Double-exposure photography has been a popular technique since the early days of film, allowing photographers to create stunning images by exposing the same side of the film twice. As digital files are directly saved on memory cards nowadays, the merging process for this technique mainly takes place in editing programs. However, advanced camera models from the likes of Canon and Nikon come with a feature that allows you to overlay additional images directly in the camera.
Not only does this technique deliver incredible results, it also fosters creativity by forcing you to think critically about the visual outcome before analysing your work on the computer. This approach also helps you improve your skills by training your eye to see the visual potential in any given subject or situation.
To use the Multiple Exposure mode/Image Overlay feature, simply shoot two frames beforehand and select both images in the Multi-Exposure mode/Overlay mode to allow the camera to automatically combine both scenes into one frame. For maximum impact, you should aim to shoot one filler image with significant colour or structure, such as mountains, and a second image with predominantly dark elements, such as a silhouette of a person or city skyline shot against the sun.