Double Exposure, or Multiple Exposure, is a photographic technique that combines 2 different images into a single image. The technique has been practiced for several years, and it became particularly famous recently, due to the fact that graphic editor like Photoshop can help to create the identical effect.

(Image Source: Elena iPhoneography)

With double exposure technique, you can create certain effect like ghost image, mirror image, or simply merging a bright moon into the dark, lonely sky. The reason of using this technique varies, but they are surely created for same purposes – beauty and uniqueness.

Sounds theoretical? Alright, check out these 50+ photographs and tutorials below to see what double exposure is really capable of. Some of them are even more beautiful than their original form, and some of them are even incredible that might trick you to think there are manipulation works! You heard about two are better than one, and now your eyes will witness the teaching.

Aisles In The Sky. “Some lovely cloud action and a nice vanishing point perspective on the aisle numbers.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Barrier Of Clouds. Garden photography with double exposure technique applied, creating the beauty that can’t be achieved with common technique. (Image Source: Céline R.)

Between Heaven And Earth. Double exposure technique applied to overlap the sky and the sea, what a heavenly scene. (Image Source: Isvibilsky)

Brad Jeff Fight. “We ended up there because we wanted to sit down and eat our chips and I needed light to make this picture because if I used flash it would’ve made it much more difficult with the shadows.” (Image Source: foryoutoknowtice)

Construction. Great combination that brings out more beauty, two are better than one! (Image Source: VEM / VAS)

Eastend Tropics. “I used my Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim to shoot the first layer in St Ives in Cornwall. When the roll was finished, I rewound the film back to the beginning and handed the same Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim camera (including the film) to ξαβλ, who then shot the second layer of the roll whilst in London. We did not collaborate regarding what specifically we might be shooting.” (Image Source: Trapac)

English x Name. Nice blending of photos and colors, gorgeous shot! (Image Source: theCarol)

Factory In The Sky. Great angle with perfect combination, hodachrome knows how to do double exposure photography very well. (Image Source: hodachrome)

Feelin Dizzy. Another example of how double exposure can emphasizes the feeling of the photo, pretty calm and chilling one. (Image Source: hodachrome)

Ferndale Cemetery. Gate of cemetery or gate of hell? Really cool work with redscale technique applied. (Image Source: shoegazer)

Gather My Strength. “I have wanted to do some Francis Bacon inspired photos. They’re strange, dark, captivating, slightly uncomfortable, and probably done to death. Uploading this makes me a little uncomfortable as I don’t have the most photogenic body or anything like that. Face is adequately smooshed and melted though.” (Image Source: beast love)

Gueishan. Peaceful feeling can also be achieved by double exposure photography, breezing shot. (Image Source: Blowing Puffer Fish)

Hideaway Hands. Done without Photoshop, Dan Mountford is probably the genius who extended double exposure photography to become a new branch of art. (Image Source: •DΛN MOUNTFORD•)

I Love You. Magnificent piece that really showcases the specific effect that double exposure photography can achieve, I love this one! (Image Source: Experiment of the nature)

In Her Course. Thomas Barbèy is the genius who can combine 2 common photos into an absolutely unique art piece. I just know that Statue of Liberty is built on tree! (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

Mirrored Downtown. “Took this shot from the pedestrian bridge and then flipped it. I love how the sky looks like it is reflected in the water.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

My Idea Of Warp Tunnel. “Exposure, -5; Shutter Speed, 5sec; Aperture, F/14; Focused at 55mm and then gradual reduction towards 18mm with micro stops in between.” (Image Source: Amritashシ)

Natural Anthem. Silent, peaceful, and thoughtful. Simply awesome. (Image Source: Margherita_Castriota)

Oh Sheet!. Are they skiing on ice or sheet? I don’t know, but this piece is epic. (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

Old Man Texted. “Texas State Cemetery. Some text from a speech by Roosevelt on a tomb and a statue of a saint.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Once Upon A Dream. Double exposure is one of the best techniques to create dreamy scene. (Image Source: Fabienne Lin)

Pandora. Absolutely stunning piece with spooky effect. Hauntingly beautiful. (Image Source: TommyOshima)

Pathway // Ladders. Very hard to believe this unique work was not created using Photoshop except the color adjustment, it’s just too cool. (Image Source: •DΛN MOUNTFORD•)

Piano Peace. I call this epic. Really wondering how to achieve this without Photoshop editing, especially the part of the Zebras’ lines matching the piano’s black bars. (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

Power Mix. More power with double exposure! Well-formed piece. (Image Source: hodachrome)

Power Station In The Sky. Perfect combination with perfect colors, I will not be surprised if this piece gets any award. (Image Source: hodachrome)

Rainy Night. It’s rainy night in the Finlay drive. It’s an elegant night. (Image Source: radofankaras)

Ratz. Great attempt and idea on double exposure photography, very inspiring one. (Image Source: extravaganciaincluida)

Ribbed Sky. “Because I can’t stop doing textured sky shots! The highway underpass and the lovely cloud ridden sky.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Roller Coaster. “This is cool – the double exposure gives it a great vibrancy” – m+b (Image Source: benman31)

Scenic Detour. Renaissance of double exposure photography probably starts from this fantastic work. (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

Sneak Attack. “I took this with my iPhone – prohdr app was used to do the layering, and pictureshow app for the color filter. Thanks all!! I had a lot of fun with this one and a lot of stares! Ha!” (Image Source: DayTripper15)

Sittin’ Tall. “No flash on the Lincoln exposure. Colorsplash orange on the second exposure. Another double exposure wonderment. It makes the pictures so much more important to me when I think about the accidental magic.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Standing In The Cloud Parking Lot. “I was standing outside Shanghai Dim Sum, waiting for them to open. The recent drizzle made the parking lot extra dark and Ivan’s feet were just right. The sky was clearing up and I saw the chance for a soft double.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Sunbathing. A peaceful walk under the water? Where will be the couple heading? Again a beautiful, thoughtful double exposure photography done by Thomas Barbèy. (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

Sun Stroke. Tennis on the sky! Double exposure photography has no limitation! (Image Source: Thomas Barbèy)

And The Living Is Easy. Beyond wonderful, simply speechless on this one. (Image Source: Elena iPhoneography)

The Gates Of Hell. What will the city looks like if we are in doomsday? Double exposure photography can help you imagine it. (Image Source: captainbonobo)

Tree Map. What a glamorous shot, probably an underrated piece! (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Turn Your Head To The Right. Several elements were mixed into the photo, yet it feels so natural. Truly professional piece, no doubt. (Image Source: •DΛN MOUNTFORD•)

Vector. Photos created in camera + Color edited in Photoshop + Vector overlayed in illustrator = Insanely cool work. (Image Source: •DΛN MOUNTFORD•)

You Can’t Hide There All Day. Very amusing work, which also pretty much proves that double exposure photography can not only achieve haunting effect, but amusing scene! (Image Source: DayTripper15)

Windows. The great part of double exposure photography is it’s mostly about random, see how beautiful a work can achieve even with random composition. So, relax yourself and just have fun with randomness! (Image Source: benman31)

Double Exposure Photo Tutorial

Multiple Exposure Tutorial. Very detailed tutorial which splits into 3 major parts – stacking nighttime images, stacking daytime images, and enhancing nighttime photos. A must-read for any photographer who’s willing to learn multiple exposure technique.

Using Multiple Exposures In Photography. “The following is a brief tutorial on how you can take and edit multiple distinct digital photographs taken from a single vantage point for creative photo-manipulated effects. This includes separate scanned film images, or separate images from a digital camera.”

Making A Multiple Exposure Photograph. A comprehensive tutorial which was born because of the author’s boredom, let’s learn to do multiple exposure photograph with fun!

Double Exposure Fun. Learned double exposure technique? You can have more fun by follow this tutorial to create fascinating double exposure photos with many film strips in it!

Creating Multiple Exposure Photographs In 3 Simple Steps. The tutorial purely discusses how to use camera to capture multiple exposure photos, with useful skill tips provided along the explanation.

Digital Multiple Exposure. This tutorial is intended for digital camera which lacks the capability to create multiple exposure images. The effect can actually be achieved easily with Photoshop and its Screen Blending mode, and the author will show you how.

Doubling For The Sake Of Magic. An extremely in-depth tutorial which greatly discusses suitable cameras and methods for producing effective double exposure photograph. (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Shadows, shades, & darkness: Your Multiple Exposure Paradise. “In this entry, I want to talk more about how double exposures work and what you can look for. It is a meditation on darkness, shadow, & black holes.” (Image Source: Lomo-Cam)

Reflection

Having viewed more than thousand of double exposure photographs, I think the key to make a good double exposure photograph is pretty simple – be wild, try everything you think is fun! I believe there’s really no something like mistake when it comes to double exposure photography, so have fun with it!

Now it’s your turn! Let us know in comment if you have any double exposure photograph or tip to share, we love your sharing and it’s always welcomed!