[q] techniques for multi-image capture on same frame

[vladislav]

I have some ideas of artistic composition where one image would overlay another on the same frame (sort of realtime Photoshop in analog domain)


I am sure I am not the first one to come up with this angle, and, perhaps, film here has advantage over digital.

Are there any tutorials on the subject, or perhaps even quick recipe suggestions, or a list of 'dos and donts'?

I would like to mix exposure, focus and subjects into one frame.

I have F, F2, F3, F4, F5 Nikons to experiment with. Prefer color negative film, but have some thoughts of what would work well for B&W.

appreciate in advance any help

 

[FerruB]

With the Nikon F3 is possible to make multiple exposure, basically it allows you to re-cock the shutter without advancing the film. Is this what you want to achieve?
For the rest I think is pretty straightforward to calculate the total exposure of the frame, however I never experimented multiple exposure myself.

 

[mooseontheloose]

I used to do this all the time, especially with slide film, often mixing in and out of focus exposures on the same frame (a modified Orton effect, but not as painterly), often with flowers and with night shots. Whatever technique you decide to do, you have to consider how many multiples you are doing and adjust your exposure accordingly. I think any film will work well - the only thing is, if you are experimenting and getting your film developed elsewhere, you may tell the lab that. Here in Japan if pictures are out of focus, blurry, or have multiple exposures they often don't print (or throw away) those photos - which is why I switched to slide at the time. However, you may not have those issues where you are. If you use a Holga (or similar camera where double exposures are very easy to do, whether you want to or not), you have lots of options: traditional DE, right-side up/upside-down exposures (here's one of (there was a url link here which no longer exists)), microclicks and other panoramic techniques, and more.

Orton Imagery
Double Exposure Silhouettes (here's one of (there was a url link here which no longer exists), due to accidentally exposing the same film twice)
Holga Microclicks

 

[Arbitrarium]

Generally, high contrast light situations work best for double exposures in black and white. Double exposures done at night often work very well because of all the black space left unexposed by the first exposure.

If you Google 'double exposure' you'll get a tide of boring silhouettes with flowers double exposed over them. Probably the least interesting thing you can do with doubles. But it illustrates how using a high contrast first shot and a textured second shot gives predictable results.