Smoke bombs or you can also say smoke grenades, are entertaining photographic props. They are also fun to use and result in striking photographs. They are inexpensive and colorful, and mostly the subject being photographed holds them to get a magnificent result. But there are other ways; you can also place these grenades in a secure area to provide vivid backgrounds and foregrounds or use a prop.
You can advance your abilities by including these bombs in your pictures. While exploring surreal photography, you will experiment with various colors. And your skills at capturing natural moments will improve. Whatever type of photography you prefer, you’ll appreciate using these inventive small gadgets.
In this article, you will find creative ways to use smoke bombs to make your photographs stand out.
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1. Use Them Against Neutral Walls
Using a smoking bomb can accentuate your photos when you are having an outdoor shoot. It is especially useful when photographing outdoors in a bland environment with plain-colored walls or backgrounds. When you use them against neutral walls, the photo becomes much more visually interesting by the different colors of the smoke bomb. This will make the plain-colored walls stand out. The production value greatly increases as you add a smoggy effect to the photo.
2. Add Motion
Colored smoke grenades are excellent for emphasizing motion. Once the smoke begins to take on interesting patterns, instruct the subject to move the hand holding the bomb very slowly. Adding motion creates a dramatic effect, and the amount of smog produced can be controlled by movement speed. Whatever your creativity permits you to accomplish, you can add clouds to the front or back of the subject.
You can also ask the subject/model to move the bombs in circles or loops. You can also instruct them to walk cautiously. The reason is that the smoke will leave trails when they travel slowly. This will give the picture a feeling of motion. Additionally, as the model is enveloped in smoke while carrying the bomb, the atmosphere is further enhanced by the sense of mystery.
Another intriguing view can be generated using a smoke-filled background; you can use the smoke as a backdrop. You can set off numerous bombs, perhaps in various colors if you’re feeling inventive, to give the impression that there is a wall of smoke behind the subject. This will create a beautiful smog-filled universe.
3. Add Colors
To create additional visual appeal in your photographs, you can utilize color matching, complementary, or contrasting ways. Smoke bombs come in different colors, any color you can think of, be it red, orange, yellow, etc. So, you can take advantage and use contrasting colors for your subjects. It is one of the simplest and most effective methods to integrate bombs for picture shoots. Using Lightroom’s color adjustments to boost the colors’ vibrancy and intensity will help to amplify this impact.
4. Use Props
Could you make your photographs more magical? You do not have to do much; use the best smoke bomb and various commonplace items and experiment with them. You can try anything you can think of, be it a vase, suitcase, lamp, hat, etc. Ask your subject to insert the bomb carefully into the pop.
The idea is to make it appear like the smoke is coming from the object. The final photograph will appear mystical and fantastical. But remember that these bombs might leave a bright stain, so avoid using items that are difficult to clean or have sentimental importance to you. Also, you have several photoshop tools that you can use to edit out the part that came differently than you wanted.
5. Add Lighting/Flash
Lighting can make your image stand out; however, it depends on how you use it. Play around with contrasts between light and dark to get visually appealing photographs. For instance, you can set up a shot with a strong light flash and then take a picture of it as smoke fills the frame. You can use the studio lights to make the smoke light up.
Smoke and flash go well together because you get some really interesting looks and effects. It will significantly improve the color and adds flair to the photograph. This is best for opaque bombs. Even if your smoke is partially transparent, you can still use it to make beautiful light streaks. However, as the smoke lights up and casts a brilliant halo behind the subject, you should avoid using flashes in that position.
6. Change the shutter speed
You can use smoke bombs in different creative ways; however, one thing that can have a significant impact on the final result is the shutter speed. Since the smog travels out of the canister and is carried by air currents, it produces a dramatic effect. Most of these photos are taken with a shutter speed that is very, very fast. As a result, it stops the smoke’s mobility and produces clear puffiness and billows.
But, when you are experimenting with creative ways, you can do the opposite. Instead of a fast shutter speed, you can go for a slower one. A slower shutter speed would cover the smoke, and it will result in a wispy appearance. You do have to practice a bit to learn to regulate the trails correctly.
Conclusion
Summing up, you can achieve vivid landscape and portrait photographs by including smoke bombs. The use of smoke can produce enthralling effects, a fascinating backdrop, or an additional atmosphere. However, it is also important to consider the safety elements too. Have a secure location to store smoke bombs after you have used them, such as a metal container or a bucket. It is so because they can keep heating up even after they stop producing smoke. So, it is time to add a splash of color to your upcoming picture shoot!
