Second attempt at smoke for C&C!

[Bram]

I am definatly going to try this, but instead of insence sticks maybe a cigarette or cigar? I still have some sticks but iunno.

Wouldn't know anything about that. Never touched a cig or cigar of any kind...
I did try it with matches, but the problem is getting a steady stream of smoke that wafts in a predictable manner. At least that was my problem...

Hmm interesting, yeah I had my insence going for awhile but never actually saw the smoke. So what I think I'm going to do is set it up and turn off all the lights and Manually focus and fire the strobe from the right side as well.

 

[lyonsroar]

I am definatly going to try this, but instead of insence sticks maybe a cigarette or cigar? I still have some sticks but iunno.

Wouldn't know anything about that. Never touched a cig or cigar of any kind...
I did try it with matches, but the problem is getting a steady stream of smoke that wafts in a predictable manner. At least that was my problem...

Hmm interesting, yeah I had my insence going for awhile but never actually saw the smoke. So what I think I'm going to do is set it up and turn off all the lights and Manually focus and fire the strobe from the right side as well.

Well I tried manual focusing and it was really hard to determine when something as ethereal as smoke is sharp! I ended up turning a few lights on in the room to have a little bit of ambient light so that the AF could pick up on the contrast difference between the white smoke and the black background. It still had a hard time though...

 

[Bram]

Hmm interesting, might have to keep a few lights on then huh.

 

[KmH]

Well I tried manual focusing and it was really hard to determine when something as ethereal as smoke is sharp! I ended up turning a few lights on in the room to have a little bit of ambient light so that the AF could pick up on the contrast difference between the white smoke and the black background. It still had a hard time though...

Focus manually on the tip of the incense stick before you light it. That's where a tripod comes in handy. The camera stays the same distance from the stick.

You have to use enough DOF then to have enough focus range for the smoke to waft to and fro. So that means using a smaller aperture, which requires a more powerful strobe of light. Even better is to use 2 or 3 speedlights.

As always a key is to keep light from spilling onto your black background.

Another way you can color the smoke by making a new layer and changing the blending mode to Color.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-gallery/227278-using-2-lights-shoot-smoke.html

 

[Reyna]

I like #3 a lot!