Smokin' by vikdaddy

Smokin'

I'm really frustrated! I was trying to do some shots of smoke this evening. I set up everything, including a black background and some incense, I turned the lights off and fired away but my flash stopped doing what it's meant to do - flash! It took a few initially, but gradually it took longer and longer for the flash to recycle. I got a few shots but none that I'm happy with, but I haven't got the time or the energy to do a different shoot as I have to get up earlier than usual tomorrow for work.

For this shot the camera was on a tripod and the flash was tilted towards the ceiling. In post-processing I removed any excess smoke and in Photoshop I created an inverse version. I then put them together to create a diptych.

I'm concerned about my flash. I think I'm simply not using it correctly or the cheap (but new) batteries I'm using aren't powerful enough. I have an event that I'm shooting tomorrow, so I'm going to get the rechargeable batteries from work and try them out. I'm also going to read up on how to use the flash and see where I'm possibly going wrong. I hope it's not faulty!

Canon EOS 450D, f/10, 1/80, ISO-100
Can feel the frustrations.... From reading the comments on your question, sounds to me like a dodgy flash...
October 21st, 2010  
Still cool though.
October 22nd, 2010  
great shot , i like the two difference .
I use 2700 MaH rechargeables , the bigger the MaH the better the power i was told , so i went with the biggest i could get my hands on. Hope thats all thats wrong with ur flash .. But yeh cheap but new batteries just dont cut it really !!
October 22nd, 2010  
this shot is really neat! :)
October 22nd, 2010  
sorry about the frustrations! it always seems to happen when you have something all thought out in your head to shoot...but, i must say, this turned out great!
October 22nd, 2010  
I really like this.
October 22nd, 2010  
SMOKIN HOT Photo..... love the B&W versions of your shot.... sooo stylishyly moody...
October 22nd, 2010  
That looks sweet with the negative/positive diptych!

Just looking at your settings - did you need that much DOF? When I helped my wife do one we set aperture at about f/4.5 I think - lets the flash work a bit less hard. Of course, you may have needed all that DOF, but it's a thought.
October 22nd, 2010  
@jinximages good call, you're probably right. i'll give it another go sometime soon.
October 22nd, 2010  
Vik still pulled off a great shot,
October 22nd, 2010  
smoking pictures seem really hard, & I really like yours ! good job !
October 22nd, 2010  
Nice. :) Love the contrast between the two.
October 24th, 2010  
i think these turned out pretty cool :)
October 24th, 2010  
These look great, i like that you did one in contrast!
October 24th, 2010  
Great pics! I love the contrast collage.
October 29th, 2010  
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