Newspaper Photo Filters

Before a recent trip to Berlin I wanted to experiment with printing a newspaper to use as photo filters. I printed a single copy of a digital tabloid with a shape, pattern or colour on each page.

The pages then work as filters. To do this, I expose each photo twice: the first exposure with my camera pointed at the thing I want to photograph and the second exposure pointing at the newspaper. This can be done with any SLR/DSLR or a smartphone (may require an app).

The newspaper is ideal for a portable set of filters – light and easy to fold into a pocket. Plus, the texture of the newsprint adds to the charm of the overall effect.

It’s easier to shoot the subject first and the newspaper second. Anything white on the newspaper page will be obscured in the final image, with detail appearing in the dark areas.

I tried to remain experimental with these photos, not anticipating the effect the filter would have on the image and enjoying unexpected results.

As an experiment it worked well. On the next paper I'm going to keep the patterns to a minimum and use simpler shapes and colours.