How to shoot this kind of photo?

blackstar

Senior Member
I am wondering if it is possible to shoot a photo like one below (from National Geographic) by a regular DSLR camera? What kind of settings are used? I am thinking of maybe long exposure... Appreciate verification and tips.

lapse.jpg
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Ah, stacked images! Make sense, but out of my head at first. I can see one head's hair briefly cover another head's face. But can't figure out why part of the bookcase' (right) edge shows up in one head's face? I don't use and know PP though. Does Darktable or Gimp do image stacking? Sure like to learn. Thanks, Walt.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
There are certainly ways to create this in-camera using double exposure mode, but based on the lack of movement in whatever the kid is watching I suspect it's done in post.

You could also do it in single exposure mode with a long exposure in 2 ways, the first would have shown movement in the head (single, constant exposure), the other would require you to open the shutter with the lens covered, lift the cover, close it, have the person move, open it again, and close the shutter. In the latter method it helps to have a dark space and illuminate it twice with a flash. This is obviously lit naturally so it's not that.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I am wondering if it is possible to shoot a photo like one below (from National Geographic) by a regular DSLR camera? What kind of settings are used? I am thinking of maybe long exposure... Appreciate verification and tips.

View attachment 337538
I'm not seeing anything in that image that couldn't be done with a single, long exposure (say, ten seconds or so; maybe less) and routine processing. Exposure details would depend on the ambient lighting.

Edit: I take that back. Having looked at the image on my computer (instead of my phone) it's clearly a double-exposure.
 
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blackstar

Senior Member
Ok, "double-exposure in camera" is. So basically you take two individual shots and then use image overlay in retouch menu to blend. The example below (from slrlounge) shows a very impressive and interesting 2-exp result with the settings: “Silhouette Image”: 24mm, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec.; “Scenery Image”: 24mm, ISO 800, f/2.2, 1/2500 sec.
double-exposure-s.jpeg

Questions (not addressed in the article): the first image (the couple) stated as "silhouette" is only kind of partial sil (upper body). How to make that in-camera?

It looks like there are more than 2 images blended. Am I losing my vision?

How to figure which image overlay which? According to the settings, 1st image is the couple (partially sil) standing on a prairie and 2nd is the scene of lake and mountain? And the tiny couple inside of the guy came from where? The 1st image will be on top of the 2nd or vice-versa?

Pardon me if this discussion goes too far. But always thanks for the responses.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
The silhouette image is just 2 images stacked on top of each other. I don't think you would be able to get that exact result in camera. It can easily be done in post using 2 layers. Put the mountains as the background and stack the silhouette on top. Then you can decrease the opacity of the top layer so that the mountains show through. After that, you can do some selective masking to increase the visibility of the bottom layer where you want it to show through more. It is pretty easy to do in post.

The small couple you are seeing is part of the mountain/water image. The same couple is standing on rocks in the background image, but they show through the top image because the top layer visibility has been reduced/masked. Too artsy and fidgety for my taste, but that kind of image is good practice for learning masking and layer opacity.
 
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blackstar

Senior Member
Thanks, Dawg.

I assume all the processing and adjustments you indicated are done post-double exp and overlay, not in-camera.

Now the "artsy and fidgety" taste of the photo, I believe, is done purposely as it's probably part of a wedding assignment. I was just interested in the double-exp and overlay effects. :)
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
Thanks, Dawg.

I assume all the processing and adjustments you indicated are done post-double exp and overlay, not in-camera.

Now the "artsy and fidgety" taste of the photo, I believe, is done purposely as it's probably part of a wedding assignment. I was just interested in the double-exp and overlay effects. :)

Probably done in post using 2 separate images stacked and not a double exposure considering how the couple from the scenery image was lined up inside the silhouette and some other specifics I see. Just my guess, though. I agree, probably engagement photo or something like that. The other image you posted with the lady in front of the bookcase looks like an in-camera double exposure to me.

I have only used the double exposure function in my D300 a couple of times. I found it looked odd because the second image looked transparent, which is necessary to show both images. It worked for my benefit because I was using the images on a website for a haunted house, and it added to the ghost-like appearance we were going for.

Anyway, looks like you are trying to learn new things, and that is always satisfying. Continue to have fun with it. :)
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Hi Dawg,

I think the couple image was first done by double-exp and in-camera image overlay, then some sort of post-pro because it came from the examples of the author's specific double-exp and image overlay lesson. By the way, transparency and opaque of any layer (image) can be adjusted in the overlay process.

Yeah, I'm trying to learn more, and yet come with many stumblings, e.g., try using Gimp's Startrail-plugin to make image stacking with regular tri-exp photos for a very disappointing outcome (fine result from night star photos though).
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I have only used the double exposure function in my D300 a couple of times. I found it looked odd because the second image looked transparent, which is necessary to show both images. It worked for my benefit because I was using the images on a website for a haunted house, and it added to the ghost-like appearance we were going for.

Some cameras will allow you to see the multiple exposure overlay while it's happening, so lining things up is far easier (I have a Sony that I bought an app for that allows you to do it), including selecting a choice of blend modes.

That said, both of these examples have strong evidence for being done in post, though if someone has played with it enough then the wedding shot is indeed doable.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
Some cameras will allow you to see the multiple exposure overlay while it's happening, so lining things up is far easier (I have a Sony that I bought an app for that allows you to do it), including selecting a choice of blend modes.

That said, both of these examples have strong evidence for being done in post, though if someone has played with it enough then the wedding shot is indeed doable.
I found the article, and according to the author, it is just in-camera overlay using a Nikon D750. However, that doesn't mean they didn't do a bunch of stuff in post as well. If it is just Nikon's overlay, then it is a crap-shoot to get 2 images that line up the way you hope. The app for your Sony sounds better since you can see what you are doing.
 
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Dawg Pics

Senior Member
@blackstar

I looked at the article. I agree that there should have been a tutorial on the top image since it is the 'attention grabber' for the article.
To answer your questions. It is 2 images overlayed, but there is no way (that I can tell) to know which image was chosen first. In all of the examples from the author, the subject image was chosen first, then a background.

The silhouette is a full-body image of a couple standing in a field, and it is blended with a water/rocky background. So you see their legs and the field flowers blended into the water of the scenery shot. The reflection line of the scenery shot kind of cuts the subject in half so their upper body is on top of the rocky background. The little couple you see is just part of the scenery image. Then probably further editing afterward, like you said. It is a confusing image because it is so busy.

I don't know that it makes a difference which one you choose first since you can change each to your liking before saving. I hope that was the answers you were looking for.

Here is an article by Nikon that states pretty much the same thing as the article did but has a couple more examples for you to look at. https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-a...rlay-combining-images-together-in-camera.html
 
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blackstar

Senior Member
Hey, Dawg. I received a notification about your reply to this thread at about 5:23 PM. Yet when I went to the link, your post was not there. In the notification, you asked a question about images on the card that can be used for double-exp in-camera. I reckon you have got the answer, so you deleted the post. I kind of remember that you need RAW files on the card to do image overlay. Maybe you can confirm. Sound fun! I surely plan to experiment a bit.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
@blackstar. Yes, I deleted because I figured it out. Then I made a couple of edits and deleted, so I posted several times. I tend to do that after reading my posts. Sorry about that.

Yes, I read that you need RAW images to do the overlay.

I do that too. I just experiment to see how things come out. I remember better that way rather than reading stuff. It is how my brain works (or doesn't depending on how you look at it. ;))
 
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BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I found the article, and according to the author, it is just in-camera overlay using a Nikon D750. However, that doesn't mean they didn't do a bunch of stuff in post as well. If it is just Nikon's overlay, then it is a crap-shoot to get 2 images that line up the way you hope. The app for your Sony sounds better since you can see what you are doing.

Things become less and less a crap-shoot the more times you do them. In a posed situation like this you can scout and do practice shots with an assistant, use a tripod or pair of tripods to guarantee proper alignment - all those things that planning makes "easy", and practice makes perfect.
 
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