Double Exposure and Multiple Exposure Photography

Hello Students,
For this project you will be exercising two artistic photography/editing techniques, double exposure and multiple exposure.

With multiple exposure photography you may literally be beside yourself! ( I AM SO FUNNY! )

Assignment Requirements:

• Create 1 double exposure image or portrait, must utilize juxtaposition as the driving concept in the choice of images you are combining
• Create 1 multiple exposure image or portrait. Must contain at least 4 exposures/images combined into 1. Turn in all images used plus final combined image.

Double Exposure Photo Shoot Project Process:

Your new assignment is to shoot 2 exposures that can be combined with Photoshop. Work in pairs or groups, with each taking turns to shoot portraits and other images for superimposing. Utilize the concept of juxtaposition to drive your work. Simply stated, juxtaposition means things side-by-side. In art this usually is done with the intention of bringing out a specific quality or creating an effect, particularly when two contrasting or opposing elements are used. Light and dark, smooth and textured, shapes and details, etc.

Tips for success:

-       Look for images in your environment that will combine well as juxtapositions

-       Consider the content of the images as well as the light and dark areas and how they will appear when combined

-       Shoot a few "A" images (portraits, animals, statues, etc) and shoot a few "B" images (backgrounds, architecture, textural surfaces, lines and patterns, etc) so you have good choices for finding a combination that works. You may use previously shot images for this project if desired.

Instructions:

-       Work with a partner or a group to explore campus and take your photos following the guidelines above.

-       Make sure that each person in the group takes turns shooting photos so each person can turn in unique work

-       When complete return to class and download/share the images onto to each students computer for editing

-       Put them into a single folder on your computer. label the folder with a self explanatory file name such as "Double Exposure"

-       Launch Adobe Photoshop and open the Open the first image, then drag-and-drop the second image onto the first from it's folder, you may double click in your document to complete the layering. If your Layer Palette is open, you will see both images stacked. Show students how you toggle the layers on and off with the eyeball icon next to demonstrate

-       Adjust the Opacity slider in the Layer Palette until you find a good setting to blend your two images.

-       Additionally you can also scale/move/distort a layer for effect if desired

-       Use the "Save for Web and Devices" feature under the Edit menu to export a JPG of your combined image. Save as a JPG or PNG24 with a self-explanatory file name such as "firstname_doubleexposure.jpg"

-       Turn in you final image, plus your two source images to your instructor for grading

Multiple Exposure Photo Shoot Project Process: 

Overview:

In this multiple exposure project students will use their own cameras with a tripod to create their own multi-self portraits. Students may work in groups or pairs but each student should turn in unique work.

Your new assignment is to shoot 4 or more exposures that can be combined with Photoshop seamlessly in the form of a multi-self portrait.

• You will produce 1 final image for this project of 4 or more exposures that have been combined in Photoshop in a seamless fashion (no obvious edges, errors or transparencies)

 • The exposure settings on the camera must be locked down so no there are no light/dark changes between shots. Meter for your scene with the auto feature, write down the shutter speed, iso and aperture... then switch to manual mode and enter those values. Watch out for changes in natural light (clouds, etc)

 • Make sure white balance is set appropriately and not on auto. Any changes between exposures can ruin the final edit, even clouds passing over head can change the light across your different exposures.

 • Camera must be locked down on a tripod with no movement between shots.

 • Capture 4 or more exposures of the same person in one scene, in different positions and placement. Be aware that overlapping areas are difficult to edit.

Turn in:

-       3 or more exposures

-       1 final combined image

What is Double Exposure?

Double exposure with a traditional film camera involved exposing 2 different images to 1 piece of film. The effect creates an overlay of 2 images into 1, the areas of dark and light combine. With digital camera's we can take 2 different photos and combine them into 1 by using Photoshop's layers. See examples below:

Composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, double exposure made using a film camera, 1980 by Claude Truong-Ngoc / Wikimedia Commons 

Double exposure made using a film camera

This example is created in camera with a carefully planned process. Photo Credit:Dan Mountford

Photo Credit:Dan Mountford

What is Multiple Exposure?

Multiple exposure is when a camera is timed to take an exposure at different intervals of time, creating a series of images into 1 image. With a digital camera we can take multiple images and combine them with photoshops layers and some clever use of the Eraser Tool. See examples below:

A multiple exposure image created with photoshop

A multiple exposure composite image of a lunar eclipse taken over Hayward, California in 2004.

Student Work Samples: Double and Multiple Exposures

Post Processing Image Enhancement

Hello Students,

Your new assignment is to enhance your best portrait that you took during your recent photo shoot yesterday. Read through the color enhancement assignment and find a way to enhance the colors in your image to make it rich and vibrant. Next try the process listed afterward to modify additional images using the cross processing, tilt-shift affect and the "Dragan"method to create deep shadow and gritty detail in your images.

Color Enhancement Assignment:

• Choose your best portrait from your photo shoot yesterday and create a copy of it, open the copy up in Photoshop
• Read the entire tutorial below and try each step out on your photo
• Boost the color and depth of the photo with the tricks outlined in the tutorial
• Create an image border
• Add your first initial and last name to the lower right corner as a watermark
• Post the original and enhanced versions to the class site
• Pick 3 more images and follow the steps to create a cross processed image, a tilt shift affect and one that demonstrates the "Dragan" process

Color Enhancement and Photoshop Basics:

For many beginning photographers, any version of the image editor, Photoshop, can look quite daunting to use. With all the menu options, palettes, tools, filters, layer styles and various changes you can make to an image, it’s difficult to know where to start. This article provides some ways to get started with the most popular image editor in the world.

Here’s a copy of the original image used in this introductory photoshop tutorial. Notice it’s lacking control and saturation of color. It’s a little flat.

To get started, simply open a portrait or facial shot similar to the one I’m using here.

1. Duplicate The Background Layer

The first thing you want to get used to doing is making a copy of the background layer of your image. The Layers palette should open by default, but it is also found by clicking onWindows>Layers in the menu bar of Photoshop.

Select the Background Layer and click on the little triangle at the top right of the palette. When the palette options open, click Duplicate Layer, or you can use the shortcut keystroke, Command+J.

By duplicating the background layer, you can make all types of adjustments to duplicate layers without permanently changing the bottom background layer. If you make some adjustments you don’t like, you can drag the duplicate layers (with all the adjustments and effects you made to them) to the trash at the bottom right of the layer palette.

2. Automatic Image Adjustments

When you start learning how to use Photoshop to improve your photos, you might want to try out some of the automatic adjustments that can be made, even if you don’t understand the tools themselves.

The basic image enhancement and adjustment tools in Photoshop are found underImage>Adjustments in the menu bar. In the Adjustment palette, there are various tools likeLevels…, Auto Contrast, Curves, Brightness/Contrast.

To introduce you to these adjustment tools in this introductory photoshop tutorial, I’m going to suggest that you use the automatic and preset features of these tools. As you begin to understand them more, you will make use of manual adjustments.

So with your background layer duplicated and selected, click on Image>Adjustments>Auto Levels in the menu bar. When you release the mouse of the menu item, the automatic Levels adjustment should enhance or at least affect the shadow (dark), midtones, and highlights (bright) areas of your image. Often, a photo can be improved in Photoshop with just the automatic adjustments applied.

3. More About Layers

Now let’s revisit how layers work. Go back to the Layers palette and click on the little eye next the Duplicate layer that you just applied the Auto Layers adjustment to. When you toggle that little eye off, it means that you’re turning off the adjustment or effect that you made in that layer. Since the adjusted layer is on top of the background layer like a clear transparency, you can toggle the eye off and on to see how the adjustments are applied to the background layer (also remember: you can drag the duplicate layer to the trash to get rid of the adjustment(s) all together).

4. Automatic Curves

Okay, let’s return to a few other automatic adjustments and enhancements you can make to your photo. Go back to Image>Adjustments and then click on Curves. The Curves box will open. This box may look seriously scary with its grid, points, lines, and ear droppers. But don’t worry about that. We’re simply going to use some automatic adjustments to see how Curves can impact your photo.

Click on the button next to the word Preset. In the drop-down box, select Medium Contrast (RGB). If you don’t see much of a change in the contrast of your photo, go back to the Preset button and try Strong Contrast. You should be able to see the effect of the Preset on your photo before you click OK. Curves works similar to Levels but with more intensity in contrast.

Much more could be said about Curves and Levels, but this is just an introduction. You can play around with the points in the Curves box and see how they affect your photo. Remember, the changes you make are non-destructive to your photo, so you can experiment as much as you like. The illustration below explains a little about how the three main points in the grid function. If you make a mess of things, simply click Cancel and start over, or click OK when you’re satisfied with how the photo is looking.

5. Make Colors Pop

Okay, now lets move on to learn about other enhancements that can be made. One of the tools I use on nearly all the images I bring into Photoshop is one called Soft Light. Here’s how it works.

Go back to the Layers Palette, drag all the layers, except the background layer to the trash. Click on the Background layer and create another duplicate of it. Now click on the Normal button at the top of the Layers Palette. In the drop-down box, select Soft Light. When selecting this adjustment, it should make the colors of your image pop, or at least intensify the contrast of your images. The contrast of most digital images always need to be improved. This technique does that job extremely well without too much loss to detail.

If the Softlight application is too strong, select the Opacity button at the top of the Layers Palette and decrease the opacity of the layer/effect.

6. Image Border

Another tool that beginning Photoshop users might want to know is how to add a border around an image. Again there are a few ways to do this. One way is to select the top layer in the Layers palette. Next click on Image>Canvas Size. In the dialogue box that opens up, change the Width and Height to both to .2. Choose a color for your border. Make sure the center of the Anchor box is selected. Click OK and you should see a border around the image.

3 More Flavors of Post Processing: Cross Process, Tilt-Shift and Dragan Method:

Take your favorite images from your recent portrait assignments and create 3 different versions of each image by working through the online tutorials posted below. Post your 9 post-processed images to your blog when complete:

Cross-Processing:

Cross processing is an effect where the film is developed with the wrong mix of chemicals. Work through the tutorial to recreate this effect and make your photo look like it's source was film and not digital. The border around the film is called the "film rebate". Search for one on google images to use on yours.

Tilt-Shift:

Tilt shift photography is a technique where the lens angle is changed to create a focused center area. This tricks the brain into thinking it is seeing something very small. This is the effect we see when we squint our eyes at a small object.

Dragan Effect:

Andrzej Dragan's photography is known for having an intensity in detail and tonal depth. Try to mimic his technique with photoshop by working through the video tutorial.
Prefer a plain tutorial? Check out this link: Dragan Effect in 5 steps

Have fun!

 - Mr.W

New Project: Portrait Study

Advanced Portrait Study Assignment Part A: Left, Right, Front...

Your next assignment is another exercise in portrait photography and this time we are testing a theory that a persons left side of their face shows more emotion that the right side of the face, and that viewers find the left side more aesthetically pleasing. Read through the 2 links below. Take your portraits and write a 2-3 paragraph summary about your findings. Do you agree with the theory proposed? If not why? What are your personal findings and thoughts?

Does the left side of the face show more emotion? 

Links for reading:

 - Science Daily: Your left side is your best side

 - Petapixel: Photograph the left side of peoples faces to capture more emotion

Assignment Details:

• Pick 1 person (doesn't have to be the same model from part B) and create 3 portraits of them each showing their face from the right, the left and straight on.
• Take multiple shots (like a professional) and choose your best example to show the left, side and front portraits
• Post your 3 images to our flickr page when complete, post processing is encouraged to enhance your portraits, try B&W, cross-processing or basic color enhancement.
• Write a 2-3 paragraph summary of your findings. Do you agree with the theory proposed? If not why? What are your personal findings and thoughts on this theory? Post this summary on one of your images when they are shared to our flickr group.

Left

Front

Right

Advanced Portrait Study Assignment Part B:
This assignment is an advanced study in portrait photography. You will have to find a volunteer to model for you. Your task is to take a series of portraits as outlined below. The challenge with this project is to coach your model to position themselves in a way that shows their best look. A standard roll of film has 36 exposures. Take at least 2 rolls worth of film, or roughly 70 photos over the course of this challenge, create a Contact Sheet and choose your final 7 images from them.

Your client (who is a famous model, celebrity, or actor, or millionaire executive, okay maybe they are just your best friend, but let's pretend for now they are a VIP) has just hired you to shoot a series of portraits for an upcoming magazine ad/article/brochure/book/event/etc. Your job is to get them to open up and show their best side to your camera. You must coach them, break them out of their comfort zone and follow your directions to show their best look.

Required Reading:

6 Tips for Better Portraits from Peter Hurley, professional photographer for celebrities, actors and executives

• Find a volunteer to act as your model. You will be shooting many shots so they must be committed. This entire series should ideally utilize a single model as your subject for quality in contrasting and comparing the results of your work.
• Shoot a series of images for each of the techniques listed below. Upon completion you should have over 70 images to choose your final 7 from.
• Final deliverables: Contact Sheet and 7 final images posted to our flickr group with post-image enhancement.

1) Alter Your Perspective:

A photographers instinct is to shoot at eye level, try an extreme angle from different sides. Try to position yourself around the subject, not vice versa. Try multiple angles and take a shot or two from each one.

Photo by striatic

2) Looking Off Camera/Off Frame:

Have your subject framed at different distances and looking off camera. Have your model focus on something unseen or seen, off in the distance or closeup. This helps create an air of mystique. Shoot multiple shots from different distances.

Photo by monicutza80

3) Looking Within The Frame:

Have your subject looking at something within the frame. Consider what they are looking at. If it is a snack they might seem hungry. If it is a cell phone that is ringing perhaps they look annoyed.

Photo by paulbence

4) Experiment With Lighting:

Try shooting indoors with no lights except our studio lights. Try looking for a single light source, or anywhere with deep shadow or shadows that can cast a pattern on the models face. Try light sources from the front, back, sides. Shoot multiple images.

5) Get Your Subject Out Of Their Comfort Zone:

Ask your model to get out of their comfort zone by doing something active such as jumping, spinning, dancing, riding a bike, sprinting, stretching, doing kung-fu etc. Shoot as many action shots as you can, make sure to adjust your exposure settings to reduce motion blur. Make sure they are doing something they may not normally do.

6) The Candid:

Ask your model to go about their business and pretend you aren't there. Follow them around, shoot images and try to capture those natural moments.

Photo captured by Christopher Rye

7) Get A Smile:

While you are taking pictures, at any time, tell a joke and try to make your model laugh a genuine laugh. If you time it just right and anticipate their laughter you can snap a shot at the right time.

8) Make A Contact Sheet Of All Images:

A contact sheet is a great way to view all your images at once. That way your client can see all the images easily and pick the best ones.

Have fun!

 - Mr.W