After receiving 78(!) comments during voting, many of which asked "How did you do this?", I figured I'd write up a tutorial about this technique I thought up, when I get the time. So for now, more briefly, I quote Itsimring:
“Or (perhaps simpler) - he had two "complimentary" screens which he swapped before the second exposure”
SETUP:
Here’s a picture of the setup on the “dark side”. It is separated by a cardboard from the “bright side”, where the flash and subject are. The hole in the cardboard is just slightly larger than the camera’s FOV, so that it limits the amount light crossing to the dark side. This is crucial as the filters used to obstruct the center of the hand and isolate the eye need to remain completely black. They are exact complements of each other, cut out from photo paper, because it’s opaque. These filters were stuck on Plexiglas, supported by a holder that I machined from scrap metal at school. Also necessary was an alignment bar, so that the filters could be switched, and accurately replaced every time to a tolerance of 1/4mm. Any larger misalignment caused both exposures to overlap with dark and bright halos around the eye.
PROCEDURE:
The D70, equipped with the Sigma 105mm, rests on a tripod. I align my hand with the filter, with feedback from peete.
lights off. peete opens the shutter, manually sets off the flash, switches the filter, meanwhile I position my eye to the right location, then one flash and the shutter. A 24.2 second exposure in nearly full darkness.
Statistics
Place: 3 out of 271 Avg (all users): 7.2846 Avg (commenters): 8.4925 Avg (participants): 7.3025 Avg (non-participants): 7.2763 Views since voting: 15668 Views during voting: 1012 Votes: 376 Comments: 125 Favorites: 58 (view)
Way back during my Film-Camera days, I superimposed my face on a fancy silver teapot, using a very similar technique. I still have the complementary Cokin filter set, made of plastic that slides in place. One clear with approx.1/4" black dot, other black with 1/4" black hole. [url=//www.cokin.com/ico13/ico13.html ]Cokin Filter System Catalogues[/url]
Not only the thought process behind being able to create this, but the technical expertise in doing so. Amazing, really amazing, that something like this could be done all with DPC limitations.
How appropriate that, in your setup photo, I see your screen propped up by both, a nice thick physics textbook, and a nice thick book on Dali (at least I think that's what I see)! That's consistent with both sides of your brain needing to be engaged and in good working order in order to pull this one off. Well done.
One thing I still find odd about this image: this is obviously your right hand, but it appears to be your left eye. What was the reason for this mis-match?
On an unrelated note, how many shots did it take before you ended up with the shot you submitted?
actually, its his right eye too. take a closer look...
and once the filters were alligned, about 5 shots till ew got the hand perfectly centered.
One thing I still find odd about this image: this is obviously your right hand, but it appears to be your left eye. What was the reason for this mis-match?
On an unrelated note, how many shots did it take before you ended up with the shot you submitted?
Just an FYI. If your friend fired the shutter, he actually owns the rights to the image since he actually 'took' the picture. I am sure it will fly by here on DPC but in the real world it's copyright infringement.
Great image none the less...
No copyright or rules infringement here unless the last part of the rule was not obtained, or the administrators object:
Ownership:The photograph you enter must be taken and post-processed by you. You may let someone else press the shutter if you are unable to, but you must be the one who set up the shot and configured the camera. If you wish to collaborate with others when creating your submission, you will need express permission from the administrators beforehand.
Just an FYI. If your friend fired the shutter, he actually owns the rights to the image since he actually 'took' the picture. I am sure it will fly by here on DPC but in the real world it's copyright infringement.
amazing - must be a double-exposure, yes? Since everyone else is guessing too...I'd say used to filters over the lens (maybe painted a UV filter, or used black cardboard)...one with a black spot in the middle, for the hand, and one with a black surround, for the eye. Immaculately done. :)
This was among the first images I saw in this challenge and I had it down for the blue immediately. Simply amazing. Please please please tell us how you did it, now :)
Could have photographed the hand and the eye simultaneously using a partially reflective surface in front of the camera, and judiciously lighting both subjects. Requires some technical expertise, but has been done with good effect in movies for decades.
Congrats on a fine image!
my guess would be that it was a double exposure, but he had to paint the middle of the hand pitch black (with blurred edges) and paint his face with a similar size eye-hole in it to avoid overlapping the images. Or (perhaps simpler) - he had two "complimentary" screens which he swapped before the second exposire. In any case - a magnificent job (I was sure it was going to get DQ'd :)). Congrats!
We are waiting for your answer, sir. lol. Let me guess, you are sitting on your mouth? Or maybe your eye doesn't like being banged against a keyboard?
It was a 24 sec exposure, so I'm guessing that the eye was selectively lit and then the hand lit after in the same place. Judging from the reflection in the eye, it was a flashlight. Great work!
Only a handful of photographers could have done this, and somehow eye knew it was you. Congrats on another ribbon, Aleks! Now how's about letting us in on the secret?
Aleks: you are quite a wonder. Yes, I did ascertain that it was yours. The sheer wonder of this image with its esoteric name is right up my alley. Very good work and impeccable technique. You have my full admiration. This image will receive many views. It is a little masterpiece. In my comment during voting I explained how I would have done such an image.
Ok...technically, this shot is amazing considering it is done in basic. However, as far as a photograph, I don't find anything about it appealing beyond it technical side. Let me put it like this: Some guys play guitar really well - they can go blindingly fast and make sounds that others cannot dream of making, but in the end, there is no underlying substance. Some guys play guitar and do it with heart - it's not about how many notes you hit, but hitting the right ones that matters.
Wow. You know how to handle your lighting! Looks great, but as there is still some of the background visible, I'd have chosen something different than bambus. 9.
This is awesome. I think I have worked out how you did this but the execution is great and to my mind it captures surrealism very well (although I'm sure others will disagree) The wow factor is very strong here and I expect it to be top ten, if not a ribbon. Congratulations
My vote here is biased, because I actually tried to execute this same concept. I was not sufficiently satisfied with my results, so I didn't submit anything for this challenge. I'd be interested in learning how you masked this off to get such a polished looking shot. Excellent work.
Can't wait to see how this was done. My guess (based upon some slight blur in the palm) would be a double exposure. Regardless, this is excellent work and surely among the ribbons. Gotta be Labuda or maybe Seanachai. My pick for, uh... second place. ;-) 10
you have captured a great sense of surrealism - interesting composition and juxtaposition of elements - one of my ribbon picks this challenge -- well done!
it's not the most appealing image to me, but that's not the point. I don't know how you did this and that's what makes it so awesome. If this is a double exposure then you're a master. Good work.
How This is Surreal! And very well done as well! I would sure like to know how to manage this 'tour de Force' ! I love the lighting and the composition and position of the hand in the shot. The background is somewhat strange tho, perharps uneven which throws the picture off a little. None The Less a very impressive work! 8!
A great double exposure with perfect fade. Another bump. I get the feeling I am seeing an image by Labuda. Regardless, this is my favorite to ribbon. How i would achieve this effect: color around the right eye and then place a dark cover to hide the rest of the face leaving the eye exposed. Then draw a complimentary oval in black on the palm of the hand. Feathering the oval will help with the final transition. In darkness, place hand over eye and shoot off the light source and while shutter remains open, remove hand and capture eye.
Wow. I try to think of a logical way that this picture could have been created within the rules (I see it's been validated, so obvoiusly, it's legit), but I just can't figure it out. I hope you planning on sharing with us--I'm very curious! Wonderful.
It's almost a bit graint (see pinky, fleshy thumb area of palm), but the wonderment of the image basically outweighs that.
This image is really nice. I love things out of the ordinary so this image really got my eye. I like the fact that you can see a lot of detail to and it looks like your images are one. Nice work.
This will be one for the "how'd they do that" section...great skill. I'm not sure that you wanted the background (left) to show through, but it does and takes a little bit away from the shot.
How in the world did you manage to do this? Well, very good job, great definition and light, though I find the subject, itself, to be kind of creepy...
When I first saw this photo, I didn't want to vote on it because I thought it might be DQ'd. Now that I know it has been validated you are absolutely getting a 10! I hope you explained how to do this also because I can't even begin to fathom the technique you used!!
I cannot believe this was done with Basic Editing. I am sure everyone who sees it wil lhave the same reaction. I asked for validation last night 30 mins after the challenge posted, for that reason. I hope I'm wrong and that this is "legal". But it REALLY needs that "validated" tag on it LOL. Meanwhile, I have given it a 10, and that vote will stay as long as the image stays up. If you care to PM me and tell me how you did it, just to satisfy my curiosity, feel free.
GREAT! Validated! I love it. Can't wait to see how you did this.
I think this is amazing! How on earth were you able to do this under basic editing???
I find this photo strong and very surreal. Definately one of the top 3 IMO.
I am waiting to see the validation message on this one. You get a 10 from me for now, and I am waiting impatiently to read the how-to on this one!
Adding after validation: OMG... can I give you 11?
Bodhisattva
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