Are there any truly memorable double exposures or are they just interesting at best?

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Paolo Bonello

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After perusing a number of Instagram accounts chock full of double exposures I began asking myself the question: Can they ever make a truly memorable or moving pic using the double or multiple exposure technique?
From personal impression I can't say that one has ever struck such a chord with me that it burns itself into my memory. Sure I see some great compositions and cleverly layered effects but somewhere deep inside my mind the layers that go into these images seem to hide the magic that makes them truly memorable to me.

Perhaps I've seen too many really bad examples so if anyone knows of some truly memorable examples please make a reference to them so I can have a look at what might be considered a great double or multiple exposure.
 
A dirt bike (motorcycle) magazine, in the 1970's, had a picture that the photographer claimed was an accidental double exposure. It burned itself into my memory. The photographer caught a dirt bike and rider high up in the air, and that was at the top right of the picture. Towards the left and lower was a head and shoulders shot of a very attractive smiling young lady. It was a perfectly composed double exposure, even if only by accident.

Sorry, I don't remember anything specific such as the name of the publication or date.

I have tried double exposures many times. You are right - they are rarely more than interesting - no award winners yet.
 
Paolo Bonello said:
After perusing a number of Instagram accounts chock full of double exposures I began asking myself the question: Can they ever make a truly memorable or moving pic using the double or multiple exposure technique?
From personal impression I can't say that one has ever struck such a chord with me that it burns itself into my memory. Sure I see some great compositions and cleverly layered effects but somewhere deep inside my mind the layers that go into these images seem to hide the magic that makes them truly memorable to me.

Perhaps I've seen too many really bad examples so if anyone knows of some truly memorable examples please make a reference to them so I can have a look at what might be considered a great double or multiple exposure.
Click to expand...


Your reflected glass avatar is a sort-of multiple exposure...:rolleyes:
 
harry callahan (he's done lots more)
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rotimi fani-kayode
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vanessa winship
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man ray
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...like any photograph they have to enter your space at the right time. Harry Callahan is particular to me and sometimes I imagine his conversations with eleanor and then see the words between them in the photographs. The photographs of her back and the one of the cars in Detroit are stuck in my head.
 
I'm surprised that we don't see more double exposures since they can be created digitally in PhotoShop. It makes it easier to align and adjust exposures compared to in-camera film doubles.
 
While visiting Bulgaria, I met photographer Milan Hristev, who shot his exceptional double exposures with a Mamiya RB67.

Check out http://www.milanhristev.com.

I love his stuff, the way he creates new structures from double exposing ancient Greek and Roman monuments, and rocks and mountain ridges is quite unique.

big_96.jpg

Notice that there is only one sun image in this? Every image is meticulously composed to get just that what he wants. This means returning to a site several times, and calculating each exposure while considering all others too, before a single image is created.
Extraordinary, isn't it?
 
In addition to RFFer Photonytexas, who is a superb practitioner of multi exposure, Mudride's multi-cityscapes are distinctive. Search the RFF gallery.
 
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