Dreamy Photos Without the Obvious Tricks

Dreamy photos don’t happen by accident. They require understanding subtle techniques that create images filled with atmosphere and emotion.

Coming to you from Max Kent, this insightful video tackles techniques that help you create dreamy, evocative images without falling back on clichés like shallow depth of field or pricey gear. Kent emphasizes double exposures as a method to layer scenes, suggesting pairing a portrait with a natural texture, like leaves or water, to craft intriguing visuals. While mastering double exposures requires practice, Kent’s advice is straightforward: start with dark spaces in the first image to highlight the second shot's details. It's a powerful technique that can deliver unique, surreal imagery without needing any extra editing afterward.

Kent also explores using long lenses differently than most photographers typically would. Rather than zooming into distant subjects, he suggests bringing telephoto lenses into tighter environments. This unusual approach creates striking effects, compressing the scene dramatically and making familiar subjects seem strange or mysterious. Citing photographer Saul Leiter as an inspiration, Kent notes that Leiter's distinct style partly stemmed from frequently using a long lens at close quarters, achieving distinctive layers and a compressed, dreamlike feel. Such images challenge typical perceptions and invite viewers to look twice.

One technique Kent strongly advocates is the use of slow shutter speeds. Instead of extremely slow exposures resulting in fully blurred scenes, he recommends speeds between one-tenth and one-sixtieth of a second to capture subtle motion. This approach adds a delicate blur, turning everyday scenes into ethereal moments without overwhelming clarity. Kent describes this subtle motion blur as showing how a scene feels, rather than merely how it looks. The effect is subtle yet significant, ideal for photos where you want emotional depth.

Kent offers one more intriguing suggestion: actively thinking in opposites. Rather than relying on your habitual ways of seeing and capturing images, Kent challenges you to question and experiment with perspectives you wouldn’t normally consider. If your first instinct is to shoot wide, try a tight composition; if you usually shoot from eye level, find an odd angle instead. This intentional shift in perspective isn’t simply about being different for its own sake—it’s about escaping creative autopilot. Breaking these patterns regularly, Kent suggests, will build your capacity to think creatively, enhancing the dreamlike quality in your photographs over time. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Kent.