Where there’s smoke… hopefully there’s… not… my computer (it’s acting a bit strangely tonight). Awesome.
Tim Krizminski (inside elevator): “How do we know if the floor is gonna be on fire in one of these?”
Lt. Stephen ‘Bull’ McCaffrey: “Well… when the doors open… if it’s hot… don’t get out.”
– Jason Gedrick & Kurt Russell – Backdraft
About this image: digital photograph (Canon 300D) lightly modified in Adobe Photoshop
Refrigerator Magnate 
I really like this one. Parts of it actually look like glass.
Thank you very much, Laura!
I must have taken nearly 100 shots… I thought it was very interesting how different each one looked (and the post-production drew those differences out even more)!
🙂
Mmm! Very nice, Robert.
Why thank you very much, S.E.!
🙂
Now that’s a form of experimental photography I have sometimes contemplated having a go at… It almost looks like an x-ray of some weird bone structure. Must have cost a fortune in cigars 😉
Like the Backdraft quote – a film I like to watch from time-to-time 🙂
I was thinking this had a bit of an x-ray feel too, Martin… I was wondering if anyone else would think so, too! Most of that color is from post-production… I tried a few different things, but at the moment something in the blues seemed to work about the best.
Hahaha… no doubt! Fortunately this was just a cheep incense stick. And an old flash unit that isn’t even capable of talking to my camera (talk about a balancing act between the cable release and manually tripping the flash – I would have been winded even without all the smoke in my lungs)!
Me, too… a sentimental favorite of mine!
🙂
I suspect one could play for hours trying to get the ‘right’ patterning. How did you derive the smoke?
SO true, sir! This one was created with an incense stick. It was a bit tricky, because I don’t have a detachable flash-unit that will ‘talk’ to my camera… so I had to use very slow shutter speeds and trip an old unit manually. It seemed to work out okay (a bit of a balancing act, though)!
🙂
Sounds like my kind of improvisation – in your head you know what you want, you know the capability of what you have to hand and you work round the difficulties. Good stuff.
I guess half of the fun of it all is in the ‘process’…
well…
if the ‘process’ leads to results that are anything like those initially hoped for, I guess!
Thank you very much, sir!
🙂
That’s really excellent work, Sig…it’s the best smoke I’ve ever seen in graphic. How, I wonder do you do it. 🙂
Thank you so very much, Deb – you are far too kind!
This one was just created with an incense stick. I’m not sure why I didn’t include more information about that in my post… I must have been a bit tired (even more-so than usual, even) when I wrote it!
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Really cool… wait, or hot? Whatever. I like it.
Hahaha… I never know what these things are, Tori… I’m just very happy to hear you liked this one… thank you!
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Wow, it’s very interesting although I don’t smoke.
Fireworks may light like this.
Thank you very much, sir!
It’s much healthier that way! I don’t smoke, either… but I found I could create these effects with incense sticks… (although being that close to those starts to make me cough a bit, too).
I imagine fireworks would makes some very interesting images!
🙂
Good advice from old Kurt
I think that role was pretty much perfect for him.
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Neat! How did you illuminate the smoke? Was that done in Photoshop or was it a lighting setup?
It was a bit of an ‘unusual’ set-up, Madame! I had an old flash unit (that unfortunately doesn’t ‘talk’ to my camera) so I set that up perpendicular to my camera, and used long shutter speeds so I had time to fire the flash manually. I pumped up the levels a bit / added some color in Photoshop, but for the most part it worked out in-camera… well, better than I had anticipated it would, anyway!
🙂
hmmm, I thought this was an X-ray of how I sleep 🙂
I hope it won’t be too difficult to get your front door fixed-up again, Loon.
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Amazing!! It doesn’t even look like smoke, SIG. You’ve transformed in into something else, like some kind of nebula out in the beyond. Cool! 🙂
Thanks so much, B.F!
This is the first time I attempted something like this… so I really had no idea how it would turn out!
🙂
Wow, that on your first go! Well done! Let me guess, you used a fast shutter speed?
Thank you very much, B.F.!
A very good guess! In effect I did just that (I used a flash to ‘freeze’ the image… basically a different way of doing exactly what you’ve just suggested)!
🙂
Well, it sounds a bit more involved than I suggested. I’m now introduced to the ‘freeze” flash. Thanks SIG!
Not really, B.F…
I just tend to get excited about answering questions / talking about these things and then ramble on making everything seem much more complicated than it really is.
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Love, love, love that shot!!!
Thank so much, R.N.P!
You are always incredibly kind!
🙂
Very funky. Looks like something out of “Ghost”!
Looking forward to seeing Abstract # 2. (I assume this is the first in a series, otherwise labeling it # 1 was very misleading!) 🙂
I might have to try this again at some point, Ms. C… it was a lot of fun!
Although I’m pretty sure I’m still hacking-up incense!
🙂
surprising macro precision!
Thanks, Frizz!
🙂
That’s beautifully ephemeral. How exactly do you modify the photo?
Thank you very much, Peg!
I didn’t do very much to this one… messed with the levels a bit (brightened the lighter tones, etc.), did some light sharpening as well as changing / adding color, etc… but that’s pretty much it. Not much at all… especially compared to some of the images I’ve thrown everything (including the kitchen sink) at!
Beautiful abstract smoke image , excellent work my friend 🙂
I sincerely appreciate your kind comment, Jake…
as always, sir! Thank you very much!
🙂
Wow wow wee another fascinating Photograph!!! Cheers Nonoy Manga
So happy to hear you enjoyed this one!
I had a lot of fun putting it all together, too!
🙂
These smoke trails make
for an exciting visual feast,
I can’t wait to see what the
next one is all about 🙂
Actually this one reminds
me of that film… Tron
Have a brilliant rest of the
evening SIG and be good,
okay then, naughty 🙂 lol
Androgoth
My thanks for that, Andro!
I couldn’t resist leaving this one open to possible future attempts because it was all quite a bit of fun! Well… except for the set-up and take-down, anyway (because just between you and me I’m kind of lazy like that).
Thank you very much, A.G!
I hope you are having an excellent week!
🙂
Well lazy or not you have achieved
a brilliant piece of Art with this idea
and that is the main thing SIG 🙂
Yes not a bad evening / morning 🙂
Androgoth
That’s quite a neat effect. You could do endless variations on this theme.
Why thank you, sir!
I was thinking the same… it’s the kind of thing where you are never quite sure what you are going to get, but (if you stare long enough) you’ll probably see quite a few interesting things.
🙂
I love it! It’s amazing that smoking gets such a bad rap when it’s so visually pleasing. 😀
That is so wonderful to hear, Nancy! Thank you!
I probably should have mentioned this was incense smoke… although just between you and me I still felt like I was on the set of Mad Men.
🙂
very, very cool, Robert. it’s magical!
Many thanks, S.F!
It was a lot of fun (once I got everything all set up, anyway)!
I’m thinking I might even give this another try at some point.
🙂
Hehe, interesting advice… but what if there is a fire, which will jump to elevator, when doors will open? 😉
Hahaha…
I’m not sure… I would probably be too busy screaming and covering my eyes to find out (or something very dignified like that)!
😉
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Very cool…..do I “smell” the start of a series?? 😉
Hahaha… either that or my hair is on fire again.
Or both.
😉
Many thanks, M.P!
Love the sophisticated elegance in this shot SiG!
Oooooooooh! I was immediately struck by how beautiful this is and then immediately started wondering if it’s actual smoke or light graffiti. Show us more!
Thanks much, M.P! Sorry about that… I should have included a bit more info! This was created with a little incense and a lot of coughing. I plan to try a few more of these in the future… *hack wheeze* maybe…
🙂
and I bet you did it on the first try… didn’t you!?? Nice!
Hahaha… I NEVER get anything figured out on the first try, Mr. B…
I sure appreciate the vote of confidence, though… thank you, sir!
🙂
Man… I think you’re selling yourself too short!!! LOL! I bet it didn’t take you long at all. 😉
Hahaha…
well, relative to some things it wasn’t too bad… still…
🙂
That’s a very nice effect…great photo.
Why thank you, Mary!
It was kind of fun to play around with, anyway!
🙂
Mesmerizing and amazing, SIG. I could stare at it for hours. Please send eye drops …
Aw, thanks Ms. D!
I would indeed… if I hadn’t used them all up myself
(who knew that incense could be so… smoky)!
🙂
This is one of your best ones I’ve seen.
Thanks so much, J.B!
I sincerely appreciate that, my friend!
🙂
That sounds like an interesting process–to watch, at least! Hopefully your computer will NOT try to emulate the art.
Hahaha… it’s always ‘interesting’ over here you know, Patti… to put it nicely!
Thanks so much – so far things seem to be hanging together (fingers crossed)…
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Excellent shot!!! You’ve created a time tunnel! It looks like one! 😀
I had a lot of fun with these, Cristina…
there were so many different effects / looks with that set-up!
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Excellent work. Just Smokin’. 😀
Many thanks, sir!
Water?
🙂
Another thing to add to my list of photos to take.. excellent work with this, it turned out awesomely!
Oh, man… I know you would get some incredible results with this, Nigel… and I think you’d have a lot of fun with it, too!
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eery, but cool. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by, weninroam!
AND for your kind comment as well!
I sincerely appreciate it!
🙂
Awesome!
Thank you, Annabelle!
🙂