Have you ever wanted to add a little something extra to a portrait or product shot, but just didn't know quite what would make the difference? Why not include some crazy cool smoke art to add another level of interest?
In this video tutorial, Mark Thorpe with SeaWildEarth shows us the methods and equipment he uses to create awesome smoke images. He also takes us a step further and explains the post-processing workflow that he uses to create these amazing images.
You don't need a lot of space or fancy gear to create great smoke photography, although Mark does use the super-high-res Canon 5DS R paired with a Laowa 60mm f/2.8 macro lens for his photography. He uses a black background and simple incense sticks to create his smoke, and he lights the column of smoke with a Lume Cube and a homemade snoot to direct the light. To freeze the action of the smoke, he uses a speedlight with barn doors and a honeycomb grid for further control, and he triggers all this with a remote trigger.
He details how to get the most movement and interest out of the smoke, pointing out how the smoke behaves differently in the top and bottom of the column.
After capturing several smoke images, Mark moves to the post-processing portion of the tutorial, using both Lightroom and Photoshop to edit each image. Here's where the real magic begins, as he shows us how to manipulate the images into some pretty funky, awesome artwork that can stand on its own or be incorporated into other projects. Enjoy!
