
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)
Exposure 2
Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +4
Shadow: +4
Color: +2
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Weak
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, 0 Red & 0 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: -1 to -3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this Split-Toned B&W film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Open Blinds – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Ocean – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
White Faux Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Monochrome Floral Arrangement – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lily Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Throw Pillows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Dirt Play – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Girl In The Sunlight – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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Instamatic Morning – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Bleach Bypass”
The upcoming Fujifilm X-T4 will have a new film simulation: Bleach Bypass. This new film simulation might eventually come to other X-Trans IV cameras, such as the X-T30, X-T3, X-Pro3 and X100V, but it might not, as Fujifilm has yet to add Classic Negative to the X-T3 and X-T30. It would certainly be nice if Fujifilm gave those of us with “older” X-Trans IV cameras the new film simulations. Even if they never do, you are in luck, as I have created a film simulation recipe to mimic the look of bleach bypass!
Bleach bypass is a darkroom technique where you skip or limit the bleach during development of color film, which causes it to retain the silver. Results will vary greatly depending on the film used and exactly how you develop it, but generally speaking what you get with bleach bypass is a high-contrast, low-saturation, grainy picture that appears as if a black-and-white and color picture were combined together. This technique is more common for motion picture film than still photography, but some people do bleach bypass with C-41 film.
I experimented with the techniques that I used for this film simulation back in June of last year. Much came out of those experiments, including both the Faded Color and Faded Monochrome film simulation recipes, as well as in-camera texturing. I created something similar to this recipe, but gave up on it before completing it. Last week Fuji X Weekly reader James Clinich reached out to me to share some experiments he had been doing, which turned out to be very similar to what I had done back in June. This rekindled my interest, and with inspiration drawn from James, I made this “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe.
This film simulation recipe requires the use of the double exposure feature of your camera. You will need a tripod, and there can’t be any movement in the scene. You have to make two identical exposures, one in color and one in black-and-white. After the first exposure is made, you must change the film simulation before making the second exposure. You can have both sets of settings programmed into the custom menu as separate presets, and toggle between them, or just change the film simulation, making sure that the tone is set correctly when making the Acros exposure. It’s a bit tricky and limited, but the results are nice. If you don’t want to do double exposures, but want something that will produce similar results to this recipe, try my Dramatic Classic Chrome recipe except set color to -4. That’s about as close as you can get. Otherwise, if you want to create a bleach bypass look in-camera, this recipe is your best option.
Exposure 1
Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Color: +2
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Strong
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Exposure 2
Acros
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Tone: +2 (warm)
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Grain: Strong
Sharpening: +1
Noise Reduction: -4
White Balance: Auto, -1 Red & +3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this “Bleach Bypass” film simulation recipe on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Pillows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Window Robot – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Illuminated Faux Flowers – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Pronto! – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Touch of Green – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Rooftops & Mountaintops – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tracks Under The Bridge – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Do Not Cross Tracks – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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Green Mountain On Canvas – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
A creative option found in many photo editing programs is texture. The texture, which might be canvas, paper, cloth, wood, etc., is added as a layer which can be blended as strongly or subtly as one might want. It’s a fun technique that adds an unexpected element to pictures. I used to occasionally do this when I used Alien Skin Exposure software. There are even some specialty films that have texture built-in, such as Revolog Texture films.
When I was experimenting with my Faded Color and Faded Monochrome film simulation recipes, which use double-exposure photography to create a vintage film aesthetic, it occurred to me that I could use the double-exposure feature of my Fujifilm X-T30 to add texture to my pictures in-camera. I could get a textured look without software. Incredible! So I begun to experiment with textured JPEGs, and the results were interesting.
Canvas Daisy – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
You might ask, “I can do this in Photoshop in only a few seconds, so why would I want to do this in-camera?” That’s a good question that deserves a lengthy explanation. I used to shoot RAW, but I rely on camera-made JPEGs now. Why? It saves me tons of time and makes my photographs more honest. Since I started shooting JPEGs, my photography production has gone through the roof while my total time investment in photography has noticeably dropped. I’m creating more with less. It’s all thanks to Fujifilm’s superb JPEG engine. The honesty statement is a little more controversial, but it’s clear that photography in general has taken a large perception hit when it comes to integrity. Non-photographers (photography consumers) don’t take a picture at face value anymore, and “Photoshop” has negative connotations. People ask me, “How much is this Photoshopped?” I answer, “None of it, this is how the camera captured it. This picture is unedited.” You’d be surprised at the overwhelming positive responses that I get from this answer. People find it refreshing. Photographers don’t see anything wrong with photo manipulation; however, many non-photographers feel that it’s not the image that’s being manipulated by the photographer, but the general public. They feel as though they’re being tricked by dishonesty. Whether or not that perception is fair or should exist is a whole different discussion, but you can avoid it altogether by shooting JPEGs. People are looking for authenticity, and this is one way to move in that direction.
To capture a photograph with texture on your Fujifilm camera, you will first need to enable the double-exposure feature of your camera. On the X-T30 it’s found on a knob on top of the camera. You can use any film simulation, but note that double-exposure pictures on the camera will be flatter (have less contrast), so Velvia, Classic Chrome and Acros work best because they have more contrast. Astia and PRO Neg. Hi work alright, as well. You will want to have Highlight and Shadow set no lower than +2, and more might give better results. Don’t be afraid to try +4 on one or both. I also recommend DR100, and DR200 if the scene has a lot of contrast. I find that for the main exposure, exposure compensation typically needs to be in the +1/3 to +1 range. The second exposure, which will be the texture exposure, typically needs exposure compensation set to -1 to -2, and I usually start at -2 and adjust as necessary. The camera will show you what the picture will look like, and it also allows do-overs if you need it.
Hanging B&W Picture – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
For texture, I found the best results came from a white stretched canvas for painting. I also tried other things, like burlap, cloth, paper, wood and metal, but the results weren’t as good in my opinion. I recommend trying different materials and seeing for yourself what you like or don’t like. After capturing the main exposure, capture a second exposure of the textured object. It’s really that simple. The camera gives a 50/50 blend of the two exposures, but because the first exposure is brighter and the second is darker, it will appear more in the neighborhood of 70/30, which is what you want. It might appear as though the image is actually printed on a textured surface.
This is a simple but creative way to use the double-exposure feature of your camera. You could really play around with this and get inventive. Try different settings, different subjects and different textures and see what happens. Below are examples of textured pictures I created using this technique on my Fujifilm X-T30:
Afternoon Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Spring Green Hill – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Backlit Sycamore Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Hazy Light Tree Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Tree Trunk In The Corner – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Weed Flower Canvas – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 -Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Yellow Flower on Canvas – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Crop of the above image.
Yellow Blossom Burlap – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Burlap
Bottle Still Life – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Coffee Still Life – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Metal
Blue R – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Film on Canvas – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
E To H – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Canvas
Zenit E on Wood – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Wood
Wood Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Wood
Knot A Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Wood
Window Birds Texture – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – Cloth
All Aboard Boy – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Monochrome”
I love the results of my Faded Color recipe, so creating a Faded Monochrome recipe was a natural next step. This film simulation recipe requires the use of the double-exposure feature of the camera. The first exposure is a normal photo, and the second exposure is of something plain white. I’ve tried different things, but for me a 4″ x 6″ plain white index card works well. No need for the second exposure to be in focus. It’s a simple idea that I wish I had thought of earlier. I think I’ve just scratched the surface of what can be created using this technique.
In film photography, you could achieve a similar look by printing with a low-contrast filter. You could also develop the film for low contrast by adjusting any number of things in the lab. You might also get this look by accident if you reused the fixer one too many times. Sometimes underexposed pushed-processed film has a very similar aesthetic. It’s possible for negatives to fade over time, especially if not stored correctly, and that, too, might create a similar look. While “faded” is in the title of this recipe, the look isn’t so much faded as it is low-contrast with “milky” blacks. It works especially well for high-contrast scenes.
Morning Coffee – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Monochrome”
To use this recipe, you will create two exposures using the double-exposure feature of your camera. The first exposure is the main image, and the second exposure is of something plain white, such as a 4″ x 6″ plain white index card. There is no need for the second exposure to be in focus. The exposure compensation for the second exposure can vary greatly depending on how bright the white is and how you want the picture to look. You will have to play around with it to figure out what works for you. The good news is that your camera will give you a preview of the finished image and will allow do-overs.
Acros (Acros+Y, Acros+R, Acros+G) Dynamic Range: DR100 Highlight: +4 Shadow: +4 Noise Reduction: -4 Sharpening: +2 Grain Effect: Strong Color Chrome Effect: Strong Toning: 0 (Neutral)
ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (main exposure), 0 to -2 (second exposure)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using my Faded Monochrome recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30:
Grey Rose – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Grey Lake – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lake Boat – Willard Bay SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tree Limbs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Well – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Don’t Give – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Urban Escape – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Big Brick Buildings – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Center Reflection – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Urbanscape Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Less Is More – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Urban Leaves – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Small Flower In The Big City – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Park Bench – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Joshua Monochrome – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Happy Girl – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Children On A Park Slide – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Instax Photographer – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Joy In The City – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Bank Time – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Water On The Glass – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Club – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stepping By – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Vibes – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Quiet – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Urban Cloud – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Angles & Lines – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Utah Artist – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Treading Lightly – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Marlboro Man – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Come Inside – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Mono Chrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Stop In Ogden – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
UTA Station – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Train Ride Abstract – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Empty Train Seats – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Train Passenger – Roy, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Passenger Window – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Train 19 – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
UTA 19 – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Train Host – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Hungry Traveler – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Caboose Steps Monochrome – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Caboose Display – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Industrial Sunlight – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Ladder Climb – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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This recipe is a failure. More accurately, it’s a failed attempt at a certain aesthetic. It doesn’t look like what I was hoping it would look like. It’s close, but no cigar. What it does look like are faded color photographs from perhaps the 1950’s through 1970’s. I have some old issues of Arizona Highways magazine from the 1950’s, and these pictures have a similar look to what’s found in those magazines. You might have some old family photos that have faded over time and perhaps look like the pictures that this recipe creates. You can also achieve this washed-out “milky” look through darkroom techniques. Even though this recipe doesn’t look like what I was trying to create, it looks really amazing, and I am astonished that this look can be achieved in-camera.
What I was trying to create was a certain cinematic characteristic. I was asked by a Fuji X Weekly reader to create a film simulation recipe that produces a look similar to the aesthetic of the Wong Kar Wai movie Chungking Express. I had never seen this movie, so I had to do much research, and thankfully a lot of great information was easily found online. I discovered that the motion picture film used in the movie was Agfa XT320, and that it was often (but not always) push-processed, sometimes one stop and sometimes two. A technique called flashing was used a number of times in the movie, which involves flashing the film with light to give it a smoky, atmospheric, or faded feel, lowering contrast. It’s a type of double exposure, except that the second exposure is nothing more than a little light. Another technique that was used in the movie was to give different scenes a certain color cast using gels. Wong Kar Wai likes to create scenes with one predominant color, and so you will find elements in the scene that are the same color as the color cast. He used a slow shutter speed in the movie to blur motion. There were a ton of different techniques used, and so you can probably understand the difficulty of the task. You cannot incorporate everything into one recipe, so I had to make some choices and create a plan to try to achieve something that looks similar to the movie.
My idea was to attempt a recipe that resembled push-processed Agfa XT320 that has been flashed and has a color cast. I decided to use the double-exposure feature on my Fujifilm X-T30 and white balance shift to achieve this. For the second exposure, which needed to be white, I tried a number of things, including a miniature portable studio, but after some trial-and-error, I settled on a plain white 4″ x 6″ index card. I would hold it a few inches in front of the lens and make the second exposure. Auto-focus would never lock onto it, and I figured that a blurry exposure might actually be preferable. For the color cast, I found that one exposure should not have a shifted white balance and the other should. Initially I was adding the color cast to the main exposure and not the white exposure, but then I switched that and liked the results better for some reason. I used the 16:9 aspect ratio to make it a more cinematic shape. Unfortunately, I could never get the results to look quite right for Chungking Express. I think I was in the general ballpark, but not as close as I was hoping. Fortunately, what I did create was pretty interesting, so I kept shooting with it, except I used the 3:2 aspect ratio.
Main Motion – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – “Faded Color”
To use this recipe, you must set the camera to double-exposure, which on the X-T30 is found on a knob on the top. You capture the main exposure, then you must make some adjustments for the second exposure. The white balance must be shifted and the exposure compensation must be adjusted. For the white balance shift, I found going almost to the extremes works well. For a yellow cast, choose 0 Red & -8 Blue. For an orange cast, choose +8 Red & -8 Blue. For a red cast, choose +8 Red and 0 Blue. For a purple cast, choose +8 Red & +8 Blue. For a blue cast, choose 0 Red and +8 Blue. For a cyan cast, choose -8 Red and +8 Blue. For a green cast, choose -8 Red & 0 Blue. For green-yellow cast, choose -8 Red & -8 Blue. The exposure compensation for the white exposure is a little tricky. A lot depends on how bright the white is (whether it has direct light on it or if it is in shade) and how faded you want the image to look. It takes a little practice, but the good news is that the camera shows you exactly what the results are going to be, and even allows you do-overs if you don’t like it. I found that sometimes 0 was good, I found that sometimes -2 was good, and often -2/3 or -1 was a good choice. Each picture should get individual consideration. The second exposure is a picture of something white, such as the blank index card that I already described, although you could certainly try other things if you find something that might work better for you. This creates a faded look that almost seems unbelievable that it came out of the camera unedited.
Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR100 Highlight: +3
Shadow: +4
Color: +4
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Sharpening: +2
Noise Reduction: -4
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto (use a shift on the second exposure) ISO: Auto up to ISO 12800
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (main exposure), 0 to -2 (second exposure)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using my Faded Color recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30:
Good Life – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Or Another – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Summer Santa – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Makeup – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Walking Without Wondering – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Bike Repair – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Transit Train Transportation – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Kid Bowling – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Instax Girl – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Guitar Cat – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Cracked Eggs – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Good Vibes – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Steps & Vines – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lake Grass – Willard Bay SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Faded Daisies – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Soft Rose – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Summer Roses – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Red Rose Faded – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Dark Rose – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Big Red Ball Catching – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Tona – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Hanging Bulbs – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Wet Bloom – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Caboose Steps – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Breakboy – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
Lake Boy – East Canyon SP, UP – Fujifilm X-T30
Springtime Lake – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
East Canyon Reservoir – East Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T30
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A little over two years ago I saw some interesting photographs by Christoffer Relander where he used double-exposure photography to capture rural landscapes inside of glass jars. I thought it was a neat concept, and I wanted to try my hand at something similar. I didn’t desire to do the exact same thing, so I decided that instead of rural landscapes I would put urban, architectural and industrial scenes inside the jars. I used a similar (but slightly different) technique than him, and I chose a different subject with a different intended meaning to differentiate my work from his.
It wasn’t long before Christoffer discovered my jar photographs, but the reaction that I received was not what I expected, and it wasn’t positive. He sent me a note to inform me that my photographs were too similar to his, and he asked me to stop making these types of pictures. He told me that my images went beyond inspiration and were, in fact, copycats. He didn’t appreciate that I was trying to steal his idea and ripoff his project, in his opinion.
I want to make it clear that I’m not writing this to bash Christoffer. I respect his amazing artistry. He does great work! He has a lot of talent and I wish him tons of success. I encourage you to check out his pictures. I wholeheartedly disagree with his sentiments and accusations, but that was two years ago and I’m no longer hurt by them. However, this is an important story for this discussion, and that’s why I’m bringing it up.
Preserving The Library Stairs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1
After receiving the note from Christoffer, one of the first things that I did was research photographers who have captured images of jars, paying special attention to those who did multiple-exposure pictures. As it turns out, his project is not completely unique, and I’m not surprised by this because there is very, very little art that’s truly original. Almost all art has taken inspiration from something else. There are a ton of examples of jar photographs, even more examples of rural landscape photographs, and many examples of multiple-exposure photography involving jars or rural landscapes. What Christoffer did that was for the most part unique was combine those elements together in one image. Almost nobody had done that before him. And almost nobody had combined multiple-exposure jar and urban/architectural/industrial pictures together when I did it.
Two years have passed since then, and I lost interest in the project awhile back because I let my feelings get in the way of creating art. In the meantime many other people have come along and done scene-in-a-jar double-exposure pictures. It’s much less unique now because once some technique or idea gets attention, others want to do it, too. That’s perfectly alright, since nothing is truly original. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
“Start copying what you love,” wrote Austin Kleon in his book Steal like an Artist. “Copy, copy, copy, copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself.” He also articulated, “Every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of one or more previous ideas.” I could quote Austin all day, but it all boils down to this: there are very few if any truly new or unique ideas, and almost everything that you think is new or unique is not, so what you have to do is take a little from this person and a little from someone else and mix it with yourself to form something that seems original.
Preserving an Afternoon Downtown – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1
“Nothing is original,” explained actor and director Jim Jarmusch. “Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadow. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable, originality is nonexistent.”
“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources,” Albert Einstein put it simply.
Creativity, which is a critical element for the artist photographer, is about stealing inspiration from whoever and wherever you can, mixing it all up and adding a little of your own unique perspective. Take a little from here. Take a little from over there. That’s what all creative people do. The secret is hiding your sources–not by lying, but by simply making it not so obvious who or what those sources are. My mistake was that I did not hide my sources very well, but Christoffer did a great job at hiding his sources, so I’m a copycat and he’s a genius.
There are two takeaways from this article that I hope you’ve discovered. The first is that it’s not only alright to copy others, it’s what you’re supposed to do, but with the caveat that you should mix in other influences and include a piece of yourself, as well. It’s not straight-up copying that you want to do, but stealing ideas and techniques and making them your own by including your unique perspectives. The second is that if you catch someone copying what you’re doing, don’t be offended! Take it as flattery. It’s a compliment. Besides, you stole it from someone else in the first place, so it’s not just you that’s being copied, it’s everyone who has influenced you and everyone who has influenced those who have influenced you. It’s all one big continuum, where everyone is copying everyone, and making beautiful photographs in the process. Go ahead and copy, and don’t feel bad about it for one moment, because without exception everyone steals inspiration from someone.
Pas Une Abeille – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
In the late 1920’s, Belgian painter Rene Magritte shocked the art world by painting a realistic pipe for smoking, printing underneath it, “Ceci n’est pas une pipe,” which is French for, “This is not a pipe.” You look at it and ask, “If it’s not a pipe, what the heck is it? It sure looks like a pipe to me!”
Factually, his painting, entitled The Treachery of Images, is not a pipe, it’s a painting of a pipe. A picture is never the object that is represented on it, but a facsimile of that object. Rene said of his painting, “The famous pipe. How people reproached me for it! And yet, could you stuff my pipe? No, it’s just a representation, is it not? So if I had written on my picture, ‘This is a pipe,’ I would have been lying!”
This is an important point for photographers. No matter how real an image may look, the fact is that it is a photograph and not the actual scene. It’s a likeness, and a heavily biased one at that. The photographer makes all sorts of decisions before and after opening the shutter that effect the outcome. Whatever it is that you are photographing, you could print underneath it This is not a [insert name of scene being photographed] and you’d be absolutely right. As a photographer, you are making a one-sided representation of a scene. It’s not possible for the viewers of your image to step into the scene and touch things or move stuff around. It’s a picture, and that’s all.
Not A Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
This revelation is liberating! Because it’s not possible for you to photographically make whatever the scene is, only a biased portrayal of it, you can make it look however you wish. You are the artist and you get to decide everything. You are not merely capturing, you are interpreting. You are creating something unique. You are communicating through the picture your thoughts and emotions about the scene in front of the lens. There is no need to be accurate, unless that’s what you, the artist, wants. More important than accuracy is having something interesting or important to nonverbally speak to the viewer.
I copied Rene Magritte’s idea, and made double-exposure photographs that say, in French, “Not a [name of object in the picture],” to remind myself and others of his imperative point. This was a very simple in-camera combination. The first exposure was of black paper with white writing and the second exposure was of the object itself. I did give the photographs some post-processing because, straight-out-of-camera, they’re a little flat.
This was an interesting project that I did over the course of a couple of days. What I appreciate about it is the message. The pictures are nothing more than representatives of the objects, so how I compose, what my settings are, and how I edit are my prerogative, and if you don’t like it that’s fine. I’m the artist, not you. I’m simply communicating through my pictures what I think or how I feel about the object in the picture. Those are my thoughts and my feelings, and I’m allowed to have them. I’m free to create pictures that express myself through them, things that I might have a tough time communicating with actual words.
Besides, this was a fun project and I find photography in general to be fun. If it’s not enjoyable, then why do it? I get a lot of satisfaction from creating images. I hope that others like them, as well, but it’s alright if they don’t, because that’s not why I created the pictures. I hope that my intended message is meaningful to you. I hope that you appreciate these photographs as much as I do. It’s alright if you don’t because it’s not a pipe and you are entitled to your opinions. Sometimes there aren’t any right or wrong answers, and sometimes what seems untrue is actually true and vice versa. Simply put, create what you want to create how you want to create it, and don’t worry what others will think or say about it.
Not A Camera – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
Pas Une Fleur – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
Pas Une Feuille – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
Not A Bird – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
Pas Une Montagne – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 60mm – double exposure
My Mourning Essentials – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
I’ve been doing multiple exposure photography off and on for a long time. It seems as though every year or two I get a short-lived urge to be creative in that way. I’ll make a number of multiple exposure photographs over the course of a few weeks, then I’ll stop until that urge returns in another year or so.
This type of photography can be done in-camera on film, in the darkroom on paper, in-camera digitally, or with Photoshop or some other similar software. At one time or another I’ve done it each way. I think in-camera on film has the best potential for great results, but it can be very tricky, requiring great skill and great luck. Getting good results in Photoshop can be tricky because, most often, it’s easy to spot when one has done that technique. I find that in-camera digitally is a good method, not quite having the potential that film provides but not producing obviously fake results like what one often sees when done with software.
Here are some examples of multiple exposure photographs that I’ve done in the past:
Preserving The Library Stairs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – double exposure
The bug to create multiple exposure pictures bit me again recently. Last week I used my X100F and X-Pro2 to capture several double exposures. I looked around for interesting opportunities to combine scenes. One difficult aspect of multiple exposure photography is combining two exposures in a way that brings new meaning, that changes what both scenes are about. It’s definitely abstract in nature, but there has to be a point to it other than just abstract, or else why do it?
Fujifilm makes it pretty easy to do this type of photography in-camera because you capture the first image, then it superimposes that onto the second as you are capturing it. You can see exactly what the results are going to be. Typically, even with highlight and shadow set to +4, the straight-out-of-camera picture looks flat, so some post-processing is required, although I try to keep it to a minimum.
Hopefully I will have some more opportunities to create even more double-exposure pictures coming up in the next few days. I have a number of ideas floating around inside my head. I hope you enjoy the ones that I captured below.
Yearning – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – double exposure
Not An Entrance – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
Blue Diamond – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
Abstract Rectangles – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
Trade Tools – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
Two Tone Carts – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F – double exposure
