Out of the Fog

Photographing with dry ice.

An interesting, yet simple way to take an image to the next level is to add dry ice (or fog). Especially when applying it to a still life. Recently I decided to try this, and the results did not disappoint!

To achieve the look I was after I got a large, shallow tub and lined it with black plastic. I placed a smaller platform inside the tub to set my props on top of, and then carefully arranged my props.

Once my scene was set the way I liked it, I started to add water into the large tub. Something to note, is to be prepared on how to remove the water once it's been added it. This is something I didn't plan for and ended up spilling water all over the studio floor while trying to drain the tub...

After adding the water the dry ice can now be added. Surprisingly, it can be purchased at some grocery stores year round. In Spokane, Washington I found mine at a local Rosauers on the South Hill. When adding the dry ice I recommend using a hammer to break it into smaller pieces and then adding a little at a time (with gloves) to the water to see the reaction, and then going from there.

I ended up taking multiple images with different amounts of fog and compositing them together for a really foggy look. It went better than expected and I'll be trying this again in the future.d Feel free to share your dry ice images in the comments!