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!
This is a combination of 8 B&W Exposures with different color toning applied to each.
The Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras have a new tool for toning black-and-white pictures in-camera. I mentioned in my article about this new toning feature that there’s the potential to get creative with it, especially when combined with multiple exposure photography. I thought that it might be possible to create color pictures using the Acros film simulation, B&W toning and multiple exposures. This is certainly an unusual use of those tools! A sturdy tripod is a requirement for this experiment.
On my X100V, there are 1,368 possible colors to tone B&W pictures, but I concentrated on the more bold options. To make this work, the best results are found in the +/- 15-18 range. My camera has four multiple exposure options: Additive, Average, Bright and Dark. Additive and Average won’t work for this project because it muddies the colors. Bright and Dark will work, and they work similarly. For Bright, the camera compares the exposures and chooses only the brightest pixel at each location; for Dark, it chooses the darkest pixel. I found that one option typically works better than the other, depending on the scene. You could get creative and adjust the exposure of each image to control which colors are chosen; however, I didn’t do that for these pictures.
At first I tried using just three exposures: one with Toning set to WC -18 MG 0 (Blue), one set to WC +18 MG -18 (Red), and the other set to WC 0 MG +18 (Green). This worked alright, but there are not any in-between colors. The transitions from one color to the next are harsh. Still, I was able to create color pictures this way.
After a little experimenting, I decided that eight exposures worked better (you can combine up to nine). In addition to the Toning described in the previous paragraph, I added one with WC 0 MG -18 (Magenta), WC -18 MG -18 (Purple), WC -18 MG +18 (Teal), WC +18 MG +18 (Yellow), and WC +18 MG 0 (Orange-Red). This made the color transitions a little less harsh, but it’s still not ideal. The pictures look strange and nothing like “normal” color photographs. I also tried reducing some colors to as low as +/- 15 (instead of 18) in an attempt to control the outcome a little, but it’s hard to know what you’ll get until you’ve made all eight exposures.
The results remind me of some cross processing experiments that I did a number of years ago. You can get weird results, depending on the film and process. The toned B&W multiple exposures on my X100V loosely resemble the “worst” cross-processing results from those analog experiments years ago. This isn’t something that I’d want to do all of the time, but it was fun nonetheless. Most people will never try this, but a few of you will. I can see someone doing an abstract photography project using this technique.
I used three exposures for this picture.
Another three exposure picture.
This is an eight exposure image.
Another eight exposure picture.
I used eight exposures for this picture.
Another eight exposure picture.
Eight exposures. The wind moved the grass between exposures.
This is another eight exposure image.
I never really thought that I’d be creating color images from black-and-white in-camera. The results aren’t especially great, so it’s not really a practical thing, more gee-whiz. I do believe, with practice and experimentation, it’s possible to get better results. I hope that you found this article interesting, and perhaps even a few of you were inspired to do your own experiments.
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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
