Where many people immediately think of applications for product photography, model photography or miniature photography in a studio when they think of a smoke machine, I see a whole range of other creative possibilities. Think of nature photography, urbex shoots or even model photography outdoors (as long as the weather cooperates). With this smoke machine you can capture sunlight and create beautiful light effects, such as magical rays of light shining through the smoke. These kinds of details add something special to a photo and give it a unique, almost fairytale-like atmosphere.

Fotograferen met een rookmachine

I am always looking for ways to make photos that are just a little bit different from what you see every day. That is exactly what you can achieve with the Ulanzi fog machine.

For me it feels like the possibilities with this smoke machine are endless. There is so much to experiment and discover! I like to work with the LED tublights from Ulanzi like the VL110 to light my photos. They create atmosphere and give your photos in combination with the smoke/mist that little bit extra.

The great thing about the FM01 smoke machine from Ulanzi is that you don't necessarily need an expensive camera to take beautiful pictures. It works just as well with a smartphone. It's all about how you use the device and what you want to create with it. By cleverly combining the smoke with the right light, you can achieve a very special effect with few resources, which will give you beautiful pictures. All pictures in this blog were taken with a smartphone!

1. The bubble technique

Fogmachine bubbel bellen

To make a nice smoke bubble, you need a liquid that is a bit firmer than standard bubble solution. For this, make a mixture of water, dish soap and glycerine (glycerine makes the bubble firm enough to hold the smoke).

Recipe for the smoke bubble fluid:

  1. Mix 1 part glycerin with 3 parts water
  2. Add a small dash of dish soap.
  3. Stir the mixture gently so that no foam forms.

The Ulanzi FM01 mini smoke machine comes with an elongated and flexible attachment that is perfect for making smoke bubbles:

  1. Very slowly dip the attachment into the liquid mix you just made. Make sure the tube is well covered with the liquid, but without any drips hanging from it.
  2. Set the smoke machine to a low setting so that it does not blow too forcefully. This helps to form the bubble slowly and in a controlled manner.
  3. Work slowly and carefully and begin by blowing the bubble gently, making sure it sticks to the tube.
  4. Once the bubble is full of smoke, slowly raise the smoke machine. Then make a quick shaking motion to dislodge the bubble.

The smoke bubble will now fall down, and once it hits the ground or bursts, it will create a beautiful visual effect with the smoke or mist spreading out. The result is a unique, smoke-filled bubble that creates a mysterious and eye-catching effect, perfect for photos or videos!

If you leave the bell hanging on the tube and wait a moment, you will notice that there is a little less smoke in the bell. At that moment, the mist in the bell starts to turn and swirl a little. It gives a super cool effect, as if something is moving inside the bell. When the smoke is swirling nicely, you can choose to slowly shake the bell loose, so that it falls down. When it then splashes on the ground, you get that beautiful cloud of smoke that spreads and completes the picture.

With some patience and practice, you can create beautiful smoke-filled bubbles that will give a unique and mysterious effect to your photos or videos.

Video bubble(bubble) technique

2. The pouring technique

Foto_schenktechniek_rookmachine

Want to let smoke flow over an object for a mysterious effect?

  1. Grab a glass and your smoke machine
  2. Slowly fill the glass with smoke by inserting the smoke machine attachment and blowing the smoke on a low setting
  3. When the glass is full, the smoke will remain in it as mist. It looks like a little bit of fog in your glass. Pretty cool to see!
  4. Once the glass is properly filled, carefully hold it at an angle above your object.
  5. Pour the smoke out slowly, as if you were pouring a liquid over the object. The smoke flows out slowly, falling around your object
    and spreads around it like a soft mist or fog.

You can play around with it by rotating the glass or pouring it in different places, so the smoke spreads exactly the way you want it.

When you place the glass down and fill it with extra smoke, the smoke will flow over the edge in a beautiful way, as if the glass is overflowing. The smoke then slowly flows out like a misty waterfall that slides down the glass. The effect? ​​A mystical layer of mist that envelops the object and creates a magical atmosphere - perfect for a unique photo or video.

Video pouring technique

3. Outdoor use

Ulanzi fog machine paddenstoel rook foto

Using a smoke machine outdoors is quite a challenge. Especially because you are dependent on the weather conditions. A small gust of wind can cause the smoke to blow in all directions. Something to keep in mind if you decide to use the smoke machine outdoors.

On a sunny autumn day with a slight breeze I took the plunge and went outside to photograph mushrooms. I wanted to create a nice, misty effect by letting smoke hang around the mushrooms. To achieve this, I held the smoke machine as low to the ground as possible and kept a little distance. The wind that was blowing ensured that the smoke glided smoothly along the mushroom, just as I had hoped. It took some patience, but in the end it worked and I got the misty effect I was looking for. The smoke gave the photos an atmospheric, almost fairytale-like feeling that perfectly matched that beautiful autumn day.

Are you excited and do you want to try photographing with a smoke machine yourself? Check out the Ulanzi FM01 and other accessories I work with below.

In addition, I will be giving free demos with the portable smoke machine from Ulanzi during the Lowland Photo Festival in Bornem on December 7 and 8. Come by the Movidis stand for a look. Admission is completely free!

Used accessories

  • Ulanzi FILMOG Ace Fog Machine FM01 - portable smoke machine

    €138,95
    €138,95
    Ulanzi FILMOG Ace Fog Machine FM01 - Draagbare mini rookmachine - Rookmachine

  • Ulanzi Fluid for FM01 FILMOG Ace Smoke Machine

    €19,95
    €19,95
    Ulanzi Vloeistof voor FM01 FILMOG Ace rookmachine -

  • Ulanzi VL110 RGB Video Tube Light

    €59,95
    €59,95
    Ulanzi VL110 RGB Video Tube Light - Desktoplampen

  • MOJOGEAR Swift Photo Tripod 175cm with monopod and phone holder

    €64,95
    €64,95
    €79,95
    MOJOGEAR Swift Fotostatief 175cm met monopod voor Camera en Smartphone - Grote statieven
    -25%

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