Photo Project: Multiple Exposure

You probably already know this, but multiple exposure is simply a technique of taking several shots on the same plane. So, what you get is two or more shots all rolled into one. Although this technique can easily be done in photoshop, there's nothing like the satisfaction you get when you actually think out your shot, experiment, and through trial-and-error nail a perfectly acceptable shot.

That's what I did. I had ready a simple setup: a single flash mounted on a tripod that was attached to a radio trigger, my camera on another tripod, and for the black background, a piece of black mounting board stuck to the wall behind me with blu-tack. I setup my camera to do multiple exposures, made sure my flash was ready, and I was good to go.

The most difficult part was getting myself in just the right position so that I was spread equally throughout the frame. I tried several poses for this technique, some of which didn't quite work out the way I expected it but at least now I know that there are some things that just won't work with this technique. Here is the shot that I think was the best for the effort I put in.

Tip: If you intend to try a similar one, try to mark out (or at the very least, make a mental note of) where you stand so that you can make the necessary adjustments quickly. To shoot, you can either call a friend to help press the shutter, or simply use your camera's timer.

Settings: ISO200, 1/90s at f16, flash at 1/16 power at 45 degrees right of camera.

Photographing sunsets

I absolutely love sunsets, especially beautiful sunsets. And in a place like Kota Kinabalu, there's no shortage of them throughout the year. So, for us here, or in Malaysia for that matter, a very popular subject for photography is sunsets.

One thing I've noticed about sunsets is that I've never seen any two sunsets alike. Every time, when it's time for the sun to go down, the sky turns a different hue , and every time, it's unlike any that I've ever seen. I don't assume to have seen every single setting sun here, but the ones that I have seen are just that - each unique in their own way.

But, the trouble about capturing sunsets with your camera is that it is quite tricky to get the right exposure. You see a gorgeous scene unfolding right before you, you take your camera but what comes out is far short of the beauty you saw just moments before. So, what do you do? A few quick tips:

1. Bracket your shots - Most dslrs nowadays have automatic bracketing (where you set your camera to take the same shot with different exposures). This almost guarantees that one of the shots will be close to what you actually see.

2. Get stable - Use a tripod. Sure, it's still very bright and you may handhold your camera furing those times when the sun is still above the horizon, but once it dips, it can dark pretty quickly. So, keep your tripod handy and use it during that time because the colours as the sky gets dark can be equally spectacular.

3. Change your white balance - Instead of leaving your white balance on auto, try setting it to shade or cloudy. What this does is that it will make your shots warmer, recreating that wonderful golden hue the sun gives during this "magical hour".

Hopefully, with those tips you'll get to capture those gorgeous sunsets on camera just like you saw them with your very own eyes.

1/180s, f/19, Aperture Priority