Smoke'n Ace | Match Point

[burntpixel]

Rainy, dreary day here in the Carolinas...

1.
2 Light setup
1 AB 800 w/ medium grided softbox tennis ball right
1 AB 800 w/ 40 degree honey comb grid on boom behind tennis ball.
1 reflector.
http://www.matthewcrace.com/photos/821997641_DTDci-L.jpg

2.
http://www.matthewcrace.com/photos/821999414_tF6pm-L.jpg

3.
http://www.matthewcrace.com/photos/821999039_SEYJS-L.jpg

[sr20ser]

Pretty damn cool!

[The Hard Way]

Very cool. May I suggest some rotational blur?

[icebat]

Wow, very cool. How long did it take you to get the shot you liked?

[Picture North Carolina]

Pretty damn cool!

Pretty damn imaginative... and creative!

[burntpixel]

Pretty damn cool!
Thanks!
Very cool. May I suggest some rotational blur?
Thanks for the comments! I did try a little motion blur but just did not look right?
Wow, very cool. How long did it take you to get the shot you liked?
Thanks for the comments! It didn't take long once everything was in place. Just had to be patient with the smoke and let it do it's thing. I would say from start to finish I had a couple of hours in it.
Pretty damn imaginative... and creative!
Thank you!

:D Thank you for the wonderful comments! Certainly has put a little extra spring in my step today.

[burntpixel]

I've decided on which image out of the bunch I'll be sending to the printers to print on metal. However, I've played around with the idea from The Hard Way with some slight motion blur.

To blur or not to blur?
Thanks

1.No Blur
http://www.matthewcrace.com/Other/Studio-Play/Smoke/IMG0546-2/823085878_aXiUs-L.jpg

2.Blur
http://www.matthewcrace.com/Other/Studio-Play/Smoke/IMG0546-2-blur/823085851_t36Ta-L.jpg

[eye on color]

This is very good, but no on the blur.

[Snydremark]

That's a terrific image; I'd stick with no blur, too, though.

[evo5ive]

I actually kind of like the blur. :oops:

[burntpixel]

This is very good, but no on the blur.
Thanks for the comments.
That's a terrific image; I'd stick with no blur, too, though.
Thanks for the kind words.
I actually kind of like the blur. :oops:
Your not alone it seems ;) The feedback on the blur has been about 50-50. Some like it some don't and I'm still on the fence ?

[calvin681]

really cool effect.

[icebat]

That's a terrific image; I'd stick with no blur, too, though.

x2 :)

[burntpixel]

really cool effect.
Thanks, really appreciate the comments.
I saw the smoke shots a while back (nearly two years now) and wanted to add a little extra dimension.

x2 :)
Thanks icebat, I'm about to fall on that side of the fence too.

[Adam Jones]

Very cool. I also like the no blur. :)

[burntpixel]

Very cool. I also like the no blur. :)
Thanks Adam. No blur it is ;)

[The Hard Way]

Well I guess I was wrong, but thanks for posting more pics. Really cool concept!

[burntpixel]

Well I guess I was wrong, but thanks for posting more pics. Really cool concept!
:lol: don't beat yourself up to bad there Hard Way, there were others liked the blur too. Maybe if my photoshop skills were a bit better the blur shot would have made the cut ?
Thanks again for the comments.

[reddyroc007]

love it!

[ChrisK10]

Great shots. I agree with no blur.

[Bhargav]

very nice shots. no blur, if you are still undecided.

I have never trid shooting the smoke. wondering how this would turn out with a slight blow to make the smoke move faster ...

[burntpixel]

love it!
Thank you!
Great shots. I agree with no blur.
Thanks Chris!
very nice shots. no blur, if you are still undecided.

I have never trid shooting the smoke. wondering how this would turn out with a slight blow to make the smoke move faster ...
Thank you for the comments. I've decided on no blur.

When my A/C unit kicked on, I had to wait for it to shut off because of it blowing the smoke. The effect of blowing the smoke does not work so well.

[bucket772]

I'm little late to the thread but here is my vote. I like the blur IF there was a little blur with the smoke. Just looks a little off with the tack sharp smoke and the blurry ball. That being said awesome concept and great shot. Very creative and original. And thanks for sharing your setup.

[burntpixel]

I'm little late to the thread but here is my vote. I like the blur IF there was a little blur with the smoke. Just looks a little off with the tack sharp smoke and the blurry ball. That being said awesome concept and great shot. Very creative and original. And thanks for sharing your setup.
Did not try applying blur to the whole image, maybe for a rainy day ;)

Thanks for look'n and the comments, very much appreciated.

[FelixDeSouze]

I think they both look pretty cool.. I think it looks funny when it's still but the smoke is trailing behind it.. With blur landscape and maybe you could have it as a smoking ball portrait? Not sure if that is in line with what you were wanting though? Just an idea.

[ratempa]

no blur! Awesome idea.

[heder78]

Very original and creative. Wish I was that creative on rainy days.

[burntpixel]

I think they both look pretty cool.. I think it looks funny when it's still but the smoke is trailing behind it.. With blur landscape and maybe you could have it as a smoking ball portrait? Not sure if that is in line with what you were wanting though? Just an idea.
The picture was taken in portrait and rotated during post. Rotating back to portrait either shows the ball "moving" down or up and just doesn't look right. The image was created to show a "serve".
Not sure if this is what your referring to do? Thanks for the comments.
no blur! Awesome idea.
Thanks for the comments, very much appreciated.
Very original and creative. Wish I was that creative on rainy days.
Thank you for the comments! :D Next rainy day you have build or take away from the idea, just keep play'n and shoot'n!

[canonloader]

HAHA, great idea. Now a hardball. :)

[Mark1]

Very cool shot!!! I do not like this version of a blur. But the problem is that without it, it looks like a ball on a stick. Possibly put the blur on its own layer and at about 15-20%opacity. Enough to hint at the blur but not enough to lose any detail.

[burntpixel]

HAHA, great idea. Now a hardball. :)
HaHa, I'll leave the hardball up to you. Thanks for the comments.
Very cool shot!!! I do not like this version of a blur. But the problem is that without it, it looks like a ball on a stick. Possibly put the blur on its own layer and at about 15-20%opacity. Enough to hint at the blur but not enough to lose any detail.
First, thanks for the comments.
Here is the latest attempt with a slight radial blur and opacity at 35%. I also added a touch of negative space on the right side? I have not yet pulled the trigger on ordering. I will be ordering this on a 12" x 36" piece of metal.
http://www.matthewcrace.com/Other/Studio-Play/Smoke/IMG054612x36BLURSM/836454287_xsqDM-L-1.jpg

[burntpixel]

Today I received one cool looking photo! :D

Printed on metal 12" x 36" with floating hangar. Bay (http://bayphoto.com/) has only 3 days remaining on their 20% discounted metal.

This little project turned out really nice. Thanks for all your responses and feedback, very much appreciated.

[Frank_Hollahan]

Very creative, I like it

[burntpixel]

Very creative, I like it
Thank you Frank. It was a fun little project, on a rainy day, that turned quite nice on a piece of metal.

I'm just really impressed with this whole printing/infusing into metal. Turned out very nice.