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Double Exposure: The Photoshop of the 1910s
Double Exposure: The Photoshop of the 1910s
With double-exposure technique, Lewis Reed learned how to make a subject appear twice in a frame, as if they had an identical twin. To capture these images, he would snap a picture of the subject in one position. Then, he would have to move into another pose before the following photo was shot. Rotating lens caps and special glass plates (the precursor to film) were also part of the process. The final image was then pieced together and developed in the darkroom from the separate photographs. The result was a playful and surreal approach to early photographs.
With double-exposure technique, Lewis Reed learned how to make a subject appear twice in a frame, as if they had an identical twin. To capture these images, he would snap a picture of the subject in one position. Then, he would have to move into another pose before the following photo was shot. Rotating lens caps and special glass plates (the precursor to film) were also part of the process. The final image was then pieced together and developed in the darkroom from the separate photographs. The result was a playful and surreal approach to early photographs.
In this double exposure photo, Lewis Reed’s brother, Edgar, is playing cards with himself. The thing to look out for is to see that nothing inanimate in the scene is moved during the time of making the two pictures -- in this case, you can tell the angle of the camera changed slightly when Edgar moved to the other side of the table for the second shot.
In this double exposure photo, Lewis Reed’s brother, Edgar, is playing cards with himself. The thing to look out for is to see that nothing inanimate in the scene is moved during the time of making the two pictures -- in this case, you can tell the angle of the camera changed slightly when Edgar moved to the other side of the table for the second shot.
Lewis Reed himself appears in these two photos below: shaking his own hand across a steamroller, and pushing the same man in a... "baby" carriage?
Lewis Reed himself appears in these two photos below: shaking his own hand across a steamroller, and pushing the same man in a... "baby" carriage?
Lewis Reed and the same two ladies with bundles of flowers appear in this photo twice: standing on a bridge over Seneca Creek at Black Rock Mill, and again on the left at the foot of the bridge. The photo was taken in 1905. The telltale vertical fuzzy stripe running down the center of the image is the area where the two exposures overlapped, causing overexposure and a lighter, blurry appearance. It takes a sharp eye to spot an image that uses double exposure-- especially when a master like Lewis Reed is behind the shot!
Lewis Reed and the same two ladies with bundles of flowers appear in this photo twice: standing on a bridge over Seneca Creek at Black Rock Mill, and again on the left at the foot of the bridge. The photo was taken in 1905. The telltale vertical fuzzy stripe running down the center of the image is the area where the two exposures overlapped, causing overexposure and a lighter, blurry appearance. It takes a sharp eye to spot an image that uses double exposure-- especially when a master like Lewis Reed is behind the shot!
Lewis Reed might have directed moving pictures if they had existed at this time. Many of his photos evoke scenes from gangster movies, and sometimes make you wonder about his directorial vision... You can see the same blurry line in the center of each of these.
Lewis Reed might have directed moving pictures if they had existed at this time. Many of his photos evoke scenes from gangster movies, and sometimes make you wonder about his directorial vision... You can see the same blurry line in the center of each of these.
Wanna Fight?
Lewis Reed, standing front left defends himself against a second edition of himself on the right. Don't shoot!
Hmmm...what on earth are they doing? The creep factor is high on this one.
Lewis Reed’s "Ghost" Photograph
Lewis Reed’s "Ghost" Photograph
Lewis Reed was quite creative with new (and evolving) photographic processes that were popular in the early 20th century — including using double exposure to create the illusion of "ghosts" in the picture.
Lewis Reed was quite creative with new (and evolving) photographic processes that were popular in the early 20th century — including using double exposure to create the illusion of "ghosts" in the picture.
The double-exposure technique involved a multi-step process. When developing the photos, a pre-prepared glass plate would be used which already had the image of a person on it (in this case, Lewis Reed). This would be the ghost. It would then be inserted into the camera in front of an unused plate which was used to shoot the photo. The developed negative comes out with both images on it — an incompletely exposed ghostly image as well as the man sitting on the fence, looking perfectly unaware.
The double-exposure technique involved a multi-step process. When developing the photos, a pre-prepared glass plate would be used which already had the image of a person on it (in this case, Lewis Reed). This would be the ghost. It would then be inserted into the camera in front of an unused plate which was used to shoot the photo. The developed negative comes out with both images on it — an incompletely exposed ghostly image as well as the man sitting on the fence, looking perfectly unaware.
100-Year-Old Mystery Photograph
100-Year-Old Mystery Photograph
Take a look at the photograph below. Is it real or manipulated? The image was included in with Lewis Reed’s collection of manipulated photos, but unfortunately lacked a label. The tell-tale signs indicating manipulation may not jump out immediately, but once you look closely at the details in the photo, questions begin to surface.
Take a look at the photograph below. Is it real or manipulated? The image was included in with Lewis Reed’s collection of manipulated photos, but unfortunately lacked a label. The tell-tale signs indicating manipulation may not jump out immediately, but once you look closely at the details in the photo, questions begin to surface.
Questions
Questions
1) How did the man get up in the tree?
1) How did the man get up in the tree?
2) The man second from left and man on the far right: are they the same person?
2) The man second from left and man on the far right: are they the same person?
If you can help unravel this mystery, please leave a comment!
If you can help unravel this mystery, please leave a comment!
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