Where There's Smoke...

moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
edited January 10, 2012 in Other Cool Shots
Got together with a few photo friends the other night to experiment with making smoke from broken light bulbs. For the first time I've tried this, I'm pretty pleased with the results, but I'm already thinking about what to do next time...

JM20120107Smoke003-XL.jpg

JM20120107Smoke005-XL.jpg

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The Moose is Loose!
http://www.moose135photography.com

Comments

  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,325 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Well, John, this looks like new territory for you. Interesting stuff. I kept looking for wings....you know, Moose stuff. Then I saw the last shot. Those have to be wings for sure.:D

    Take care,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • toragstorags Registered Users Posts: 4,615 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Wow, nice effects and captures Moose... thumb.gif
    Rags
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Wow! I can see the potential, great shots! Please explain to me how you get the light bulbs to produce smoke. clap.gifclapclap.gif
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    Thanks! You're right, Tom, this was something different for me. My buddy likes to experiment with different stuff, and I had a chance to join him.

    How did we do this? Start by carefully breaking the glass on the bulb - we found that by holding the bulb at the metal base, and crushing the glass with a pair of Channel Lock pliers just above the base works best, as you don't want to damage the filament. Make sure you take appropriate safety precautions - eye protection and gloves are a must! From there, we put it in a work light socket, clipped to a holder so it was pointing upwards. Plug the light in very briefly - just barely make contact with the plug in the outlet, just enough to get that first flash of light, then unplug it. We tried using a power strip, and quickly switching it on and off, but that actually took too long. With just that quick bit of power, you get a flash of light, and a puff of smoke off the filament. We usually got 4 or 5 shots before the filament burned out and we needed a new bulb. I had the camera on a tripod, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/250. We had a black cloth background, and Speedlite on the table to the side of the bulb to light the smoke.

    And before we got out the light bulbs, we spent a little time playing with food coloring in a fish tank...
    JM20120107Water005-XL.jpg

    JM20120107Water001-XL.jpg
    The Moose is Loose!
    http://www.moose135photography.com
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    Thanks. I'd like to give it a shot!! Sounds fun!
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • BailiejoBailiejo Registered Users Posts: 99 Big grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    Wow - I am so impressed.... definitely going to give this a try later... much later.
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