As these are digital photographs, I would assume that he created the double exposure technique off camera, in photoshop or a similar editing software. If I were to create my own 'ghost' photographs, I could do them off camera if I was using a digital camera, or on camera if I was using an slr, but I could also do that in the darkroom - it would be interesting to experiment and to see which technique works better.
To create a double exposure in Photoshop, you would open up both photographs that you want to use - for example one of the background and one with the model in the image. You would then copy the image with the model in it, and paste it into a new layer on the other image (the one of the background only). You would then adjust the opacity of the layer so how you like - it could be different for different images, depending on the light settings, etc...What I like about his photographs is that they look realistic. I think that this is helped by the soft lighting and also how the model is the main thing in focus - again, something to bear in mine when I take my own photographs. The lighting seems somewhat grey toned, as are the clothes which is interesting as perhaps this is to be able to relate it to the graveyard setting.
I really like how this is set in a graveyard, as it really emphasises the technique that he has used to create these photographs. I think that this is a subtle reference at the same time, as it really makes the viewer think about this piece of artwork. I also like how he hasn't made the model too faded, as again, the viewer really thinks about it, and might even look twice at the image once they realise that it is actually using the ghost technique. These photographs were taken in winter (as I mentioned at the beginning) which is effective as the leaves have fallen off the trees, making the trees appear dead and the leaves on the ground are drying out - which is added to the theme of death within the series.
In these images (above and below), and throughout the series I think that there could be a deeper meaning in them. There is a lot of references to death, and the colours are bleak and dreary, which I think could be suggesting how particular trends don't last very long before they die and nobody wants to wear an outdated trend, perhaps.
For my final outcome, I have chosen to take fairytale style photographs, but make them gothic, and I think that this artist has really inspired me on the gothic side of the photographs. The setting and styling of the clothes are very gothic style which I personally really like. I can definitely see myself using the ghost effect in my final outcome as I feel like it will make the images look more gothic. For my final outcome I want to include several different techniques so that I have a range of different and unique images. Overall, I find Joe Gall's work inspiring as I haven't seen much 'ghost' photography and I think that this collection has been created really well.
I think that to do this technique, I would create the effect on photoshop by having an image of the background and then the image of the model there as a new layer. I would then change the layer type so that you would still be able to see the model, but you would also be able to see the background through her. The lighting in both images would have to be the same, so that the technique works, however for the second layer you could erase the rest of the image so just the model is on that layer. I think that this technique would be interesting to try as you could experiment with the different levels of opacity and the different layer types.
See more of his work here.
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