# Superimposing images



## emmy_r (Jun 4, 2009)

I just got a Canon EOS Rebel XS and I really would like to figure out how to superimpose images.

I am pretty sure that it is called superimposing.
here is an example of what I want to do (not my own work)
post secret, three. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
237.365 i've got a secret. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I think it is cool how she has two sets of her legs in the same picture...and how she has her face down and up in the same picture...

anyways...is there a way to do this on a digital slr camera? or is this just something you can do in photoshop or something like that? Either way could someone explain how to do it...or perhaps provide me with a link that will help?

also...she has several other pictures that she has that are similar to this one...
331.365 there are demons in my head, on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Any help would be much appreciated...


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## musicaleCA (Jun 4, 2009)

The last one just looks like it was done on bulb, and the person in the photo threw their head back and forth alot before the end of the exposure. Well, that or it could have been done with just a very slow shutter, like 8s or 20s. My brain always thinks in bulb for some reason.

There is indeed a way to do such things in camera, though I suspect they were using photoshop to do it in post-processing (especially the second; only way to capture fast motion like that is to use a quick shutter or strobe). You can try shooting on bulb (You might have to calculate the shutter speed based on aperture and ISO though, so you may wish to read up on the math of photography; if you do, you'll be much more thankful that you have a lightmeter. You may also be able to finagle your way with the light meter, as long as the exposure time doesn't go over 30s; use the light meter to find the right shutter speed based on f-stop and ISO, the proceed with the following.). Leave the lens cap on, or block the lens with an opaque object. Open the shutter to begin exposure. Stop the exposure mid-way by covering the lens (NOT releasing the shutter button), and then remove the subject, or move them to another place in the image. Uncover the lens to begin exposing again and complete the exposure. Release the shutter when done. You should end-up with ghosting similar to the first two images. You can play with when you stop the exposure in the middle to get the desired effect.

At least, that's how it could be done on film, and the concepts are the same for doing anything completely in-camera for digital. Remember, this only works if the scene stays still while exposing (unless you _want_ blurred motion in the scene).

Otherwise, take two shots, fire-up GIMP, put one in another layer over the other, and adjust opacity. Ah, the glories of the digital age.


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## Garbz (Jun 5, 2009)

What software do you have? You would need something that can take multiple layers and more importantly add these layers together.

Then it's just as simple as taking two photos in the camera, BUT underexpose each of them by 1 stop since the adding process would double the light in the image.


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## andrew99 (Jun 5, 2009)

According to the exif data, they are both at fairly fast shutter speeds (1/8th and 1/30th).

She gives the answer in one of the comments below her photo:

_*it's two pictures, i used gimp2 to layer them together                                                                 

*_You can do the same thing with cameras that have the multiple exposure feature, like the Nikon D300 for example.


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## Garbz (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey Emmy_r in case you don't know the GIMP is a free photo editing software which is very capable. Get it here: GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program


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