How does one create 'smoke' photos?

CoughlinPhotog. · 5 Jul 2010

I've researched smoke photos, and became very interested in them. Would like to experiment with it. What equipment is needed? Any tips/techniques given would be appreciated

Thanks in advance!

akr · 6 Jul 2010

Hi Jen

Here is a guide to the very thing in the tutorial section http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=62030&highlight=smoke

Al

kapawayna · 6 Jul 2010

Josstick and it makes your room smell nice after. But you will need to light the smoke. I used to use a table lamp with some paper over it as a defuser before i got some lights

Splog · 6 Jul 2010

I would suggest using flash from below and slightly forward with a dark background.. Coloured filters on the flash give a nice effect too, although you can do this in PS. Best tips I can give is keep the light away from the backdrop and try to limit the movement in the smoke ... a gentle waft works well

CoughlinPhotog. · 6 Jul 2010

Splog said:
I would suggest using flash from below and slightly forward with a dark background.. Coloured filters on the flash give a nice effect too, although you can do this in PS. Best tips I can give is keep the light away from the backdrop and try to limit the movement in the smoke ... a gentle waft works well

Thank you! I just took a quick look through your flickr photostream, your photos are amazing. I LOVE the water experiment photos.

Splog · 6 Jul 2010

CoughlinPhotog. said:
Thank you! I just took a quick look through your flickr photostream, your photos are amazing. I LOVE the water experiment photos.

Thanks Jen

You are very kind ....

testbloke · 6 Jul 2010

As splog said keep the light between the dark background and the smoke, pointing back towards the smoke. You do not want light falling on to the background. You can use a bit of black card to shield the light.
The hardest thing I found was getting the smoke to perform ! Again, as mentioned you really just want a very gentle waft. You really need to do this in a room with no windows open as the slightest breze causes havoc with the smoke. You also need to "vent" the room frequently to get rid of "ambient" smoke as this makes the post processing a b****r.
My way round this was to have the set up on the hob with the cooker hood on full blast, then a gentle waft of the smoke with my hand.
I have to say, the sticks I got on the cheap from flea bay did not smell very nice and my eyes were streaming with water after a two hour session.
For the record, this was my own first attempt and I kept six shots from over three hundred shutters !

Byker28i · 6 Jul 2010

Check out this tutorial
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2778770#post2778770

I've got some of these smoke pens:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/...d=searchProducts&searchTerm=smoke+pen&x=0&y=0

Expensive I know but the give a much thicker plume of smoke than a joss stick, so they light up better.

Ok the obvious but don't do this in a room with a smoke alarm, or open the door into an area with a smoke alarm. Remember to ventilate the room regularly as you'll be surprised how the smoke builds up.

Be prepared to take several shots and throw lots away, but just occasionally you get some great ones. You don't need to waft the smoe much. I shoot in the conservatory with one small window slightly open. Even you moving about will disturb the smoke.

Use manual focus, with a decent depth of field.

For post production, you can always inverse the picture to make the background white.

Picasso? can you spot the figure at the top and the bulldog?

Groucho?

Pig in a top hat?

Seahorses?

mgrowcoot · 6 Jul 2010

backlighting!
research it

CoughlinPhotog. · 6 Jul 2010

mgrowcoot said:
backlighting!
research it

Gee, that helps so much, thank you. (Sarcasm lol)
I did research it--but thought I'd ask on here because people might have better/different ideas that I could take into consideration.

CoughlinPhotog. · 6 Jul 2010

Byker28i said:
Check out this tutorial
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2778770#post2778770

I've got some of these smoke pens:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/...d=searchProducts&searchTerm=smoke+pen&x=0&y=0

Expensive I know but the give a much thicker plume of smoke than a joss stick, so they light up better.

Ok the obvious but don't do this in a room with a smoke alarm, or open the door into an area with a smoke alarm. Remember to ventilate the room regularly as you'll be surprised how the smoke builds up.

Be prepared to take several shots and throw lots away, but just occasionally you get some great ones. You don't need to waft the smoe much. I shoot in the conservatory with one small window slightly open. Even you moving about will disturb the smoke.

Use manual focus, with a decent depth of field.

For post production, you can always inverse the picture to make the background white.

Picasso? can you spot the figure at the top and the bulldog?

Groucho?

Pig in a top hat?

Seahorses?

Amazing photos Byker28i! And thanks for the links/advice!