As a photographer you know that smoke and fog can add a dramatic or even cinematic element to any photo but did you know there are numerous ways to add smoke or fog to your photos? In this article I will break down the various ways you can add smoke to your photography to get a more cinematic vibe. Most importantly keep in mind you should always have water and a mini fire extinguisher close by when using smoke. Safety is number one and never leave a trace. If you use a smoke grenade outside make sure to let it cool off and take it with you to throw away. Also keep in mind smoke pointed directly at the ground can stain the ground. All the photos in this article were taken by me. If this article was useful make sure to connect with me on Instagram HERE and find more free resources for photography HERE 1. Smoke Grenades What you need: Smoke Grenades from Enola Gaye® Advantages: User friendly, thick smoke, multiple colors to choose from, no power required. Disadvantages: Strong odor, can stain the ground and clothing, gets expensive, outdoors only. Why save the best for last when I can start with the best? Smoke grenades are my favorite on the list because they don’t require power, have multiple color options and outputs of smoke to choose from. You can get a short small burst of smoke or a long thick steady stream of smoke. They do however spark at first so you do have to be careful where you use these and always have some water around just in case. I wouldn’t use one in a dry field. Also if you’re buying a lot of them it can get expensive but as far as smoke grenades go there is no better brand, infact Enola Gaye® is offering a 15% discount if you use my coupon at checkout! How cool is that!? Just use the coupon KICKASS15 at checkout. 2. Fog Machine What you need: Fog Machine, Fog Fluid, Generator for outdoor use. Advantages: User friendly, safe, thick smoke, no strong unpleasant odor, doesn't stain, inexpensive. Disadvantages: Needs power, only comes in one color. I love using a fog machine because it produces lots of thick smoke for an extended period of time however the biggest drawback is when using it outside where you don’t have a power source to plug it into you will need a mobile generator, something light weight enough to carry and yet powerful enough to power the fog machine. The fog machine itself and fog fluid aren’t that expensive but if you need a generator that will run you a couple hundred bucks. 3. Dry Ice What you need: Dry Ice & Water Advantages: User friendly, no power required, can be used indoors and outdoors with water. Disadvantages: Won't work without water, stays low to the ground, hard to store. Dry ice is really fun to shoot with for a really cool creepy effect as it stays low to the ground unlike a fog machine or smoke grenade as you can see below. However most people can’t just store dry ice so you need to buy it not only the day of the shoot but right before because a block of dry ice will dissipate within a few hours unless stored in the right container. Nobody is going to carry around a massive container of water so in order to use it outdoors you will need a puddle of water or low creek. Dry ice can burn your hands so always wear gloves when handling it. The only places I have found who sell dry ice are Fred Meyer and a few Baskin Robbins but not all of them. 4. Atmosphere Aerosol What you need: A can of Atmosphere Aerosol Advantages: Safe, user friendly, no power required, can be used indoors and outdoors, no odor, mobile. Disadvantages: Gets expensive, low volume of smoke Atmosphere Aerosol is my got to for toy photography and will linger in the air for minutes and creates a dreamy effect if you have some nice sunlight coming in from a window. Back lighting is required though to see haze or fog. Position and amount of light will determine the look of the fog or haze. I dig this stuff, it's easy to carry with you, non toxic, and a bottle of spray will last you a while. Pro tip: Use a light wand to add a pop of color to the smoke. 5. Smoke Cakes What you need: Smoke Cakes and Lighter. Advantages: No power required, easy to take on the go, small, cheap. Disadvantages: Low volume of smoke, fire hazard, not the best quality. Smoke cakes will be your cheapest option but also the most unreliable. They don’t put out the most smoke and don’t last long but if you’re on a budget these can work. They aren’t super easy to control so a little practice goes along way. I do like the multiple color options though. 6. Propane Insect Fogger What you need: a Propane Insect Fogger Advantages: No power required, cheap, mobile, decent volume of smoke. Disadvantages: Gas powered, depending on brand can be noisy. Insect foggers are a great mobile alternative to fog machines. They are powered by butane gas cans which you can easily find at any supermarket. I shouldn’t have to say this but I will, make sure you use fog liquid not pesticide. Also where the smoke comes out of gets very hot so be careful when handling the fogger. 7. Photoshop What you need: Adobe Photoshop or another photo editing app Advantages: Complete control of how the smoke will look, nothing to cary or burn. Disadvantages: Takes skill and alot of time to add in post. Can’t get your hands on anything mentioned above? Well you’re still in luck because there’s always Photoshop. Photoshop is a great alternative if you can’t get real smoke, it just takes some time and skill. My favorite thing to do is combine the two, so I use the smoke during the shoot and add a little bit in Photoshop if I need to in Post. It’s not as hard as you think, all you really need is a good photo of smoke on a black background to overlay your image with. Freepik has many. If you need help I will show you how in the video below.
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With all of us stuck at home practicing social distancing there is no better time than now to improve our skills as photographers and get inspired. In this article I will share some of my favorite free resources I use to improve my skills not only as a photographer but as a business owner. In this article I recommend videos, podcasts, books, websites and more. All free resources to help you improve your photography and business and maybe even get inspired. Videos Let's start with the best. My favorite photographer/videographer has to be Peter McKinnon and considering he has 4.5 million subscribers on youtube it's safe to say I'm not the only one. His videos are not only informative but funny and entertaining, plus his videos are full of movie quality cinematography. He's just that good. I follow him for inspiration and general knowledge on portraits, landscape, product photography, and video. Evan Ranft is another great photographer with great video tutorials. I follow him for inspiration and general knowledge on Portraits and Street Photography. He's one of my favorite street photographers out of Atlanta, GA. His color grading is top notch and has a cinematic Neo-noir feeling to his work Sorelle Amore is the Queen of self portraits. Her outgoing bubbly personality, amazing accent, beautiful locations, and skills in front and behind the camera always make for a great video. Sorelle is a must follow for photographers and models alike. Because she only takes photos of her self she has great insight on posing as well as photography. She's also constantly traveling to beautiful places so add her channel to your list of location scouting tools. These next 2 guys I follow for 3 reasons. Portraits, Travel, and Cars. Chris Hau and Alen Palander have some of the best portrait photography, car photography, and travel photography you will find. These 2 guys are extremely talented and offer free advice on their channels as well as stunning video. Get inspired by these 2. Sean Tucker is a legendary street photographer. Sean offers great information on his youtube channel on street photography, editing, and portraits. You wont want to miss his content. Now this one is more of a marketing expert not so much photography. That being said everything I've learned about social media marketing I've learned from Gary Vaynerchuk. If you haven't heard of him you must be living under a rock because everyone I know follows him for marketing advice and day to day inspiration. I love his "I don't give a fuck what you think" attitude. Podcasts The Beginner Photography Podcast is a free weekly podcast hosted by wedding photographer Raymond Hatfield who interviews professional photographers of all genres who share what they wish they knew when they got started so you can grow your photography skills faster! I don't shoot weddings often but still take something away from every episode. Don't let the name fool you, this is no podcast just for beginners. Even seasoned photographers can gain insight from this podcast. Level-up your photography with the Master Photography Podcast. No matter your needs or experience level, one of their shows on their network is going to feed your passion for photography and help you to master your craft. So much great information on their multiple shows. Six Figure Photography is hosted by the award winning international wedding photographer Ben Hartley. Abundance comes from understanding your own self-worth and providing value to everyone you encounter. Six Figure Photography exists to inspire, empower & challenge photographers towards creating a life of abundance not just in profits, but in creativity and relationships. Ben does this through his weekly podcast, online training, and hands-on workshops. I've listened to almost everyone of his podcasts and learned something new with every episode. Jenna Martin, from Billings, Montana hosts the podcast Creative Chaos. This podcast is perfect for the oddballs and misfits of the world trying to turn their creative passions into legitimate careers. They discuss everything about creative professions; both the artistic side AND the business side. You'll learn how to produce your very best work on a consistent basis, how to grow your social media following, how to create passive income streams, and how to streamline you're dream business. Also checkout their DD ("Deep Dive") episodes where their guests go far more in-depth into various artistic careers. I listen to this one for marketing and daily inspiration not photography although the tips and tactics I learned from this podcast has improved my photography business. On his global top 100 iTunes podcast The GaryVee Audio Experience, you’ll hear episodes of Garys favorite series called the #AskGaryVee Show, a mix of his best highlights from his DAILYVEE documentary video series, keynote speeches on marketing and business, interviews, fireside chats, and any of his new and current thoughts that he records specifically for this audio experience! Books Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss $14.88 - Tactics, Routines, & Habits from Billionaires This book contains the tools, tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers you won’t find anywhere else. What makes the book different from most is a relentless focus on actionable details. This is reflected in the questions. For example: What do these people do in the first sixty minutes of each morning? What do their workout routines look like, and why? What books have they gifted most to other people? What are the biggest wastes of time for novices in their field? What supplements do they take on a daily basis? You get the idea. What most photographers don't understand is that you can learn life and business altering tactics from world-class performers in a range of industries outside our own. #AskGaryVee by Gary Vaynerchuk $14.95 - Social Media Tactics Look, if you're a photographer trying to make money with photography you need this book. End of story. I own all of Gary Vees books and they are all great but this one has the most applicable information for you to consume and use right away. 95% of my clients come from Facebook and Instagram (without adds) and that's because I use the information I learned in this book to slay the social media game. #AskGaryVee features the most useful and interesting questions Gary has addressed on his popular Youtube channel. Gary presents practical, timely, and timeless advice on marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and everything else you've been afraid to ask but are dying to know. Gary gives you the insights and information you need on everything from effectively using Twitter to launching a small business, hiring superstars to creating a personal brand, launching products effectively to staying healthy-and even buying wine. Buy this book, then buy his others. For more book recommendations checkout my article 9 Books Every photographer needs to be more successful. Of course books aren't free but you can find these at the library to rent for free :) 15 Free Lightroom Presets Are you struggling to find a way to edit your photographs with a professional touch? Are you having a difficult time choosing between Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to edit your photographs? In order to make it easier, PhotoWhoa is giving you various options to enhance your photographs. There is no need to choose between the two as they offer creative and professional presets for Lightroom and various actions for Photoshop. These presets are compatible with both Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop and are used by many photographers across the globe as they help to make the workflow easy while ensuring that the editing process is enjoyable as well. They are an excellent tool used by not only professional photographers but also amateur ones. In these, Lightroom presets offered by BeArt-Presets, various photo editing tools have been combined to create high-quality pictures. When it comes to adjusting the tone of photographs along with setting the appropriate exposure of a picture. These offer various combinations of editing features to create high-quality photographs that have a professional touch. Free (Royalty free) Images on Unsplash Unsplash is a platform powered by an amazing community that has gifted hundreds of thousands of their own photos to fuel creativity around the world. So sign up for free, or don’t. Either way, you’ve got access to over a million photos under the Unsplash license—which makes them free to do-whatever-you-want with. This site is great because the photos are so much better quality than boring standard stock photos. And they are all free to use however you like! :) Build a Free Website with Weebly When I built my first website I had no money so I did it for free with Weebly. With Weebly you get access to customizable webpage designs and useful tools to build your website and grow your photography business. Easily build a free website to help you get discovered and grow your customer base in style. It's never been easier to start your own website with no knowledge of webdesign. This is a great way to start that blog you've been talking about. Free Photoshop Alternative Gimp is a free, open-source alternative to Photoshop that's been around for many years, GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. Today it's available in versions for Linux, Windows and Mac. GIMP offers a wide toolset, similar to Photoshop in many ways, and is a great option if you're looking for a no-cost image editor. The interface differs somewhat from Photoshop, but a version of GIMP is available that mimics Adobe's look and feel, making it easier to migrate over if you're ditching Photoshop. The full suite of tools is everything you're accustomed to, including painting tools, colour correction, cloning, selection, and enhancement. The team that oversees development has worked hard to ensure compatibility too, so you'll be able to work with all the popular file formats without any trouble at all. You'll also find a very capable file manager built in, along similar lines to Adobe's Bridge. Overall, this is a great option whether you've either got a limited budget, or want to move away from Photoshop for other reasons. Free Overlays & PNGS with DeviantArt DeviantArt is the world's largest online social community for artists and art enthusiasts, allowing people to connect through the creation and sharing of art. This site is great for any digital artists who use Photoshop alot. Need an object with a transparent background or an overlay of smoke, fire, magic, rain, snow, etc? You can find it all on DeviantArt for free.
The point is, we’ve never lived in a time where we have so many free resources at our fingertips to help us elevate our skills and business. I hope these resources helped and if you have anything to add please do so in the comments below. |
Author Lance Reis
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