If you are looking for a way to spice up your high school or graduation pictures, you might want to consider adding colored smoke. Smoke is often referred to as smoke bombs, colored smoke sticks, grenades, smoke cans and smoke fountains. They all do the same thing.
How to decide what color smoke to use
Most people when incorporating smoke into their high school graduation pictures choose the color of smoke that represents their school. For example if you went to high school whose colors were blue and white, you could purchase a few white smoke and a few blue smoke to show off your alma mater. That being said though, there is no rule that says you can not have graduation pictures with any color. If your favorite color is purple, then buy a few purple smoke bombs and have pictures taken with a purple background.
What to do with the color smoke
Smoke can be used to achieve an interesting background, add atmosphere or achieve captivating effects (such as holding a smoke stick while moving around to have a trail of smoke around them highlighting movement). Smoke sticks can be held at arm’s distance away to make the color an accessory in the picture. Smoke bombs placed on the ground or on an object behind someone can give the effect of a colored smokey background. Hint: smoke is a great way to camouflage or hide unsightly or unwanted images or backdrops.
Things to consider when using color smoke
- How long do they last?
Utah Sparkler’s smoke burns for approximately 35-55 seconds. (The sticks burn for longer, but produce a more concentrated area of smoke). All smoke takes a few sounds to build up enough smoke for a dramatic effect. Timing is a big factor when working with smoke. Photographers want to make sure the model is in position before lighting the smoke. It is recommended to plan out the shots carefully beforehand and take a few practice shots without smoke.
- Are smoke bombs safe?
Absolutely ! Our colored smoke has a wick, which will require being lit. Any type of smoke dispensing system is recommended to not placed on vehicles as it can potentially ruin the paint. Smoke can cause discoloration and staining of clothing if too close. To avoid staining, hold the smoke at a distance. Our smoke sticks are able to be held, however for people with temperature sensitives or fear, we recommend taping the stick to an object (such as a dowel rod or piece of PVC pipe) and holding that.
If shooting outside, wait for a calm day. If there is any more than a slight wind, the smoke will get blown around and dissipate quicker. Models should stand far enough from the smoke so it will not irritate eyes and nose.
- What else should I know about using smoke in photography?
At Utah Sparklers we have 9 different colors to choose from: white, black, pink, blue, orange, yellow, green, red and purple.
Priced at just $3 each, our inexpensive color smoke sticks and smoke bombs make it to where you can purchase a few sticks or balls to play around with and experiment with obtaining “the perfect pic”.
If you are looking for photography tips on using smoke for your next shoot, check out this great article .
