Shooting Smoke

[chauncey]

All the tutorials I've seen insist on using a black background of some kind...fine if contrast
is your goal. But if your goal is image manipulation...maybe try shooting it on a white
background and a little back lighting for more PP leeway. Same camera settings.

[Shadowman]

Seems like more contrast in second or the smoke is thicker. So fill light added the volume?

[chauncey]

The only difference was the background causing slight underexposure...whites were down.
Side strobe used both times...smoke coulda been thicker.
Either way, the white background gives me more room to play sans noise.