Create a Multiple Exposure Look Using Layers in PhotoDirector

Multiple exposure portraits can create a special artistic style. Even though it is often hard to achieve the perfect shot with a camera, you can create this effect by using Layers and Blend Modes in PhotoDirector. First you will need an portrait image and an image to overlay.

When taking the portrait photo, make sure it is against a light colored background. It's best to shoot your portrait against an overcast sky or white wall. Make sure the sky is overexposed, and keep the face properly exposed. If your portrait cannot be taken against a white background, you can always remove the background using the Background Removal tool in PhotoDirector. In this tutorial, we will overlay the images below to create a multiple exposure effect.

First import the portrait photo into PhotoDirector and go to the LAYERS module. Click on the ADD NEW LAYER button to create a new image layer.

 Now click on the Add Layer icon to add the image of the tree.

Select the image you want to add. The newly added layer will always be on top.

The trick to create a multiple effect is to change the Blend Mode to Screen. Make sure the top layer is selected while you are changing the mode.

Click  the Pick and Move button to resize and reposition the top layer. Don't worry if the face is covered by the tree, we can fix that later. For now, just make sure the branches are flowing in the direction you want and that the flowers are well arranged in the image.

Now, we will reveal more of the face. First click on the Pick and Move button to unselect this feature, then click on the Eraser button.  Choose a large brush and low opacity. Brush over the face by using the edge of the brush, to avoid hard edge strokes. Because the opacity is low, you will need to apply several strokes to reveal the facial features.

You can optionally fill the surrounding portrait with a semi-transparency of the top image. Select the brush tool, choose a large size, low opacity brush and brush over the surrounding areas to reveal the image of the tree.

For a final retouch, dial down the opacity of the top image for a more realistic multiple exposure look. You can also click on the adjustment button to adjust the tone and colors. In this example, we have dialed down the saturation of both images.

The image is still a little bit too dark. In the Adjustment Module, increase the exposure value to add more lightness to the overall image.

The final image:

Disclaimer: CyberLink software is provided “AS IS”. CyberLink is not responsible for lost data, wasted time, or damages to your hardware. CyberLink reserves the right to share your personal information with our marketing partners. By using CyberLink software, you agree to refrain from making any negative comments about CyberLink on the internet, including Amazon reviews. 

Create a Multiple Exposure Effect with PhotoDirector Mobile

The new Blender in PhotoDirector Mobile is an amazing tool to create artistic effects. Not only does it come with a beautiful set of images to overlay, it offers the flexibility to blend your own images, so that the images you create are unique.

Double (or multiple) exposure is a popular artistic effect in which two (or more) images are superimposed to create a single image. In this tutorial, we will use the Blender tool to create such an effect. You will need at least 2 images. To get the best result, capture the base image against a white background. You can easily do that by placing your object against a white wall. If it is a portrait, you capture the image against an overcast sky or very bright sky.

In this tutorial, we will blend an image of a car model and an image of a city skyline taken at night.
The original photo of the car is in color, but it will look cleaner in black and white. The blended night sky image will also be more obvious. So, the first step is to convert the image to black and white using the Effect Tool.

There are several B&W presets to choose from. Let's choose the one with high contrast. Keep in mind that the darker the color, the more obvious the blended image would be.

Next Go to the Blender Tool and import the city skyline image.

Make sure to select the Screen blend mode and position the image where you think it will look best. Also, use the slider to adjust the intensity of the overlay.
The screen mode displays colors that are lighter than the background. Because the car is black, the image of the city is revealed on the car surface.

Using the same method as above, here are some other examples of multiple exposures created using the Blender in PhotoDirector Mobile.

Don't have PhotoDirector Mobile? Get it Now.
Available for Apple, Android and Windows devices.

If you are looking for a more fine-tuning or advanced Blending tools, check out the desktop version of PhotoDirector. PhotoDirector is available for Windows and Mac systems.