Multiple-exposure shooting
An old-school technique opens up new opportunities
Asatisfying option for creating unique in-camera e ects, Multiple Exposure is an option that’s available on EOS cameras aimed at enthusiasts and pros. Some cameras have a Creative Photo button that gives you direct access to the multiple exposure setting and further creative shooting options, but you’re also able to access the function in the red Shooting menu.
You can create an image using up to nine layered exposures. Some cameras let you save the original images as well as the nal multiple exposure, giving you the option of using the single images in their own right, or layering them up later in your preferred photo-editing software.
You’re also free to move the camera between each exposure, although if you switch the camera o then the multiple exposure will be cancelled. To get around this, you can use an image saved on the memory card as the rst image in a multiple exposure. This means that you can shoot one of your images in a completely dierent location, or load up a memory card ahead of time with textures or other potential start images and dip into it as you need to.
To help you line up each shot, mirrorless cameras give you a preview of the image in the view nder. You’ll need to use an EOS DSLR in Live View to be able to do the same on the rear screen.
The camera merges the exposures automatically as you shoot, although you can determine how the exposures are blended, using the ‘control method’. All cameras that oer multiple exposure shooting have the two essential options: Additive and Average. Each shot adds to the overall exposure with Additive, so reduce the exposure by half of the total number of shots (so -1.5 stops of there are three shots, for example).