5 Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
The new and biggest thing are smoke bombs on your engagement session or at your wedding. I have used these things countless times and they truly bring beautiful color to any scenery. Although they bring color and pop to any boring location, there are some tricks to using them and even where to use them. I am going to walk you through 5 tips for using smoke bombs and even the best place to buy them! Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
1. Choosing the right location!
Many places will not allow smoke bombs so finding the right location is important. Some places don’t have it on their website, so you will either have to call or dig deep and try to find if they will allow you to use smoke bombs at their location. I suggest going to an empty beach, an open field or even a private residence if you want to use them on your engagement session. Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
If you plan on using them at your wedding, you would have to clear it with the venue. They don’t harm the environment and as long as you hold them away from you or the smoke isn’t directly aimed at you, your beautiful dress and stylish tuxedo won’t get ruined.
2. You’ll need at least 4!
These things are defective sometimes and don’t always ignite. I have had the string break off when I went to light them. I’ve had them run out quickly and I couldn’t capture all the images I wanted. Sometimes I chose the wrong color for the area and had to switch it to make them stand out better. Buying multiples of the same color are best so that you can get multiple tries out of them. Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
3. Purchasing them from the right vendor!
I have been using these things for a while now and it took a while to find the right vendor to buy them from without breaking the bank. Enola Gaye Smoke Bombs are definitely the best ones you can buy and they’re fairly inexpensive. You can find them on their website for about $10 a piece, however they charge a $100 shipping fee if you’re under a certain amount. Peacock Smoke Bombs are also very good and I use those the most. They have fast shipping and aren’t as expensive as Enola Gayes are.
Peacock Smoke Bombs are about $10 also but there is a significantly less shipping cost under a certain amount. They usually ship in about 1-2 weeks, so make sure you order them in plenty of time. Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
4. 30 vs. 90
They make several types of smoke bombs and they are determined by either seconds or amount of vents. The two most popular ones are the 30-second single vent smoke bombs or the 90-second single vent smoke bombs. I prefer to use the 90-second ones because it allows for the smoke to really take full effect and for more picture time. You would use the 30-second ones to put inside a pumpkin or a box to create some sort of effect with that object. Very rarely do I buy the smaller 30-second ones, but they do make them.
There are also double-vent smoke bombs & multicolored smoke bombs. Enola Gaye also makes large ones that let out a TON of smoke called the EG-18’s which can be over powering for wedding and engagement photography, but if you want all that smoke and color, go for it.
5. Color Matters
I know it may not seem like it, but color truly does matter when it comes to these smoke bombs. The best colors to use are purple, teal & black and the worst colors to use are yellow and green. Red, blue, white and orange are great if you want subtly. Sometimes blue can really stand out but yellow gets ugly and the green blends in with most backdrops. Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
The darker the color the more prominent the smoke bombs become in the images. Most places you will look have the teal and black ones sold out, but if you’re a photographer reading this, get them when they are in stock and keep a stock pile of them.
These can really make a huge difference in your engagement photos and your wedding portraits. It brings so much life to them and can really make them pop! Tips for Using Smoke Bombs
