Lumendipity Photography Blog

Happy New Year, happy new decade

2009-12-30T20:13:00.006-05:00

Thank you all for your interest, work, collaboration and support this year.. I wish you all the very best for the new year, and the new decennium!

click on the image to see a larger version (and again for even larger).
Yes, the 2010 is in smoke as well...

New Smoke Photography - gift ideas?

2009-11-23T23:08:00.006-05:00

I have updated my smoke photography gallery, and have also split it up in two: 'smoke' and 'smoke and mirrors'. Images in the latter gallery are symmetric due to the mirroring of the original picture upon itself.

All of the smoke images can be purchased and delivered to your address. Metallic paper works really well for the smoke pictures, but I can now also offer acrylic prints and canvas prints, or even on metal. Could be just the right gift for the upcoming holidays. I will soon upload some pictures of each of the print types.

Here are some of my new works.. while quite different from each other, there's a common thread (almost literally).. to me both look like underwater somehow.. one quite abastract, the other representing a couple in which the female is probably a mermaid.. though that's just my interpretation, feel free to see other things in it!

I have uploaded some more new work and they are (for about 30 days) marked with the 'new' label in the galleries. Feel free to leave me some feedback, or contact me for more information on how to buy one of the smoke pictures.

Just a bit over a week till Aqua Art Miami now - come visit booth 41 from December 3rd to 6th and see some of my work in person!

More on Aqua Art Miami

2009-11-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

As you can see on the screenshot, we're featured on the AquaArt Miami website now, under AleatoricArt

My smoke pictures will be shown in the AleatoricArt booth (41) among art of Martin Waugh, J Coleman-Miller, Ray Cabarga, Ted Lincoln, Allan Rodewald, Volborth/Miller, Reed Ghazala, Howard Pugh and professor Alex Volborth, who passsed away on October 30th; the show will have a retrospective of some of his art.

Take some time to have a look at these sites and be amazed. Also check out the other AleatoricArt artists, whose work will be displayed on 2 large flatscreens as well in booth 41.

Smoke Photography on Aqua Art Miami

2009-11-04T13:25:00.003-05:00

The location for the exhibition changed from the Marlin Hotel to Aqua Art Miami 2009 - Booth 41 !

If you're going to Art Basel Miami 2009 from December 3rd to 6th, don't forget to drop by Aqua Art Miami for a great exhibition of Aleatoric Art The Movement of Aleatoric Modern Artists is doing its first group show to introduce the movement and its artists to the public and the art world. Among the works of about 10 artists you will also be able to see (and buy) my smoke photography.
With over 60,000 art lovers visiting Art Basel Miami, this is a great opportunity for a lot of people to discover our work.. and my smoke art! If you're near Miami, make sure to come by, and tell everyone you know !

If you want to have a sneak preview of the artists and some of their work, take a look at our catalog (if you wish to purchase a copy of this book, let me know)

Smoke picture selected for cover of Aleatoric Art catalog

2009-06-01T23:17:00.004-04:00

The Movement of Aleatoric Modern Artists (MAMA) has created a catalog to represent some of the work of its members. My work 'Boy and his new Balloon' was selected for the cover of the publication.

Inside the catalog each page has a work and some text, and next to Boy and his new Balloon, this is the text, written by Ray Cabarga:

A patient stalker of moments

The law of averages dictates that even amidst confusion and chaos, there is an equal change that perfection and harmony prevail- if only for a fleeting instant.

Imagine if your perception was so acute that you could divide every thought in your mind an infinite number of times and observe the process of thinking itself. You might discover, with every thought, one instant where you were a genius and another in which you were insane. And what if you could see every possibility in every moment and had the time to choose the right one.

Stoffel De Roover's smoke art photography transcends time and space to effectively capture the intangible and allow us to appreciate what otherwise would have been lost forever in an endless procession of moments in transition. He will stake out a billow of smoke and, with laser precision, ambush the ephemeral gauze at the precise moment when it unwittingly does his bidding.

You can see the online copy of the catalog here

Featured in Smashing Magazine's "50 Incredible Photography Techniques and Tutorials"

2009-04-24T09:07:00.002-04:00

Smashing Magazine has published an overview of 50 incredible photography techniques and tutorials in which many great articles are linked.

Number 7 is "Smoke Art Photography" and along with some other interesting articles it mentions my name and links to the recent interview that was published on Digital Photography School. It also links to the Make blog which links to lumendipity.com, and the picture used you should recognize from my portfolio..

Widespread Panic t-shirt with 'Gemini' smoke picture

2009-04-07T13:51:00.005-04:00

I finally got to taking a picture of the t-shirts Widespread Panic did for their tour, with my Gemini smoke picture on it. The text reads "Her dance needs no body"

If you're interesting in buying this t-shirt, you can go to their merchandise website.
Or if you want another t-shirt design with one of my smoke pictures, let me know.

Smoke Photography - How to : Interview published

2009-03-19T13:28:00.002-04:00

Digital Photography School interviewed me about how to get started with smoke photography..

It starts: Here at DPS we are always on the look out for photographic techniques that are pushing the boundaries of the medium. This week I’m excited to highlight Stoffel De Roover as he gives us a window into the amazing world of “Smoke Art Photography”

Read the rest of the article here

Thanks to Chas Elliott, who did the interview.

Smoke art - Homage to Magritte

2009-03-18T19:59:00.006-04:00

For those of you who don't know Rene Magritte, he was a famous Belgian surrealist painter (1898-1967) with his most known works showing illusions, things that are not what they seem. The bowler hat should look familiar, and also the picture of the pipe with the inscription 'Ceci n'est pas une pipe' (This is not a pipe), referring to the fact that is not a pipe, just a depiction of a pipe.

Working on a smoke picture of my last batch, I noticed something that reminded me of Magritte's typical bowler hat, and even a suit, seeing the potential of a picture that could look like the work 'Son of Man' or even more like the work in the background on Magritte's portrait by photographer Lothar Wolleh, so I decided to develop it and make it a homage to Magritte..

In the picture on the left, I give you a glimpse behind the scenes, how this picture came to being, from a single photo of smoke, with a crop, mirror effect and some editing into the idea of a man in a suit and a bowler hat.

I hope you like it, and maybe take the time to look into Magritte's work, and also photographer Lothar Wolleh.

Casgrain website launched

2009-02-08T16:36:00.003-05:00

Casgrain has launched its website, the photography on the site is by me.

For more, have a look in my gallery or have a look at their website.

Happy New Year!!

2008-12-31T13:06:00.002-05:00

Here's the latest work of the year!
Best wishes to all of you!

Smokin' Q no longer

2008-12-15T23:08:00.001-05:00

For a bit less than a year, 12 of my works had been hanging in the Smokin' Q, a BBQ restaurant on 63rd Street in NYC. Unfortunately the restaurant is closing its doors, so you're only chance to see the works in that restaurant now is on the pictures below..

If you know of a new place to exhibit these works in New York, let me know.

Featured on Aleatoric Art website - MAMA: Movement of Aleatoric Modern Artists

2008-12-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

Since the beginning of this week I am featured on www.aleatoricart.com with my smoke photography as one of the so far 12 artists. The site and the man behind it, artist J. Coleman Miller, will promote Aleatoric Art to the art community starting from early 2009, and the site is being geared up to offer some visibility on our work.

Some of the text:

Take a deep breath of pure creativity as you venture into the smoky corners of the uniquely creative mind of Stoffel De Roover. Do not pass up this great opportunity to see one of the most basic elements of natural aleatoric composition rendered like you have never seen before. This artist proves that nobody does fractals like mother nature!
There are a lot of artists blowing smoke out there, but De Roover's level of abstraction, using little manipulation and employing creative use of titles, elevates his work to the realm of fine art.

and on the Artist Page:

The talented man at left is, at this point in time, floating in a creative
haze... One look at this artist's beautiful abstract prints will definitely put
you under the influence of his unique imagination.

In 2007, Stoffel was taken by surprise by a simple wisp of smoke he had
just photographed... There in the fog was the outline of a woman, the
first breathtaking image (and the catalyst) of the resulting onslaught of his
superbly crafted series of aleatoric artwork.

Addicted to his newfound palette of ever changing and never ending
content, the artist lit up the incense and snapped away, as nature herself
composed with a free hand. A true aleatoric artist never knows what his
next piece will be, and with subject matter ranging from beautiful
goddesses to scary creatures, this series is an incredible collection of
chance art that must be seen!

De Roover was born in Leuven, Belgium, where he began his studies. He
moved around, first to the Netherlands, then to the United States and on
to France where he lived for about 7 years, earning his MSc, before moving
with his wife and two children to Montreal in 2006, where he now resides.

Since he unveiled his Smoke Photography in 2007, De Roover's work has
been featured in SNAP Magazine, UK, a NYC restaurant, on Southern Rock
band Widespread Panic's T-shirts, and on LifeInTheFastLane.com, where
we at AleatoricArt found him. Learn more about this smokin' hot artist at
his website and blog by clicking HERE.

check out the Aleatoric Art website yourself!

Widespread Panic - my smoke photography for band's T

2008-06-01T20:49:00.006-04:00

'Gemini' touring soon...

The southern rock / jam band Widespread Panic (sold over 3 million CD's) has purchased a license to print my smoke picture 'Gemini' on their t-shirts, to be sold on tour and probably on their website as well... From what I heard the picture will only be printed in women's t-shirts, so no luck for the guys.
More information soon, and a picture of the t-shirt as soon as it's ready!

more information on Widespread Panic: band's website and wikipedia

Ganesha - the Elephant-Headed God

2008-05-07T22:11:00.001-04:00

As hinduism is one of the first religions to make use of insence to worship their gods, it shouldn't come as a surprise that in one of my latest smoke pictures I saw Ganesha, the elephant headed god, in a lotus position..
Then again, maybe you see something else? Maybe a one-seater couch with a heart as the back or pillow?

Mayan dancers...

2008-02-21T23:15:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I took some pictures at a corporate event. As dinner started, a group performed some ritual Mayan (?) dance involving fire.. The dance and the performers were great to look at, even with one eye closed and the other looking through the viewfinder.. here are some of the pictures...

Photo Retouching Services

2008-02-12T23:06:00.000-05:00

I now also offer retouching services.. so if you're a photographer needing a hand with some pictures, a model who wants to look better on some pictures (with permission of photographer), or someone who needs a hand in making those 'nice pictures' into 'great pictures', I can help!
Have a look at some retouching examples here...

Photographer: Satu Photography / Model: Samantha Green (MM 96497)

Facebook Group

2008-02-10T15:35:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have facebook, and like my photography... now is a good time to Join my Facebook Group

Smoke Photography Exhibition coming up...

2008-01-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

A selection of 12 works of my smoke photography will be exhibited in a new, smokin' hot restaurant in Manhattan. The pictures, ranging from 10x15 inches to 20x30 inches in size, matted and framed, will be for sale on location.
The restaurant will open soon, more details to follow!

Photo Session with Monica Costa

2008-01-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

Before the holidays, on a cold day, I did a photo session with Monica, downtown Montreal at the same location as one shoots mentioned below. The end result, was a nice frame with 4 pictures from the shoot under the christmas tree for her boyfriend..
Here are some of the pictures (not necessarily the ones that were selected for the frame)

2007-12-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for 2008!

Smoke photography in the news...

2007-10-08T12:52:00.000-04:00

Today some of my pictures were featured in the London edition of the Metro newspaper.. I was told the quality of the pictures was better in the paper than on the PDF I received..

if you want to have a better look at the pictures, check out the smoke photography gallery

Two weeks ago, there was a more extensive article about my photography on Life in the Fast Lane, you can read it here.

Hearts in Montreal..

2007-10-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

Some time ago I did a photoshoot with some clear guidelines from the client as to what the end result should look like.. location, type of picture, colours.. here are two of the final pictures...

If you need some pictures and you have something specific in mind, don't hesitate to contact me and we can discuss it!!

Space may be the final frontier...

2007-09-11T00:13:00.000-04:00

...but it's made in a Hollywood basement - Red Hot Chili Peppers

This was made in my basement.. maybe not Hollywood, but close enough, no? I took this picture when I had set up my gear for some smoke photography and before I lit the incense I tested with some different substances and this was one of the results..

Smoke Art Movie Characters

2007-08-29T00:12:00.000-04:00

After the Schwarzenegger image a while back, some more movie characters in smoke.. at least that's what I saw in these smoke pictures.. let me know what you think:

Nikopol from "Immortel (Ad Vitam)" (see info & picture of movie here)

Gizmo from the Gremlins:

You can reply on me to spot the stars in smokey environments...

for more smoke pictures, have a look at the gallery and smoke photography gallery.