How to Create Double Exposures and Multiple Exposures with a Holga Toy Camera | 5 Simple Tips and Tricks with Sample Photos!

 

How Do You Create Double Exposures and Multiple Exposures with a Holga Toy Camera?

This HAS to be my most frequently asked question. If you follow my work you know I’m obsessed with the Holga and multiple exposures (specifically, the Holga GCFN). I still remember the very first double exposure I ever took and the excitement I felt when I realized what had happened. I suddenly felt like the opportunities were endless when it came to photography. I realized that photography didn’t necessarily need to mimic real life. I could create a world that didn’t exist, by merging photos taken directly from reality. That juxtaposition blew my mind and really catapulted my interest in photography.

It might seem intimidating at first when it comes to creating multiple exposures. I think there’s an innate and expected fear that they’re going to be TERRIBLE. That they won’t make sense. That no one will know what they’re looking at. But guess what, that’s FINE! In fact, it’s better than taking the same boring photo that everyone else takes. It takes some time to get used to layering images and understanding how the final product is going to turn out. But even now, with a decade of experience under my belt, I still don’t feel like I have complete control over my multiple exposures. I always have an expectation in my mind and it never quite fits with how I envision them. Either they’re not as good as I’d hoped, or they’re even better. And usually the ones that I’m just messing around with end up being the best. It’s really better NOT to plan. To just try out different textures and faces and landscapes and see how they turn out.

In case you’re having some trouble getting started though, here are a few tips for creating multiple exposures with a Holga camera. The Holga is one of the best cameras, in my opinion, to try out multiple exposures. But first, you have to understand HOW to take a multiple exposure. It’s actually SUPER simple. After taking a photograph, you just simply don’t wind the film advance dial at all. You just take another photo right over top of the first one. And you can do this as many times as you want, which is why I love the Holga so much. A lot of film cameras will automatically advance to the next frame, leaving you without the option to shoot over top of the first frame. The Holga is meant for multiple exposures. It’s very easy to accidentally take a multiple exposure with the Holga too, simply because it is a manual advance camera. So oftentimes, you might nor even mean to take a photo over top of another one, it just might happen. Actually, it WILL happen at some point if you use the Holga. It’s just part of the magic of the camera!

5 Simple Tips and Tricks for Creating Incredible Double & Multiple Exposures with the Holga Toy Camera

Tip #1 - Try out a portrait over top of a landscape!

This is probably one of my main choices for creating double exposures. It usually ends up quite interesting and beautiful. I’ll shoot the first image on the infinity/mountain setting of the Holga and then shoot the second image as a close-up portrait using the single-person setting on the Holga.

Tip #2 - Try asking your subject to move slightly / try a new pose in-between images

This is another go-to for me when it comes to double exposures. It ends up creating very ghostly, spooky images that are incredibly unique and unpredictable. These are often my favorite photos to get back after a photo shoot.

Tip #3 - Try out different close-up textures as your second image

This one is somewhat of a risk, but oftentimes pays off! If the texture is too much, it can sometimes end up being a big indecipherable mess. But other times, it can add a bit of mystery and atmosphere to your photo.

Tip #4 - Try flipping your camera upside down for a second shot of the same subject

This is really fun to try with cityscapes, buildings and landmarks, mostly because they don’t move and you have enough time to plan out your shot.

Tip #5 - Try having your model step out of the second shot, but keep the background the same

This creates a very ghostly vibe, because the model becomes somewhat hazy and somewhat see-through. This is definitely another one of my favorite multiple exposure methods when using the Holga.

I’ve included a few more samples below of my favorite double/multiple exposures I’ve taken over the years with the Holga. It’s gotten to a point where I won’t even buy a camera anymore if it doesn’t have the option for multiple exposures! It’s become a huge part of my process and I feel extremely limited now when I’m not able to create them. If you’re interested in multiple exposures, you should definitely pick up a Holga and try it out! You can also check out my full review and blog post about the Holga here. Or you can check out my YouTube video! I LOVE the Holga. My main advice though is to be patient when you’re first starting out. You can’t expect perfection when it comes to the Holga. It has a mind of its own. But if you’re willing to learn its eccentricities, it will surprise you.

CAMERA:

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on Amazon

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on eBay!

Purchase a Holga 120 GCFN on KEH Camera

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Lomography 400 120 film

Kodak Portra 160 120 film

Kodak Portra 400 120 film

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Feel free to leave any thoughts/comments/questions/concerns below! Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

 

Lomography LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 35 mm Film Sample Photos in Kauai, Hawaii


lomochrome purple sample photos kauai

When it comes to Lomography’s LomoChrome Purple XR 100-400 35 mm film, people seem to either love it or hate it. Personally, I LOVE it. First of all, my favorite color is purple (more specifically, lavender) so when Lomography created the LomoChrome Purple film, I bought it as quickly as I could. I think a large part of the reason people don’t like it is because they don’t understand it. They don’t get why someone would want to shoot with a film that doesn’t accurately represent reality. For me, I’m always looking for a way to make my photos more unique. What’s the point of creating the same images that everyone else has created? And the more surreal I can make my images, the more I love them. I’d rather create images that transport me to another world then create images that look exactly like the world that I see every single day. Of course, most of the time I end up shooting with regular color film when I’m hired by clients, but whenever I take a trip out of the country, I always make sure to bring at least one roll of LomoChrome Purple. And when I get home and send my film out to get processed, that’s always the roll of film I’m most excited to get back to see how the photographs turned out.

Here are my favorite LomoChrome Purple photographs from our trip to Kauai. I hope these sample photos help to give you an idea of what this film is capable of. I love all of the tones and the overall calming and unusual atmosphere that the film creates. Let me know your thoughts below!

You can pick up a roll of LomoChrome Purple on Amazon HERE.

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards film & processing. Find out more here!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

<3 Myles Katherine

 
 

RVA Wedding Photography | PDX Wedding Photography | Emily & Alex Wedding at McMenamin's Roadhouse

 

Emily & Alex

I was so excited when Emily & Alex asked me to photograph their wedding. Emily is a super talented hair stylist based in Portland, Oregon. We’ve done tons of photo shoots and collaborations together over the last 6 years (like this one)! Emily & Alex had a beautiful ceremony at The Old Church in downtown Portland and then finished up the night with a reception at McMenamin’s Roadhouse. The weather was perfectly overcast (which is always great for photos) and the sun peeked out as the sun was going down for some lovely portrait backlighting. I brought a million film cameras with me (as usual) and took some magical polaroids and Holga photos. I always love working with friends like Emily, who truly value my work and let me get as experimental as I want with their photos. I love the vintage, yet modern aesthetic of Emily & Alex’s wedding - and any bride with lavender hair is immediately my kind of bride. Chris (my husband) was the DJ for the wedding (if you’re looking for a Photography / DJ wedding package - that’s us)! Emily and Alex now have the cutest twin boys (Hunter & Jack) and I love watching their love journey. You can follow Emily on instagram to see her talented hairstyling at @portlandhairstylist. Love you Emily & Alex! <3