Smoke Shots - DPChallenge Forums

Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm f1.8 ZA

03/18/2007 08:04:09 PM · #1

Post your comments, questions, and reviews for...

'Smoke Shots'
by mobster

View this tutorial here.

Dseale

Sony Alpha a7 III

03/18/2007 08:10:05 PM · #2

Nice tutorial, I've been lookin everyday to see if it was up yet, lol.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

03/18/2007 08:25:30 PM · #3

My first thought when I saw the typo in the first line was "naked smoke?" -- I think you mean "... please bear with me." : )

I like the tutorial itself, especially all the screen shots.

One thing I didn't see was an explanation of the technique you use to get a good focus on the smoke, and your typical exposure settings.

I don't have a remote flash myself -- I'll have to try and adapt your set-up to use fixed lighting.

KarenNfld

03/18/2007 09:09:13 PM · #4

Originally posted by GeneralE:

One thing I didn't see was an explanation of the technique you use to get a good focus on the smoke, and your typical exposure settings.

This is something I am interested in as well, do you manual focus on the tip of the incense stick before hand and then just snap away?

Also, do you fan the smoke out or just let it curl that way on its own?

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

03/18/2007 09:30:03 PM · #5

Originally posted by GeneralE:

whoops.... thats what happens when I try to write stuff at 2am:)

My usual setting are:
shutter speed - 1/200
Aperture - F 8.0-10
ISO: 200
focal lenge: 30-50mm

To focus I hold my hand directly in the smoke just above the incense stick, once I get it focused on my hand I switch the lens to manual mode.
while I'm taking pictures I stop about every 15-20 shots to refocus.

Originally posted by KarenNfld:

Also, do you fan the smoke out or just let it curl that way on its own?

I usually just let it do its on thing, however you can hold different things in the smoke to make differant shapes. also, make sure that any fans in the room are turned off, otherwise the smoke will go everywhere except where you want it.

one last thing I forgot to mention it the tutorial... In photoshop I duplicate the base layer and set it to multiply, then I change the opacity level to get the results I want. the reason for using the multiply layer is to give the picture a richer color.

matt.

Message edited by author 2007-03-18 21:31:07.

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/18/2007 09:39:00 PM · #6

Very nice tutorial. Until now I didn't even realize the image gets inverted in post.

levyj413

Nikon D7100

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

03/18/2007 09:51:28 PM · #7

I'd suggest that people try it with black and white backgrounds and see which you like better. Depending on the shot and color choices I've made, I usually like one more than the other.

GeneralE, and others without flashes: use standing lighting and just get it as close to the smoke as you can without being visible. I point the lamps a little forward - you don't want any light to fall on your background.

My settings are similar to mobster's - you really want to freeze the smoke, and you really want as deep DOF as you can get.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

03/18/2007 11:53:57 PM · #8

Originally posted by levyj413:

Just out of curiosity, are you referring to using a black or white background when you take the pictures or are you referring to the background color of the finial picture?

*shameless plug*
I just uploaded some new ones, you can check them out here.
//www.flickr.com/photos/76442934@N00/
*end plug*

Thanks
Matt

Message edited by author 2007-03-18 23:55:05.

levyj413

Nikon D7100

03/19/2007 02:24:01 AM · #9

Originally posted by mobster:

Just out of curiosity, are you referring to using a black or white background when you take the pictures or are you referring to the background color of the finial picture?

Oops - I meant in processing. I definitely use a black background like you do when shooting!

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/19/2007 02:31:17 AM · #10

Great tut. Here is one I did over a year ago but from a different perspective.

BlackDot

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

03/19/2007 02:36:40 AM · #11

Thank you very much for this!

03/19/2007 02:37:07 AM · #12

Originally posted by levyj413:

Oops - I meant in processing. I definitely use a black background like you do when shooting!

Ok, thats what I thought you meant. Most of mine are on white backgrounds though I have done some on black backgrounds.

Originally posted by Judi:

Great tut. Here is one I did over a year ago but from a different perspective.

Cool picture!

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

03/19/2007 02:38:08 AM · #13

Originally posted by BlackDot:

Thank you very much for this!

totally off topic here but... where did you get your signature?

BlackDot

Canon EOS-20D

03/19/2007 03:18:59 AM · #14

Originally posted by BlackDot:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you very much for this!

totally off topic here but... where did you get your signature?

Can't exactly remember. I think it was from a list of funnies on either 3DTotal or CGTalk forums?

03/22/2007 12:52:57 AM · #15

Another thing, (even though a lot of yall probably already know this) If you set the Hue/Sat layer to color instead of normal mode it will give you a much smoother finish.