northy in a bottle

because i don't smoke and and it's too darned cold to run the fog machine (it requires serious amounts of ventilation)... so here's my selfie for the 5+2 challenge - this week it's "smoke"

http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/20330/5-2-for-the-love-of-selfies-smoke

for those of you wondering how this was done, this is a composite of a smoke shot (using incense) and a photo of moi... i took the photo of me and cut out just my head and layered it on top of the smoke shot... using a mask and a soft brush, i erased (that's not the right term, but not sure what is) most of me... and i also played around with the opacity to get the look i was going for...

and here are a couple of links to tutorials for doing smoke photography in case you're interested...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2d281_HoEQ&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_876797
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_jUAvuilE&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_132174


thanks for all the wonderful encouragement on yesterday's portrait shots... a skill that i really need to work on... baby steps, right?

[Dianne]

Very creative and very cool!!!! I love this! Fav!

[Katia]

Aweeeesooooome!! :) Of course a FAV!

[Steve Hollingsworth]

amazing capture .. well done

[Andreas]

Fabulous selfie. Fav

[Jantje Jonkman]

Wow this one's great! fav!

[Sara R]

That is awesome and so unexpected! Love it!

[aurorajane]

Great work

[emily tull]

Great idea

[Steve Angell]

Cool!

[Lisa Poland]

That's awesome!

[Tamzin]

Very clever!

[summerfield]

can i make a wish? can I? can i? can i?:-)

[Lois Webb]

Neat

[Sharyn's Shots シ]

Awesome execution and editing.

[~*~ Jo ~*~]

instant Fav! So creative

[lindseyingphoto]

My wish is to be as rad as you :)

[Rik]

Very nicely done

[Keith Porteous]

Very cool shot!

[Cathrine Mitchell]

You continue to amaze me on your imagination in photography.

[Jan Hall]

very well done - very mystical

[Hazel Watkins]

Amazing processing

[Leonie M]

Excellent. Fav

[Call me Joe]

Fantastic :)

[Cidjy Bossuet]

Amazing!

[Carly]

very cool, this is very well done :)

[Michelle]

So cool!

[Hope D Jennings]

That is cool and a little spooky

[Laurie]

Aw, your sons have your eyes! Love this! Great idea!

[Henrietta]

so cool - favorite!

[Maggiemae]

So clever! Getting that steam to be white like this against a black background! Its like magic! fav

[Kerri]

Cool shot

[Adam]

Pretty freakin amazing. Another great artistic expression. Fav.

[dh (delena)]

You have a fog machine?! Why? Great shot by the way.

[☠northy]

@dh tx :) as for the fog machine - for photography of course ;p

[dh (delena)]

@northy Something else to add to my list of "must haves"

[Lou]

AWESOME.

[Vijay]

I was wondering what awesomeness I would get to view ... and not disappointed .... super creative again .... Fav!!

[Vanessa]

Great capture

[Taffy]

Genie in a bottle? Very creative! Did you use PS for the smoke effect, or actual smoke? Thinking about how I might 'need' photoshop one of these days.

[☠northy]

@taffy tx! it's actual smoke :) incense, to be precise... shot with external flash off-camera... used layers in PS to put the shot of me on top of the shot of the smoke and bottle...

[myla]

Fab!

[Jeff Walker]

brilliant!

[April Milani]

I love the way you do selfies. I could maybe get into this. Maybe...Fav

[kali]

genie

[Sem]

very cool, love the smoke

[AC]

FAV... love the creativity! It makes me think of I Dream of Jeannie!

[jayn]

genie (ous). very clever, northy

[Michelle]

Oh my word!! That's incredible! How did you do that, may I ask?
Fav for sure!!

[Nicole]

Very Very cool!!

[Peter de Graaff]

A genie out of bottle

[Tracy]

Very cool! I just love this. I will have to give it a go (of course if you don't mind?) fav!

[Sue]

Didn't notice the kettle at first ... was going to say Gage really shouldn't be smoking! Great shot.

[Barrie77]

Amazing use of light and shadow. Very inventive shot!

[Kass]

You're so creative!

[☠northy]

@tracysphotos tx Tracy... And of course! Go right ahead - can't wait to see what you come up with!

[Ingrid Budge]

Wow :O !! fav

[Shepherdman's Wife]

Very creative! Love it! fave

[Sharon]

WOW! FAV!

[Kitti Nelson]

you are both gifted and inspired - and this is perfectly lovely.

[KWind]

Very cool...you're so creative!

[Penny Price]

Very clever. Love it. Fav.

[Michelle]

That is sooooo creepy... but also amazing x

[Call me Joe]

forgot to click the "F"--silly me,hA!!:)

[Rachel]

love it! fantastic shot and concept

[Anja]

Totally cool!!!

[Mike Gifford]

I dream of Northy?? Naw.....I dream of Jeannie! Excellent image for the theme!

[Tracy]

@northy Thanks Northy :)

[Robin]

Great shot.

[Lisa Pouncy]

Nicely done. Like a genie coming out of a lamp. No idea how this is done but it's very creative xx

[Suse♡]

So dreamy, love that consept and the dark fairytaleish mood

[Katie]

So, so stunning! Well done!

[Janna Dawn Goldrup]

And you were surprised that this made the PP?! It's so cool.

[Veena Gupta]

Great idea, beautifully executed!

[Kimberly Doerr]

Wonderful capture. Fave. :)

[Simply Amanda]

Wicked awesome, my friend. Fav!