Creator of the Week: Fog Machine on Family Shoots with Shane Brown

For our Creator of the Week spotlight, we interview Shane Brown, a photographer who specializes in family photography. Brown's work encapsulates the fleeting nature of childhood and family, blending warmth and mystery to create timeless portraits. He shares his insights on the inspiration behind his recent shoot, the effective use of PMI's portable fog machine to enhance the atmosphere, and his playful approach to working with kids. Read about Shane's artistic vision and discover tips for capturing the magic of childhood through the lens.

The idea and inspiration for this image was to convey how magical, beautiful, and mysterious childhood is, but also fleeting at the same time. It’s the never-ending pursuit of youth, and the eternal question…where does time go? I wanted to create something warm and soft, at the same time, mysterious, timeless, and dreamy. The combination of the backlight with warm gels and my fog machine SmokeNINJA gave me the dreamy atmosphere I was after. I placed the machine behind my subject and used the remote to fill the background with the dry ice effect. I find the heavier haze effect hovers around a bit longer and creates these magical swirling effects that I love.

The SmokeNINJA is perfect for creating the dreamy atmosphere that is perfect for timeless portraits. Whether it’s a mysterious element you are after, such as fog to peer through, or perhaps a ray of light shining on the subject, it’s the perfect tool. I love being able to add layers and depth to my background as well, it can really transform a backdrop!

My best advice for working with kids and the SmokeNINJA is patience, laughter, and experimentation. The creative options are limitless. I pulled more pranks the first week I had it than taking pictures! When it came time for the first shoot though, I knew exactly what the fog machine was capable of, and it did not disappoint!

Just a reminder to continue the search for adventure, listen to your imagination, and always let your light lead the way.

Shane Brown is a photographer living in Lakewood Colorado. He specializes in family photography in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. He strives to create heirloom pieces of art for his family. His muses are his three children, and he loves photographing them in his studio. A quote from his favorite photographer, Annie Leibovitz, “A thing you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”