Monday 17 September 2012

Exposure Alchemy


Playing with double exposures has become one of my new favourite things, which is happy making enough in itself really, there is nothing like discovering a new favourite thing. Lately I've been wondering where the balance lies between the pleasures I take in such simple things and the ambition to achieve more, I'm predisposed to be a content sort of person and while it feels like a gift I wonder if sometimes it means I don't strive the way others do to realise their dreams. It sounds like a melancholy train of thought but I haven't felt blue turning it over in my mind, more curious really - also willing to admit that I think far too much and should probably make an effort to switch off once in a while - any tips for calming an overactive mind?!

On another note - if you're a fellow vintage badge fancier you might want to hotfoot it over to the beautiful Ellie's blog Pretty Much Penniless where she is giving away a Beautiful Clutter vintage badge to one lucky reader. Entries close tomorrow so get in quick!

31 comments :

  1. This is incredible! You are so talented! :)

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  2. I love your photos! They look absolutely stunning!

    Biancarosa
    xoxo

    http://beancah.blogspot.co.uk

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  3. I've love to be able to do this, but I don't really know much about film etc. Really like the 4th and 5th down, beautiful!
    Daniella x

    http://daniella-r.blogspot.co.uk/

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  4. Oh, I agree! I love new things:D And double exposures as well!
    These are wonderful, I hope to see more some time;)

    blueeyednightowl.blogspot.com/

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  5. They're gorgeous! As a child I used to be fascinated when this had happened when you picked up your prints. Mind you, it was usually some out of focus picture of a duck superimposed onto my dad or similar when it happened to me, nothing quite this clever!

    Goodness knows about ability vs drive - there's loads of stuff I want to do but I only have the energy for so much, and kids and household tasks suck up a lot of time. Ben is away for a fortnight and I'm afraid we'll end up living in squalor and whilst I don't go to bed until late when he's not here I'm not sure I get much extra done.

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  6. I wish I could do this with my digital camera, but of course it wouldn't be quite as special as these ones you've created Jem :)
    They're all beautiful, but my favourite would have to be the flower and bunting photograph. One of these would made a wonderful background for your blog! xxx

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  7. Jem these are so gorgeous!! I love the bunting and the daisies. They are all so subtle and delicate! xxx

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  8. These are great! I am always on the lookout for double exposed postcards in off the beaten track places that have missed the quality control, I haven't been lucky for a while, but I do have a great donkey/beach scene hybrid!

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  9. Wow! These effects are stunning, what a clever idea, and the potential for this technique is endless...
    x

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  10. I never thought double exposure could look so beautiful, such a wonderful idea overlaying writing on top of images. Stunning stuff :) xoxo

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  11. Oh me oh my, I love these. I want to play with double exposure now... xoxo

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  12. It's really weird that I just read this post as not only have I been pondering the same about comfort/simple pleasures vs ambition and striving to do more myself, I actually just read a section on the same in the book I'm currently reading (The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin). She talks about exactly the same thing and one of her rules for the project is 'Be Gretchen' which she often finds challenges because in life we constantly come across things we would like to do but don't or subjects and occupations we wish interested us, and at times it's really challenging just to be ourselves (I've been thinking about this a lot on this holiday; I've come across lots of instances where I have to question whether I do enjoy something or just really want to enjoy it - going on rollercoasters is one example!) She wrote about it on her blog and I really enjoyed several of the comments; especially "Ah, the constant tug between striving and accepting. I've never figured this out, except to say that it seems like a balance of necessary opposites. And yes it can be sad, while being busy and running out and fulfilling all things on my dreams/desires list I am not just accepting myself as is and letting myself be me as is. I'm pushing myself. And yet if I don't push myself I find I can be dissatisfied with things about me and my life. I figure there is a time for both pursuing and accepting." I love the double exposures, film photography is definitely one of my favourite things and something I know that I love myself and can get totally lost in. X

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  13. I remeber when we learned this at the photography workshop during university, I was marvelled and to this day I think it's one of the best "retro" effects ever discovered! ^^

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  14. Gorgeous photographs! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on ambition or lack of it. Sometimes we just have to accept that there are phases in life when we take time to stand back a little before the next busy phase in our lives.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  15. beautiful ! : )

    lauantaimurhetytto.blogspot.com

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  16. Just bellissimo Jem! You are very clever!! :)

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  17. These are lovely. The last one is my favourite xx

    PS I find red wine especially effective at calming an overactive mind.

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  18. just beautiful! not sure how to calm an overactive mind as i'm dealing with it myself and it's like being bombarded with things that i either want to do it asap or irritated that i cant do it asap then other things came up before the others can be sorted out or dealt with hehe

    xx susan

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  19. I've been playing with double exposure too! fun isn't it? but I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with overthinking, especially if it doesn't get you down.

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  20. I love the endless possibilities for juxtaposition with double exposure and the way that 2 moments in time are overlaid together.
    I'm definitely an overthinker. I read to switch off my own thoughts.

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  21. Your photos are lovely! Trains of thoughts always lead to me going to a charity shop, buying a book and sitting in my room with flavoured green tea reading it. Give it a bash, might help :) (also biscuits for dunking always helps)

    Ruth xxxx

    http://theclothesimin.blogspot.co.uk/

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  22. Very cool, Jem! Love the choices you made with the double exposures. I wonder how to do that...
    Ruthie from: http://www.ladybstimefortea.blogspot.com

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  23. I love love love double exposures - so much fun, eh! <3 and the bunting shot is amazing!

    x
    Lost in the Haze: a Fashion Photography Blog

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  24. I'm waiting to receive my first Lomography camera film back which has a lot of double exposures, so this post has got me even more excited! You've done such a beautiful job with them. Well done lady! Just stumbled across your blog and loving your whimsy. Keep it up xx

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  25. Loving those double exposures photos! I have to ask: how do you do it? I'd like to experiment myself too. My favourites would be the writing/camera and flower/landscape, they are oh so pretty!

    Im glad I've discovered your blog, your header is sexy as hell, as well as your content :-)

    xx
    The Young Bridget Jones

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  26. I live for double exposures. They make my photographic heart smile! Xo

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  27. So beautifully captured as always Jem, I grow fonder of your photography every post. You know I'm a thinker too, and mull things over in my mind far too often, but this reassures me that I'm not alone xxx

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  28. I love double exposures - I've tried creating them in post production but nothing beats taking them with a regular SLR.

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  29. So beautiful!! Really stunning photography! You need to teach me how to do that. Just lovely and whimsical. You are tres talented, lady!

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