Smoke Bombs

[rpcrowe]

The use of smoke bombs as props in portraits seems quite interesting. These things are relatively inexpensive and come in lots of colors.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Smoke-C...90d6%7Ciid%3A1


eBay photo

There are multitudes of YouTube videos on using the smoke bombs as props in portraiture...
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...bs+photography

I am seriously considering trying this out and have ordered several in various colors. I will probably use them at golden hour on the beach. I would pick the beach because I live in a fire hazard zone and am very careful about anything which might cause a fire.

Since I live on the West Coast (California) and the sun sets generally in the West - shooting out towards the sea would back light the model and the evening sun. Some fill flash might help in this case.

Has anyone used these smoke bombs?

[Manfred M]

Looks like an interesting concept and I'm going to try to source some of these to try.

I do use a smoke machine in some of my work and the "rule of thumb" with these is to back-light the smoke, otherwise it doesn't work well and the light reflected back from the smoke results in a very uninteresting image. I'm not sure how best to light this type of smoke without trying it first, but would certainly start that way.

[rpcrowe]

I ordered a small selection of these smoke bombs from eBay in various colors...

I agree that back lighting the smoke would be the best way...

Another variable would be the breeze or wind. Luckily, here on the Pacific Coast, the wind usually dies down around the golden hour.

A final variable might be the personality of the model you are shooting. She would really need to be game for this sort of shoot. Working with a shy model might not be the best idea.

The models attire or lack thereof would also be a parameter to consider. Since I plan to deploy the smoke on a beach because of fire hazard precautions, a nude shoot would not be possible since there are no private beaches in California.

Johanna would be a great model for this type of shoot. She is a model who is game for just about anything and is a joy to work with... It would really be neat if she had her body painted as it was in this shoot. I can just see her painted body emerging from billow of smoke...



or

[Shadowman]

I used them years ago, worst environmental issue you might face is the smear that will form if used on the ground, you can alleviate that by bringing along a suitable surface to place the items.

[rpcrowe]

I used them years ago, worst environmental issue you might face is the smear that will form if used on the ground, you can alleviate that by bringing along a suitable surface to place the items.

Do you think that a square of aluminum foil under the smoke bomb would do the trick? Otherwise, I might just scoop out a slight depression in the sand and bury the residue...

[Shadowman]

Do you think that a square of aluminum foil under the smoke bomb would do the trick? Otherwise, I might just scoop out a slight depression in the sand and bury the residue...

Yes an aluminum pan will do nicely to control any staining that might occur and also make retrieval easier if still warm to the touch.

[rpcrowe]

Yes an aluminum pan will do nicely to control any staining that might occur and also make retrieval easier if still warm to the touch.

Thanks for the advice. I would never have considered that!

[Manfred M]

The downside of aluminum is that it is a good conductor and will heat up, so take care in handling it and give it some time to cool down. Getting a burn is not my idea of fun...