a spa shoot with steam

[angela_morris2]

I have to shoot a spa, and the company wants to capture the steam.

Does anyone have any advice on the best way to shoot the steam. They

are telling me i don't need a steam machine, but what should i do to

keep my lens from fogging up, lighting, etc. thanks,

[keith_bogle]

Perhaps dry ice in buckets of water. Hope it works out for you.

[lex_jenkins]

Dry ice or a smoke machine. You can rent the latter from a theatrical supply dealer.

 

It won't look exactly like steam but it'll be close enough and you won't have to deal with condensation on everything.

 

Caution: Unlike smoke machines, dry ice makes me cough uncontrollably and while it isn't particularly hazardous and the effects don't last, it's irritating. So you might try before you buy, if possible. Dry ice breaks down into carbon dioxide gas which isn't considered toxic but it can displace oxygen in a confined environment. Don't use it in a small, tightly enclosed space.

 

Smoke machines vary in how they work. Some burn ordinary cooking oil. These types are occasionally used in small model train kits. While it isn't particularly dangerous enough of the smoke in a small space might leave a residue on your equipment.

 

Another type works on the interaction between chemicals. While I've seen 'em in classrooms, workshops and other places I'm not familiar with how they work so ask lots of questions if you consider this type.

[deletemenow]

If you want to use the actual steam, a quick blast from a hair dryer on your lens should do the trick.

 

Lighting steam sounds fun (to this non-professional). I guess the issue is to avoid the steam stealing light from the tub

 

Maybe shoot with and without steam so you can blend later and get the amount you want.

[mendonphoto]

Doesn't dry ice steam settle rather than rise? That wouldn't look very natural.

[angela_morris2]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I feel more confident going in with options. do you have any lighting recommendations because i may need to rent something? thanks!

[jmf]

Here's my take. 100%RH aka steam and nearly anything photography based (thats not meant to go underwater) is a bad idea. The top of the line pro cams may be suitably sealed, but your strobes/continuous lighting is probably not. Be carefull of stage "smoke" machines since some of them will create oil vapor which has it's own dangers, particularly in a wet location. There are some that use their own non-oil based "juice" which is supposed to be residue free. There are different mixes for ground hugging and rising fog/smoke. Check DJ and theatrical supply houses and see what you can rent. It's probably a two person gig with you and somebody blowing smoke in the right direction.

 

There's also Tengrove Studios that produces a lot of tabletop/food/product special effect items.

[rickvandenberg]

Steam will only condense onto a surface sufficiently cooler than the surrounding air (research "dew point"). Steve's suggestion about the hair dryer would work fine, as would a small fan blowing across the camera or lighting equipment.

 

Letting your equipment acclimatize to the spa's temperature will do wonders for you. Pack it all in plastic bags and wait till everything reaches equilibrium. Then either take the bags off and shoot, or put a new clean (clear) bag over the camera and go at it if you're really worried.

 

Actually, if you can safely warm your equipment to a few degrees above the spa's air temperature, then you'll have no condensation whatsoever.

 

Condensation is what will kill your equipment. Prevent that and you're fine.

 

Pay attention to the steam/water location vs your camera location. The air temperature & humidity right above the water will be a lot higher than even just a few feet away.

[garry edwards]

As this is the Lighting forum and the question is about how to shoot it, the answer is to backlight it. That applies whether you use real steam, dry ice or cigarette smoke.

 

Hope that helps

[tom_musselman]

Angela, will you be shooting near a hot tub, or any water? If there is water, pay very close attention to safety issues. Use sandbags on your light stands and pay attention to your cables.

[brooks short]

As Garry said, you'll need to backlight the "steam" with a fairly hard source such as a grid spot.

 

And use a smoke machine rather than try to make real steam. I've used smoke machines to create varied effects ranging from steam behind coffee cups and plates of food to billowing smoke simulating burning wallboard and creating a hazy atmosphere to show beams of light. You won't harm your cameras or lenses and the smoke isn't flammable.