Nikon D7000 manual Multiple Exposure

268 David Busch’s Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography

Multiple Exposure

This option lets you combine two exposures into one image without the need for an image editor like Photoshop and can be an entertaining way to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when complex photos were created in the camera itself. In truth, prior to the digital age, multiple exposures were a cool, groovy, far-out, hep/hip, phat, sick, fabulous way of producing composite images. Today, it’s more common to take the lazy way out, snap two or more pictures, and then assemble them in an image editor like Photoshop.

However, if you’re willing to spend the time planning a multiple exposure (or are open to some happy accidents), there is a lot to recommend the multiple exposure capability that Nikon has bestowed on the D7000. For one thing, the camera is able to combine two or more images using the RAW data from the sensor, producing photos that are blended together more smoothly than is likely for anyone who’s not a Photoshop guru. To take your own multiple exposures, just follow these steps (although it’s probably a good idea to do a little planning and maybe even some sketching on paper first):

1.Access Multiple Exposure setting. Navigate to the option in the Shooting menu.

2.Select Number of shots. Choose a value from 2 to 3 with the multi selector up/down buttons, and press OK.

3.Choose Auto gain. Specify either On (the default) or Off. When On is selected, the D7000 will divide the total exposure of the image by the number of shots spec- ified; for example, applying 1/3 of the exposure time to each shot in a three-image series. Choose Off, and the full exposure is applied to each picture. You’d want to use Off when using a dark background that would allow successive exposures to add details, and On to avoid the risk of overlapping images washing each other out. Press OK to set the gain.

4.Finish. Move the cursor up to Done and press OK. The multiple exposure icon appears in the monochrome LCD status panel.

5.Take the multiple exposures. Press the shutter release button multiple times until all the exposures in the series have been taken. (In continuous shooting mode, the entire series will be shot in a single burst.) The blinking multiple exposure icon van- ishes when the series is finished. Note: you’ll need to reactivate the Multiple Exposure feature once you’ve finished taking a series; it shuts off automatically.

Keep in mind if you wait longer than 30 seconds between any two photos in the series, the sequence will terminate and combine the images taken so far. If you want a longer elapsed time between exposures, go to the Playback menu and make sure On has been specified for Image Review, and then extend the monitor display time using CSM #c4 to an appropriate maximum interval. The Multiple Exposure feature will then use the monitor-off delay as its maximum interval between shots. Figure 8.32 shows double exposure created at a ballet performance.