Me again, this time with SMOKE.

[LeggNet]

After a suggestion from one of my readers, I tried some smoke shots. Here's a sample image along with my method:

http://www.leggnet.com/2007/01/purple-rose.html

Cheers, Rich

[Scarlett Nic]

The 'rose' and 'seahorse' look great! I really really like them both a lot.
I just did some of my own and m y only problem is getting interesting smoke patterns. i do mine by myself.. no assistants. What sort of things did you do to give the most interesting smoke behaviour?

Nic

[LeggNet]

Thanks Nic. As you probably saw, creating patterns required some creativity - hence the fork, spoon, hand, knife and Glock :)

I plan on doing this again soon, but this time I think I'll use double the incense to create more smoke and allow me to try some different techniques on patterning the smoke. This time I was more interested in determining how to get the exposure and effect I desired. The off camera lighting appeared to be the key, at least for me.

Cheers, Rich

[LeggNet]

Here's some more shots (and descriptions): http://www.leggnet.com/2007/01/smokin-photography.html

Cheers, Rich

[Navydave1974]

Was the Checkers one taken on the porch of a Cracker Barrell? It reminds me of one in Louisianna.

[Scarlett Nic]

This second series are way cool! love the different patterns you achieved. The sax is wicked!

Great work once again

Nic:D

[Atheist]

nice!

[Renboy]

Very nice work!

[jkdlee]

wow, really amazing.
going to try this with my P&S:lol:

[fi20100]

Really cool shots :) Artistic, abstract and funny :)

[scott searles]

really great shots... I thought your Blog was great also... love those Hawks

[LeggNet]

really great shots... I thought your Blog was great also... love those Hawks

Thanks!

-Rich

[doubledragon]

great shots.
-can you talk a bit about how you set up the lighting?

[LeggNet]

can you talk a bit about how you set up the lighting?

No problem. Here's my rather primitive rig:

Canon 30D on a tripod, approximately 5 feet in front of a black background (a sheet). I am using a 24-105 f/4L lens. I then place my Canon 430EX strobe to the right (or left) of the lens at about an 80 degree angle. I use an off camera shoe cord to fire the flash (link (http://www.pictureline.com/product.php?id=69)). On the flash I have a lightsphere (http://store.garyfonginc.com/liiido.html) diffuser with a piece of cardboard rubber banded onto it to shield the light from creating flare the lens. I shoot with the camera on manual set to 1/250 (fastest synch time on a 30D) and f/22. I set the lens to manual and focus as close as possible. I don't worry about focus, the f/22 depth of field handles that. The flash is adjusting exposure through its TTL feature.

That's about it. I do end up doing a bit of cloning of the image to clean it up. I get a few white specks which appear to be particles in the air being caught by the flash.

I hope this was helpful.

As always, Cheers!
Rich

[doubledragon]

awesome- thanks!
you've just made my day, I'm definitely going to try this when i get myself a flash.

[queenbee288]

I think these are just gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing your technique. I would love to but incense gives me a terrible headache. Oh, well. Anything for art. Right?