How to photogragh smoke images

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't received any responses. I don't know if this is due to a lack of interest or they just can't present the proper way to do this.

I’ve done better and come up with some very interesting patterns but this just happened to be the one I was experimenting on. Some of the smoke images I’ve captured in the past would have been extraordinary (had they been in focus)!

This subject somehow caught my interest after seeing some very creative images on the net. I’ve done many searches but I haven’t been able to find a good page that gives helpful information about capturing smoke.

FWIW, this picture was taken at 200mm and originally had a black background. I’ve had little to no success at photographing smoke at short focal lengths.

My question of course is how it’s done.

My method was to focus on the incense stick and take the picture when an interesting form appeared. Granted this isn’t an interesting form but instead just an example. I have researched this with no success and figured asking you all would be the best approach at this point. Otherwise, I’m going to wear out my camera if I don’t get some sound advice.

Why do I want to do it? Because I know it can be done and the variations that can be shot would be a helpful addition to some images I have in mind.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If others post images and how they did it, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Robert

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton

I have never tried to capture smoke before.... but... have you tried using a fast shutter speed? to get that thing in focus.... maybe you'd need to do the focus manually... try at least 1/2000sec exposure... =)

Robert Land said:

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't
received any responses. I don't know if this is due to a lack of
interest or they just can't present the proper way to do this.

I’ve done better and come up with some very interesting patterns
but this just happened to be the one I was experimenting on. Some
of the smoke images I’ve captured in the past would have been
extraordinary (had they been in focus)!

This subject somehow caught my interest after seeing some very
creative images on the net. I’ve done many searches but I haven’t
been able to find a good page that gives helpful information about
capturing smoke.

FWIW, this picture was taken at 200mm and originally had a black
background. I’ve had little to no success at photographing smoke at
short focal lengths.

My question of course is how it’s done.

My method was to focus on the incense stick and take the picture
when an interesting form appeared. Granted this isn’t an
interesting form but instead just an example. I have researched
this with no success and figured asking you all would be the best
approach at this point. Otherwise, I’m going to wear out my camera
if I don’t get some sound advice.

Why do I want to do it? Because I know it can be done and the
variations that can be shot would be a helpful addition to some
images I have in mind.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If others post images and
how they did it, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Robert

--
All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful
critiques are always welcome.
A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other
helpful topics as well.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and
duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another -
Charles Cales Colton

Click to expand...

--
http://yulius.fotopic.net/

how about putting your light source behind and below the smoke.

string

Hi Robert,

I've done exactly the same as you in the past. Focused on an insence stick and kept shooting away.

When I was doing it the room had no air movement so the smoke just went straight up. I found that if I 'patted' air down onto the stick and waited a second you would get some interesting shapes. However it was still just trial and error !

I also found that because there isn't a massive amount of detail in smoke that you could blox a small portion of picture up quite large without any ill affects.

Here's two from one of my attempts. The second is an inverted and coloured version of the first:





Steve

Robert Land said:

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't
received any responses.

Click to expand...

You waited a WHOLE DAY? Perhaps people had something else to do. I think you just have to experiment. It's not as if you're using up expensive film.
Skipper494.

These links may give some ideas on technique. They are very interesting.

http://sensitivelight.com/smoke/

http://www.round-here.net/blog/archives/000169.html

RW

Robert Land said:

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't
received any responses. I don't know if this is due to a lack of
interest or they just can't present the proper way to do this.

I’ve done better and come up with some very interesting patterns
but this just happened to be the one I was experimenting on. Some
of the smoke images I’ve captured in the past would have been
extraordinary (had they been in focus)!

This subject somehow caught my interest after seeing some very
creative images on the net. I’ve done many searches but I haven’t
been able to find a good page that gives helpful information about
capturing smoke.

FWIW, this picture was taken at 200mm and originally had a black
background. I’ve had little to no success at photographing smoke at
short focal lengths.

My question of course is how it’s done.

My method was to focus on the incense stick and take the picture
when an interesting form appeared. Granted this isn’t an
interesting form but instead just an example. I have researched
this with no success and figured asking you all would be the best
approach at this point. Otherwise, I’m going to wear out my camera
if I don’t get some sound advice.

Why do I want to do it? Because I know it can be done and the
variations that can be shot would be a helpful addition to some
images I have in mind.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If others post images and
how they did it, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Robert

--
All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful
critiques are always welcome.
A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other
helpful topics as well.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and
duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another -
Charles Cales Colton

Click to expand...

--
RW

Robert,

Here is a link to a pdf paper describing the work of some engineering students who were in a program to mix the humanities with engineering. The idea was to show the link between them. The topic was 'Fluid Dynamics' which is of course smoke and other types of fluid dynamics.

The methods of making and photographing the images are discussed.

http://mechanical.rutgers.edu/scart4/Hertzberg.course.ASEEpaper.03.pdf

Very interesting reading in any case.

RW

Robert Land said:

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't
received any responses. I don't know if this is due to a lack of
interest or they just can't present the proper way to do this.

I’ve done better and come up with some very interesting patterns
but this just happened to be the one I was experimenting on. Some
of the smoke images I’ve captured in the past would have been
extraordinary (had they been in focus)!

This subject somehow caught my interest after seeing some very
creative images on the net. I’ve done many searches but I haven’t
been able to find a good page that gives helpful information about
capturing smoke.

FWIW, this picture was taken at 200mm and originally had a black
background. I’ve had little to no success at photographing smoke at
short focal lengths.

My question of course is how it’s done.

My method was to focus on the incense stick and take the picture
when an interesting form appeared. Granted this isn’t an
interesting form but instead just an example. I have researched
this with no success and figured asking you all would be the best
approach at this point. Otherwise, I’m going to wear out my camera
if I don’t get some sound advice.

Why do I want to do it? Because I know it can be done and the
variations that can be shot would be a helpful addition to some
images I have in mind.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If others post images and
how they did it, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Robert

--
All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful
critiques are always welcome.
A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other
helpful topics as well.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and
duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another -
Charles Cales Colton

Click to expand...

--
RW

Skipper494 said:

Robert Land said:

I posted a similar request in another room yesterday and haven't
received any responses.

Click to expand...

You waited a WHOLE DAY? Perhaps people had something else to do. I
think you just have to experiment.

Click to expand...

Meaning of course that you have nothing to offer. I really like this forum but why didn't you just pass me by if you couldn't give a productive response? It’s a rhetorical question so please don’t respond.
I received some great responses within hours in this room.

I also thought that considering all the experimenting and research I did, the subject warranted an inquiry.

Skipper494 said:

It's not as if you're using up
expensive film.

Click to expand...

Yes, but it would be nice to hear from the experts.

Actually it’s been two days and counting (with no response) now and I just thought since I didn’t receive a response in that room, that I would be more successful in “open topic” concerning this issue. My assumption was correct! Thanks everyone for responding. I really do appreciate it.
Regards,
Robert

Skipper494 said:

Skipper494.

Click to expand...

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton

string cheese said:

how about putting your light source behind and below the smoke.

string

Click to expand...

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton

Steve,
Very nice pictures. Thank you for your advice and input.
Robert

SteveC said:

Hi Robert,

I've done exactly the same as you in the past. Focused on an
insence stick and kept shooting away.

When I was doing it the room had no air movement so the smoke just
went straight up. I found that if I 'patted' air down onto the
stick and waited a second you would get some interesting shapes.
However it was still just trial and error !

I also found that because there isn't a massive amount of detail in
smoke that you could blox a small portion of picture up quite large
without any ill affects.

Here's two from one of my attempts. The second is an inverted and
coloured version of the first:





Steve

Click to expand...

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton

Thank you Mojo151. I'll check those links out. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Regards,
Robert

Mojo151 said:

Robert,

Here is a link to a pdf paper describing the work of some
engineering students who were in a program to mix the humanities
with engineering. The idea was to show the link between them. The
topic was 'Fluid Dynamics' which is of course smoke and other types
of fluid dynamics.

The methods of making and photographing the images are discussed.

http://mechanical.rutgers.edu/scart4/Hertzberg.course.ASEEpaper.03.pdf

Very interesting reading in any case.

RW

Click to expand...

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton

yulius said:

I have never tried to capture smoke before.... but... have you
tried using a fast shutter speed? to get that thing in focus....
maybe you'd need to do the focus manually... try at least 1/2000sec
exposure... =)

Click to expand...

I can't really achieve that fast of a shutter speed in indoor lighting especially considering the task I’m trying to accomplish but thanks.
Regards,
Robert

yulius said:

--
http://yulius.fotopic.net/

Click to expand...

--


All photos are taken with the A1 unless otherwise noted. Helpful critiques are always welcome.

A1/A2 facts and answers to frequently asked questions. Covers other helpful topics as well. http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies/mtf_faq
Using Pbase, Minolta FAx, MTF Faces, Challenges, etc.
http://www.pbase.com/mtf_foto_studies

Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity, than straightforward and simple integrity in another - Charles Cales Colton