Friday, July 6, 2012

The Challenges of Smoke Photography

By James Harden


Smoke Photography: The Choice

Smoke, which is merely the exhaust from a fire, makes a splendid subject for photography. Even though smoke is often unpredictable, this characteristic is what makes smoke photography so challenging! It soon becomes a game of skill as you try to capture exactly what you're looking for.

When the subject of your photography is not under your control, you must rise to the challenge of capturing just what you're going after. Still, it is this challenge that has increased my creativity and propelled my photography forward. Finding the pattern that you are trying to capture is what makes smoke photography an intriguing challenge!

Limitations found in smoke photography come only from the barriers we find in our own limited perspective when it comes to photography. When you begin to see the world from the perspective of smoke photography, possibilities truly become limitless. While your mind is the coordinator or creator of the scene, it is the combination of two different shots that really form the subject of smoke photography.

Smoke Photography: The Creation

Many photographers begin with their smoke shot, no matter which shape or form they have chosen. From there, they begin to search for the perfect match from an object found in the world around them. Sometimes this means finding the perfect subject, while for others this means creating a variation of the subject they want to use by capturing it from just the right angle.

There are many different approaches to finding your two photos that you will combine. Some photographers like to first have the object or shape in mind that they will use and then spend hours with smoke in order to capture the form they need. Others take a more creative approach in which they allow the smoke form to speak to them and be the inspiration for the object that they will later find. The choice is really yours.

Whether you decide to use a small box set up or to stage your object, you have a handful of approaches available to you. Choose one that fits your style. Then, once you have both photos, you can begin to combine them in a software program in order to produce the effect you need. Even though this process may take a long time, it is usually the most enjoyable part as you start to see your composition emerge!

What are Other Options for Smoke Photography?

With the creativity that smoke photography inspires, you'll soon discover that you want to uncover other ways of using smoke photography. Although you are only limited by the concepts of your own ideas, you'll find that your mind will soon find additional options. Focusing on smoke photography will help you to see the world differently and will increase the opportunities for you to use smoke photography.

Consider carrying around a small notebook for the next week to take down the fresh ideas that will come to mind! Some enjoy imagining the entire world that they see in smoke form. Yet, others prefer to spend hours in front of smoke, allowing its form to be the story writer for their next shot.




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