Using 2 lights to shoot smoke

[KmH]

Title: 8²LifeForm

I used 2 - 285HV's to light the smoke.

 

[ghache]

flashes face to face?

 

[mwcfarms]

Really like this Keith.

 

[sansparallax]

way cool!
how did you get the smoke to do that?

 

[KmH]

way cool!
how did you get the smoke to do that?

I'm pleased you like the image.

I went to a lot of effort to make that image. The least you could have done, is made the effort to use the shift key twice for your post, making a capital W and a capital H.

But, you didn't, so I certainly don't feel obligated to answer your question.

However, it's your first post so Welcome to The Photo Forum, and now you know the vast majority of TPF members do make the effort to make the appropriate capital letters when they post.

I didn't make the smoke do that. I just made a series of images as the smoke did what smoke does. For that shot the heating system fan was going so there were some currents in the room.

Once the air movement in the room stopped, the flow of the smoke became more laminar and looked more like

 

[Tbini87]

Nice shots Kmh, love the colors and lighting.

 

[kundalini]

i tought id say dat 1 iz kewl

I'm trying to figure out your light positions. I'm gonna have a guess. One is on lens axis positioned high and angled down facing the camera. The second is similarly positioned at ~225°. Gels or PS?

Regardless, nice image. :thumbsup:

 

[KmH]

Thanks to you and to Dee.

No gels. The smoke is not white. Different scents will produce slightly different colored smoke.

In 8²LifeForm, the vertical portion (the LifeForm) was not colored using Photoshop®. The entire image was processed using ACR: Exposure, Contrast, Clarity, Vibrance, before going into Photoshop® to color the remainder of the smoke.

I left the LifeForm lighter because - "light advances and dark receeds" - so it appears closer to the camera than the colored parts of the image.

1 light at the base of the incense stick, on it's back pointing straight up and set at wide angle (1/16 power). Light 2 is bare, camera right about 4 feet, about 2 feet above and behind the end of the incense stick and feathered back towards the camera (1/4 power).

Here is the image as it came out of ACR: