Smoke: first efforts

[AlexR!]

Inspired by Stan (plus I've always loved the back cover image of Dire Straits's Love Over Gold album) I thought I'd have a go at some smoke art. Having read Stan's advice plus a couple of online tutorials, it does indeed turn out to be pretty simple to get an OK image. In fact, I was quite happy until I went back and re-looked at his. Clearly I need to spend a lot more time making the images more defined, and cleaner. But anyway, thought I'd share.
The set up was in my windowless shed (actually a brick air-raid shelter) with a sheet of black paper hanging behind, incense stick jammed in floorboard, flash gun as slave perched on lawnmower and flagged from camera and backdrop, camera on tripod at lowest height, manual focus, all taken with remote control.
Very first shot turned out to be one of my favourites; don't know why, it is just kind of pleasing:


Smoke 1 by AlexR!, on Flickr
EOS 7D, EF-S 17-85
1/200sec, f/20, 73mm, ISO 200, 0EV

After a while, I tried to experiment a little:


Smoke 2 by AlexR!, on Flickr
1/200sec, f/22, 61mm, ISO 200, 0EV

And the only one that contained an interesting shape (I see a dancer):


Smoke 3 by AlexR!, on Flickr
1/200sec, f/22, 44mm, ISO 200, 0EV

I had a complete block on how to just colour the smoke, so I'll be back to have a play another day. But I'll definitely have another go, it is kind of addictive, and you get decent results (I think) fairly quickly. Stan has no reason to worry about being usurped as the Master, though...

[tesarver]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

I like the 2nd image. Well thought out and composed.

Tom

[Stan]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Very good Alex and i think like me you have discovered once you get the focus sorted ,the different shapes are just a matter of luck.

Stan

[wayne2418]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

I see the dancer too,I like the first one too, but I think it needs to 'lose' the top third ... imho.

Nice one's though Alex ..

[paul linton]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Really good lighting and contrast in the first 2 shots , a little flat in the third not sure why as the setting seem similar?

Paul

[AlexR!]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Tom, thanks. I'd seen similar images online using various utensils so will definitely play more with introducing objects.

Stan, thanks. Yes, there was no chance to spot figures when taking them, in fact I couldn't even see the smoke plume properly even in live view until the flash went off.

Wayne, good suggestion, the top doesn't really add, does it? I've cropped in and had a slightly better result in adding colour:

Smoke 4 by AlexR!, on Flickr

Paul, yes, I think the problem on the third one was that there was a fair bit of diffuse smoke around by then, so my black wasn't very black. And then I just slapped that blue colour on top to pick out the figure better, and this lightened the 'not very black' bits even more. That's a lesson learned for me - need to work better with layers and gradients etc.

[Alan_H]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Well done Alex

Alan

[Alan_H]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Alex just read your last post about struggling to see the smoke try using a lamp of some sort pointing sideways to the smoke it will illuminate the smoke and allow you to focus easier and the flash will over power the light

Alan

[tesarver]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Nicely done on that last one Alex,

Tom

[AlexR!]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Alan, thanks, and d'oh, I did have a torch to hand but didn't think to use it. But then again, firing blindly was strangely relaxing as it took all of the decision making away!
I achieved focus by manually focussing on where the stick was prior to shooting and hoping that the c. 15-20cm depth of field took care of everything.

[AlexR!]

Re: Smoke: first efforts

Thanks, Tom.