Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
How to Make Smoke Curls
Hang a dark backdrop material, such as a solid black sheet or dark blue butcher paper, from a wall. Against the dark backdrop, the smoke curls will appear more pronounced.
Position a small table in front of the backdrop and cover it with a piece of the backdrop material. Place a stick of incense in the holder and light the end of it with your lighter.
Place your light source, such as a gooseneck desk lamp or adjustable studio lamp on the ground next to the table. Aim the lamp so that the light illuminates the smoke curls. Turn off all other lights in the room for best results.
Set your camera to a high ISO, such as 800 or 1600. This makes the camera's digital sensor more sensitive to light, allowing for better results in dim conditions. Turn the command dial to aperture priority ("Av") mode to control the size of your lens opening. Use an aperture of f/2, f/2.8 or f/4 to allow enough light for proper exposure.
Look through the viewfinder and compose your image. Depress the shutter button to take the picture.
How to Create a Fog Effect
Fill a bucket halfway with hot water. Position the bucket several feet from your backdrop or model. Place a bag of dry ice next to the bucket.
Don thick work gloves to protect your hands from the dry ice. Using tongs, place several pieces of dry ice into the bucket. White smoke will begin to billow out of the bucket.
Position a small fan, turned to its lowest setting, behind the bucket to blow the smoke gently toward your scene or subject. For a still, atmospheric fog effect, do not use a fan.
Add fresh pieces of ice to the bucket every few minutes, or when the smoke begins to dissipate.