New Forest, multiple-exposures
With the challenge to take something of the essence of the forest away with me in my photographs, the question was how to do this. What could I capture that you would not see in a ‘normal’ photograph?
Light dapples through the boughs & leaves
The conclusion I came to was to portray MOVEMENT…
The forest seemed to whisper to you with its fluttering leaves, swaying branches, gusts of wind, and the blustering foliage brushing against the trunks of trees as the sun dappled patterns appearing through the moving twigs and boughs.
The idea came to me to try to capture this with multiple exposures, that way we might be able to see elements that a normal standalone single exposure would not collect.
The techniques used to create multiple exposures vary, it can be done in post-production, and is inherent in HDR, where the exposures are bracketed. However, a true multiple exposure is done in camera, by exposing the same frame several times.
The challenge is getting the overall exposure correct, as by taking several exposures of the same image you will expose the frame to multiple quantities of light, so you have to calculate the shutter speed aperture combinations for each so you get a total exposure that is exposed correctly.
A gust of wind moves the branches
Nikon helps you here with 2 methods, one manual where you do those calculations, and one automatic which compensates for you. Good old Nikon, you had better check your camera manual.
- Keep the camera still and allow subject to move
- Move the camera slightly between each exposure
- Change the aperture between exposures
Each of these gives a different result, try them and see what you get. You also get differing results depending on the speed of movement of your subject. Of course anything that is not moving stays sharp. This combination is often very pleasing.