Dan Mountford is a freelance graphic designer and photographer residing in Brighton, England. He is most well known for his stunning double exposure photography, which he describes as “a visual journey through our minds by calm and tidy means which the reality of everyday life does not show”. Mountford captures his dual subjects beautifully, giving life to new composite images that take on unique, surreal forms. Even more impressive, the exposures themselves are created entirely by camera (no photoshop involved)!
After viewing the images above, answer the questions below in the comments section of this post (in paragraph format. No #’s and PLEASE type in complete sentences).
- Choose one image above. Describe the photos that are layered together to create the final image. How does combining these photos create a new, unique image? How is the mood of the photo changed?
- What do you think Dan Mountford is attempting to communicate through his work?
- How does contrast play a role in the images above?
www.facebook.com/danmountforddesign
www.danmountford.tumblr.com
MsJohnsonPhoto 
December 17, 2014 at 10:39 am
The photos that are layered together to create the final image is the portrait of the girl with the landscape of a city in the background. Combining the photo creates a unique image in that the girl probably lives there. The mood of the photo is changed so it seems that the girl might seem passionate about where she lives. I think Dan Mountford is attempting to communicate thoughts about the decisions that people make in their lives or how he sees certain objects in a creative way through double exposure portraits. Contrast plays a role in the images above by bringing out what is inside the object (face, chair, hand, etc) so it creates visual interest.
December 17, 2014 at 10:41 am
The photo of this is in the woods and looks like there’s shapes all the way though the path. It is cool because you can see trees and stuff and its crazy looking. Adding these two objects really make a unique picture because you don’t regularly see photos like that and it’s pretty cool to look at. The mood is changed by a more curiosity feel of what he did to make this picture. I think he is trying to communicate that you can make any picture have interest with any type of object it just has to be the right one. Contrast plays a role by having some colors of leafs on the ground and different colors of leafs on top of the picture.
December 17, 2014 at 10:47 am
The layer of this photo are cigarette butts, and obviously the outline of someone face. With those layers together it shows like a story, or something personal about the person. Shows that this guy could have a bad addiction to cigarettes. The mood of the photo went from a simple portrait, to a story line. I think what Dan Mountford tries to communicate through his work is something personal about that person. The contrast in this photo plays a role with the dark parts/burned parts.
December 17, 2014 at 10:53 am
There is a portrait of a girl where two different images were layered together to create an image inside her. A consolation was used and a photo of a nice foreign building with surrounding trees was used. These photos were combined and now allow a story to be told. You can’t see who the girl is but with the pictures she is layered with, it’s as if you can figure out who she is. The mood of this photo has changed into wanderlust and empowered. I think Mountfod is attempting to communicate through his work that everything and every person has their own story to tell; everyone is unique. Contrast helps bring out parts of the photo that can be seen as the most important. Also, the contrast sets the mood and tone of the photos.
December 17, 2014 at 10:59 am
per 5 david izoita per 5
The guy with cigarette buds It tells a story of the person by combining the photos The mood to me is more of a sad mood He is Trying to tell the story of a person The contrast makes it popping
December 17, 2014 at 11:12 am
Karla Paredes 6
I picked the image of the had the mood it has and the way they go together makes it stand out with the hand being the object and her hands on her face looking sad and or depressed.
December 17, 2014 at 11:16 am
I chose the photo of the guy with the cigarettes layered on his head. It creates a new and unique photo because the cigarettes adds a story to the guy. The mood changes to hurt and disappointment. I think Dan is trying to communicate a journey of hurt through this image. Contrast plays a role because it shows the darks and lights and make the photo interesting.
December 17, 2014 at 11:17 am
By taking the shape of the first on and filling it in. By the different looks on on photo. With black, and white coloring to make it depressing. How he feels the world is like. By the shades of both combining.
December 17, 2014 at 11:20 am
Pictures that are layered is man and cigarettes. I think it creates a new unique image because it’s like trying to tell you something between these two photos. I think the mood of the photo is changed because it’s saying more than just a face with a blank expression. I think he was trying to communicate through that particular photo that maybe smoking is not good for you but the other photos they tell their own stories and how those two photos relate. Contrast plays a role because he would do a dark part of the picture but then also would add light to it such as the building and the white sky.
December 17, 2014 at 11:30 am
The two photos layered together are a person and a pile of cigarette butts, the combination of these two images creates a new image and changes the mood by turning a regular guy into one with a sad past and many inhibitions. I think Dan is trying to communicate that every person, place, or thing can have an incredible story to tell. Contrast in his pictures can be attributed to his pictures having dark backgrounds and light fore grounds.
December 17, 2014 at 7:30 pm
In Dan Mountford’s photo of the lion he uses a photo of a photo of butterflies which he over laps with a photo of a lion roaring, which he does to create a unique interpretation of how something that may seem scary at first sight may be beautiful and gentle when you spend the time to look closer. Personally i do believe that Mountford was trying to communicate something through his work much like how i said that i think the lion photo was communicating that something scary can also be beautiful and gentle. I find contrast to play a role in the photos above by using while as the background in order to use the black and other dark colors in people to stand out and become more interesting because the contrast between the colors catches your attention.
December 17, 2014 at 8:53 pm
I choose the image of the girl looking through her hands. The layers that are combined together are her hands close together and her peering through them. This makes this photo unique because it shows what it looks like when everyone does that. It sets the mood of hardship because when people put their heads in their hands, they are usually doing hard thinking or in a bad mood. In Mountford’s photos I think he is trying to communicate all sorts of different feelings and moods, some being depressing, others being acting as a trip down memory lane. He uses contrast in his images by using a lot of black and white. Or using colors found in nature
December 18, 2014 at 10:17 am
This photo has a photo of a woman layered with a photo of the beach. The image looks like she could be at the beach. Her hair is blown and the contrast is strong with the sky. The mood is changed because it’s like you can see where she is physically and mentally. The photographer is trying to communicate ideas within ideas. Without contrast the photos would not show nearly as much detail.
December 18, 2014 at 10:29 am
The photos layered together were a picture of a girl looking down and the picture of the beach. These photos layered together created a unique technique becasue it seems as though the beach is what she’s thinking about. This mood changes to relaxing and enjoying life. I think Dan Mountford was trying to communicate to us that we need to enjoy life and find beauty where ever we go. The contrast plays a role in the image becasue the image of the beach is where her head is, and makes it looks that shes thinking about it and smiling about it.
December 18, 2014 at 10:37 am
They create a new unique image by taking the picture of the person and putting other image inside the person head or their face. The mood of the photo changed because it’s not just a person standing there instead it’s a person that has a building on the side of their head it’s very cool. I think that he is attempting to communicate the details in taking an image and making it more than what is was before meaning he takes the picture of the person and then makes a clipping mask of another object and putting it somewhere on their body so that it’s more interesting. The contrast in the image makes the photos darker and makes them stand out a lot more.
December 18, 2014 at 10:40 am
Combining these photos to create a new unique image makes it look more interesting and cool. The mood of the photo makes the photo kind of like a soft slow kind of mood. I think what Dan Mountford is trying to communicate through his work is that whatever you think fits your lifestyle then you can be whatever no matter what people say about you or what they think about you. You just be yourself. Contrast works really well in the photos he took because they make the photos look more interesting.
December 18, 2014 at 12:23 pm
In this image cigarettes and a man are combined to make the final image. Combining this two images makes a new unique photo because it starts to tell a story. The mood of the photo changes because you see more objects and you start to think about how they relate to each other. I think Dan Mountford is trying to communicate how people are affected by different things. Contrast makes objects more visible in the images.
December 18, 2014 at 12:43 pm
I chose the photo that had the outline of the girl with the buildings and structures that look like they’re coming out of the back of her head. The background photo is a portrait of a girl and the photo that is layered is of buildings. Combining these photos creates a unique new image because buildings are different from people but through this photo, those two different objects are combined. The mood of the photo is changed because it makes the image seem more mysterious and creative. I think that through his work, Dan Mountford is attempting to communicate how everyone has a lot of different thoughts in their mind that nobody else sees or hears and that through these photos, you are able to get a sneak peek inside a person’s mind. Contrast plays a big role because the sky in the picture of the buildings is a light color while the buildings are a darker color. This makes the edges of the buildings stick out making it seem even more unique.
December 18, 2014 at 12:43 pm
I chose the photo of the man with the photo of the cigarettes exposed over his face. The photos are layered together in such a way that it makes the man’s face nearly impossible to see while the cigarettes are very clearly there. This creates a new unique image that looks like it would be on the cover of a book or an album while also changing the photo’s mood to be very sad. I think that Dan Mountford is attempting to communicate how addiction to cigarettes (or anything for that matter) can destroy you on the inside, physically and emotionally. The different perspectives of each photo which is exposed creates a lot of contrast in the photo, furthermore how the dark ash from the cigarette contrast with the bright background of the photo.
December 18, 2014 at 12:49 pm
The photo I chose was the one with the girl and the beach with the flying bird. The pictures that are layered is a picture of this girl and there is a picture of the beach with a bridge thing and a flying bird. These pictures layered together create a unique image because it incorporates 2 different pictures in one. The mood of the photo is changed because whatever photo you add could describe who you are and it can change the mood. I think he is trying to communicate that people need to express what they like and what their hobbies are because the pictures that are overlapping the outlines of the people are things that they probably like. The contrast that is played in these photos are if the background is a light color the picture that is layered is a dark color and vice versa.
December 18, 2014 at 1:06 pm
The photo I chose is the black and white one where the girl is smiling and the beach is the second layer. By combining these images two images it shows the girls love for the beach. The mood of the photo is changed because the photo is black and white. I think the photographer is trying to communicate that you don’t always know the background or interests of other people. Contrast helps draw your attention to the photo and add interest.
December 18, 2014 at 1:08 pm
The photo I chose was the one with the guy and the cigarettes in the background, those are the only two photos in the image. The background photo in this final image was of a bunch of used cigarettes. The mood of this photo is a little hard to figure out, I think it is trying to prove that smoking can make you sad. I think what Dan Mountford is trying to communicate is how smoking can be bad for you and how something’s are really bad for you. Contrast plays a big role in the images because
December 18, 2014 at 1:36 pm
The photos layered in this photo create the final image because they are very interesting. Combining these photos together really looks awesome and peaceful. I went from just a smile to pure happiness. I think that he is trying to communicate the mood and what the person or object is feeling. The contrast is more interesting.
December 18, 2014 at 1:56 pm
The two images combined are a path of trees and broad sunlight. This creates a unique image because of the vibrancy and scenery, something a lot of people would want to be. The mood of this photo is peacefulness and serenity. I’d love to be there.
December 18, 2014 at 2:07 pm
i think the photo with thi girl and the building is interesting, the phtots layered are buildings and the girl. combining these photos makes it unique because you can still see the face of the girl and you can see the buildings behind her. i think the author is trying to say that home will always stick with you. contrast really brings out the trees and the eyelashes in this photo
December 18, 2014 at 5:41 pm
In this image the photos that are layered together to create the final image are a lion and butterflies. Combining these photos creates a new and unique image because of the contrast that is created between the lion and the butterflies. The mood of the photo changes to a softer feel because the butterflies are added to the roaring lion. I think Dan Mountford is trying to communicate that there is good and bad in everything. Contrast plays a huge role in this picture particularly because there is a scary, strong photo of a lion that is then layered with delicate, beautiful butterflies.
December 18, 2014 at 8:36 pm
In the image I choose the photo is the one that has like a cell tower and its layered with a road with leaves on it. The way that these photos together make a really unique photo is the way that both alone are pretty interesting themselves but together they make something that you wouldn’t on a daily bases think of. The mood of the photo is changed to a type of mysterious feeling like there’s something there that wasn’t there before. What I think Dan Mountford is trying to communicate is that they’re are hidden things in the most obvious places we just need to connect to dots. Contrast plays a part in his picture on the way that most of the things he puts together wouldn’t make a lot of sense if they were side by side but, when together they make it seem like they were meant to be together the whole time. For example, the lions and the butterflies. Alone they don’t make sense, but together they make something truly interesting.
December 19, 2014 at 5:45 pm
The photo that I chose has a building that looks like a church and a forest that is in front of the church. The face of the girl is cut off because only the chin, mouth and nose show, it’s like the face is being created by connecting the dots. The view of the photo gives a beautiful mystery mood for some reason but it’s very interesting because you want to find out more about it. I think Dan Mountford is trying to communicate with the people by showing how anyone can be creative. I don’t think it has any contrast.
January 6, 2015 at 12:25 pm
The photo I chose was the one with the guy and the cigarettes in the background, those are the only two photos in the image. The background photo in this final image was of a bunch of used cigarettes. The mood of this photo is a little hard to figure out, I think it is trying to prove that smoking can make you sad. I think what Dan Mountford is trying to communicate is how smoking can be bad for you and how something’s are really bad for you.