How to Capture Double Exposures on Instant Film
First off, what is a double exposure?
From Wikipedia: In photography and cinematography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image, and double exposure has a corresponding meaning in respect of two images. The exposure values may or may not be identical to each other.
What I love and don’t love about double exposures is that the final photo is a surprise! Sometimes the photo turns out as planned but more times than not it won’t, but that’s the exciting part! Just try to have fun with it and enjoy the result, even if it’s not ‘perfect’.
-Nik V.
FUJIFILM INSTAX® CAMERA GIVEAWAY!
We’re giving away a FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® SQ-6 instant camera AND a pack of FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® film! To enter to win one of these cameras, just leave a comment at the bottom of the post letting us know what you’re excited to take photos of with your new FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® SQ-6 instant camera. *Leave your comment below by October 10, 2019 and we’ll enter you in the contest. Be sure to leave your email address in your profile so we can contact you if you win!
WHAT TO GET:
–FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® SQ-6 instant camera
-Plenty of FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® film
-Patience
-Your Imagination
-Glass floating frame to display your favorites (optional) *You can also create your own displays, like this DIY Polymer Clay Instax Photo Holder tutorial or this DIY Tasseled Instax Photo Wall Hanger Tutorial
Tips before you start:
- Make sure the flash is always off, and try not to take either photo in a place that is too bright (this will give you better results).
- The second photo you take is most likely going to show through most on the darker parts of the first photo. Think about contrast and shadows for the first photo.
- The camera has a 5-minute auto shutoff feature, so make sure to snap your double exposure in time.
- Remember that the viewfinder is only an approximation of what the final image will be.
- Try to have an idea of what you want your final image to look like, even if it doesn’t end up perfect, it’s easier to have a plan going into it.
Silhouettes
I found the easiest kind of double exposure to take with the FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® SQ-6 instant camera was a silhouette of something and then some kind of texture or pattern, like flowers or a brick wall. You can try your first silhouette by holding your palm to the sky and shooting that and then your pattern of choice. My favorite one here was using a big elephant ear plant as my second patterned photo. I also tried it with a silhouette of one of my cats and a bougainvillea bush right outside. Another way to use it is with trees, I shot a palm tree looking up at it for the first shot and then a brick wall, I love the contrast of nature paired with industrial imagery. For this last one, I shot windows that were bright but around them was silhouetted and then a cityscape shot sideways, I love how this one turned out.
Seeing Double
Take your selfie game to the next level. For this style the little mirror on the front of the FUJIFILM instax SQUARE® SQ-6 instant camera comes in handy. I took a selfie looking at the camera for my first shot, then I stepped to one side and took another with my eyes closed. The result was this trippy ghost like selfie. This type of double exposure would be fun way to update your social media headshot.
Sky Writing
For this one, I used letters that go to a lightbox I have, You could also cut out letters from paper. Keep in mind that you will want a contrast when you are shooting the letters. Mine were black, so I laid them on a white sheet of paper. You could also use white letters on a black sheet of paper. And then for the second shot, I stepped outside and shot the sky. *If you don’t want the paper to be noticeable in the photo I would use a poster size, I just used a piece of printer paper here and still like how it turned out.
Mirror Mirror
You can create really fun and interesting shots just by taking a photo of your subject for the first one and then flipping the camera upside down and taking a photo of the same subject. Here I shot some trees with the corner of a building in it. For this style, it turns out best if you leave some negative space in between the shots. For this one, my negative space was the sky.
Signs
There is SO much you can do with this one, and it’s so easy. Choose your sign first and then a pattern type shot for the second. I chose a stop sign for my first photo and then a flower bush for my second, again, I love mixing nature and industrial, I live in a big downtown area so these are things that are inspiring to me. Find what inspires you and go for it!
I also wanted to include some of the photos that didn’t turn out quite like I planned or wanted but that I’m still really happy with to show you that even when things don’t go as planned, you can still produce a beautiful image. Have FUN with it!
Choose however many you want to display proudly and frame them (or use one of the DIY display options I mentioned). I love displaying them in a floating glass frame, I think they stand out more and it makes it easy to swap them out anytime you want to change it up.
ABOUT NIK:
Nik is a maker, day dreamer & potty mouth who loves cats, coffee and craft beer. She is a self taught hand embroiderer and will DIY pretty much anything she can get her hands on. You can see her work on Instagram @wastingthyme & @nikvphotography. She lives in Long Beach with her husband and her three awesome cats (that she can’t shut up about).
I can’t wait to take photos of my newborn baby!
Yay! I can’t wait to meet that baby! 🙂
I’m excited to photograph my adventures as my favorite local horse farm!
That sounds fun! 🙂 I haven’t been on a horse in years but my favorite camp when I was a kid was Girl Scout horse camp. 🙂
The Grandson is in a lot of Cross Country meets and I love to take pictures of the events and his team
Love that! Good luck to him at his meets. 🙂
It would be fun to take pics of kiddos, we have so few printed photos, especially candids!
YES! Love having physical photos too!
I am thrilled to be the lucky 🦆 and to win this amazing Fuji square camera now that I just saw and learned how to work with it! Watch out, world! Craftcationer Art Therapist is in the loose! I just might take your photo at Craftcation 2020! 👁👁
Yes! 🙂
I would love to get back into instant photography! The magic of double exposures is so fun! If I win, I can wait get creative with this camera! Photos of nature and people in my future
Yes! I’d love to see what you do with it. 🙂
I used to have an entire wall of instant photos in my room I took as a kid. That would be such a fun thing to recreate in my store!
That would be awesome!
Excited to take pictures of my kiddos & dogs with cool nature overlays @ our local nature center!
Yes! Portraits and nature double exposure are awesome.
I would love to take photos of a cats at my cat rescue group in order to promote their adoption and / or crest artwork that would sell as a fundraising item for the group!
What an awesome use of the camera!
I love photography and have been starting up again and I want to take pictures of EVERYTHING! It will most likely involve nature+++📷
Love to hear you’re getting back in photography. 🙂
That looks so awesome. I’ve never played with double exposure. The sky writing looks fun. I always do “arts & crafts” with my friends kids on our annual Tahoe camping trip and we could do a ton of fun things with this camera … how about a photo of a bear and double exposure with a kid!? 🙂
Your Tahoe trip sounds amazing! What a great tradition. 🙂
I love capturing moments in time that are NOT recorded digitally anywhere. It makes the snapshot – whether it be one that I give away as a memento, slip in a handwritten.card, leave for someone to discover, or affix to my journal – all the more special.
Yes! I totally agree, I love adding instant photos to cards and my journal too. 🙂
I’ve been in a dark mood since my father died. As a Ww2 fighter pilot and famous Los Angeles DJ I’ve been left with quite a few mementos. I’m looking forward to documenting some for the family. ❤️
Sheri – so sorry for your loss. Your dad sounds like an eclectic and fascinating man. Sending you love. 🙂
I’m excited to take pictures of my dog. DUH!
Thanks for the great tutorial, ladies! xoxo
Thanks Jamie! 🙂 🙂
I would use it to print pics of my grandson (instead of keeping them all up n my phone). But also, after reading this S post, trying out all the options mentioned!
LOVE this! 🙂
Wow. The double exposure techniques are pretty rad. It now makes taking a photograph to a much higher level! Let our creativity explore!
Right! I love how you can plan but there’s also the element of the unexpected results!
Yay Nik!! I had no idea you could do that with this camera! *Insert “The More You Learn” gif, haha.
I’d use this camera to capture my boys, pets, and my beautiful Oregon Coast town!
Would love to see you capture “a day in the life” of Holly. 🙂
I would take pictures of things that I sew, clothes, bags, quilts!
Happy sewing! 🙂
I can’t wait to take photos of my son’s art journey at school, his kindergarten is super special & they document & work on an art installation all year long.
That’s so rad! I love that idea!
I would use this camera to take pictures of Los Angeles and our next vacation.
YES GIRL! Anywhere fun in mind?
So fun! I have always wanted an instant camera and I would take photos of my kids to use on cards for the grands this holiday! The photos would be soooo cool for scrapbooking, too! Wow so many possibilities!
I would love to be able to share photos from get togethers with friends and family right away, and to explore creative projects in a direct and physical way that can go on a mood board or crafts project!
So fun! Thanks for the tips!
The Silhouette technique would be perfect with my water marbled silk designs. I can imagine a shot of a swimming pool or fountain combined with a photo of a stone marbled or floral design on a silk scarf. Or a butterfly with a swirled chevron, or a spork with French curls. I know my Instagram feed would go crazy!
I loved playing with these cameras at the conference last year and would love to have one to take pics of when my hubby and I are out sightseeing or riding our dirt bikes. Yes, I have the phone for pics but it’s so much fun to have a real photo to see instantly!
I TOTALLY agree about having the physical photos vs digital. This cameras lets you have that immediate gratification but also an actual photo – it’s the best!
My kids and I would have a blast with this camera!
Yes! Kids LOVE this camera. 🙂
I’d love to get creative with double exposures at Disneyland! And honestly if probably take a ton of snapshots of my kids.
Fun! I love Disneyland!
This is so cool! I would love to learn how to do this!
It’s so fun!
Cant wait to take puppy adventure photos!!
I’d like to try the taking photos of signs idea; looks like fun!
That does look fun!
Very cool!