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Four Methods:Enhancing the Smoke TrailColorizing Your SmokeGetting a NegativeMirroring Your Smoke

If you are just starting smoke photography, you are probably seeing lots of really cool shapes and patterns. You can add to them in post processing to really catch people's attention.

  • Screenshots and effects were done in Photoshop CC.
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Steps

  1. Example of a rotten background setup
    1
    Shoot the image in the best possible light and with a very dark background. This will lessen the cleanup that you will have to do.
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  2. 2
    Shoot in RAW, if possible. It isn't required, but it certainly can help in processing it.
  3. Original nondescript image.jpg
    3
    Open your image in your software of choice.
  4. Adjusting the image to bring out the smoke.jpg
    4
    If shot in RAW, process the image in your chosen editor. The software here is Camera RAW.
  5. 5
    Adjust your file as needed. Some of the steps that you may need to take are:
    • Adjusting the white point. This will help bring out the white of the smoke if it is hard to see.
    • Possibly bringing down the exposure
    • Try adding to the contrast
    • Adjust (increase) the black point
    • Experiment with the temperature and tint, as well.
  6. 6
    Crop your image the way you want it. That will reduce the cleanup that you have to do.
  7. 7
    Zoom in closer to your image and use a clone tool, or whichever tool you prefer, to get rid of the spots that you will see.
    • To get an idea about how much cleanup you have to do, select the Selection wand, with a tolerance of about 20 or so, and click on the black. You will quickly see where the errant spots are.
      Select to find spots.png
  8. 8
    Look closely. Depending on your mood or the day, you may see different things. Some things that you can do are invert its color, mirror it, etc.

Method 1 of 4: Enhancing the Smoke Trail

  1. 1
    Open your image in Photoshop. Photoshop CC is what is shown in the screenshots.
  2. 2
    Go to Windows >> Channels. This will bring up the Channels options and you will see the RGB, Red, Yellow, and Blue channels.
  3. 3
    Click the one that contains the smoke information with the most detail. The green channel in this image. Alternatively, you can press ^ Ctrl+4.
  4. 4
    Click on the dotted line at the bottom of the dialog. This will load the channel as a selection.
    Load channel as selection.png
  5. 5
    Fill the selection with white.
    • Go to Layers >> New Fill Layer >> Solid Color...
    • Select Luminosity for the Mode and the Opacity at 100%.
    • In the RGB options, but 255 in each box.
      255 is white.png
      . Select OK.
  6. 6
    Add a transparent layer (^ Ctrl+N).
  7. 7
    Select the Paint brush with black as the foreground color.
  8. 8
    On the transparent layer, color out wherever you see something that you want to get rid of.
  9. 9
    Create a new flattened layer by pressing down ^ Ctrl+⎇ Alt+⇧ Shift+E.
  10. Adjustments Invert.png
    10
    Make sure that new layer is selected and select Image >> Adjustments >> Invert. This will invert your image's colors.
    • Alternatively, use ^ Ctrl+I.
  11. 11
    Darken your midtones.
    • Adjustment layer added.png
      Add a curves adjustment layer.
    • Choose the blending mode for the new layer to Luminosity.
    • Curves adjustment.png
      Click in the middle of the curves line and drag it straight out a small amount.

Method 2 of 4: Colorizing Your Smoke

  1. 1
    Create a new layer.
  2. 2
    Create or choose a gradient.
  3. Gradient applied.png
    3
    In the new transparent layer, apply the gradient. Make sure that you like its appearance.
  4. Colorized smoke 2.jpg
    4
    Set the layer mode to Color.


Method 3 of 4: Getting a Negative

  1. 1
    Be sure that the image is as clean as you can get it.
  2. Smoke shape 2 Inverted.jpg
    2
    Press ^ Ctrl+I to invert the layer. Now you will have everything in its exact opposite color.

Method 4 of 4: Mirroring Your Smoke

  1. 1
    Have your basically processed image. Expand the canvas to twice the size of your smoke image. Or more, depending on your end purpose.
  2. 2
    Make a selection of the smoke and invert it. (^ Ctrl+⇧ Shift+I)
  3. 3
    Duplicate the layer and flip it so that it is 'reflected'.
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Tips

  • Be sure that your room is draft free. You will be able to tell because the smoke will not go up, but everywhere else.
  • Periodically, air out your 'studio'. It can become overwhelming and after a while, with too much smoke, they all start to blend together.
  • Use GOBOs to restrict your light if needed.
  • Take the size of your incense into consideration. The bigger the smoke source, the bigger the designs that will result. If you use an incense cone, you really have more control over where the smoke rises. With an incense stick, that will change as it burns.


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