Create an atmosphere

A little artificial fog can change the whole mood of a portrait – discover how to use it creatively to give your images a distinctly nostalgic feel

We’ve all seen those steam-filled railway platforms in black-and-white movies from the ’50s, and how atmospheric they can be. Even at a rock concert, the appearance of artificial fog (dry ice) creates a moody atmosphere, and it’s no different in the stills photography world.

By adding some artificial fog – we used a can of Atmosphere Aerosol – you can turn plain environments into dramatic stages, with shafts of light illuminating the areas around a model. All you need is a willing participant, a window with some direct light and harsh shadows, and the fog to fill it with. This technique works best indoors with no air movement, but if the air is relatively calm outside and you have the ability to generate a lot of artificial fog, you could get your shoes on and head into the open air.

We took our model, Esme, to the Avon Valley Railway in Bitton, UK, for our photoshoot. As you can see, those vintage railway carriages made the perfect location for a bit of simulated steam! So, grab your camera, your artificial fog and model, and we’ll explore what you need to do.