Thanks all for the great comments I've been experimenting with my new speedlite and the ettl cord I bought after getting good advice about off camera flash gun options, they were took with 1 speedlite 580exII off camera using the ettl cord as the only light source, I think the camera settings were 1/200 and F18, the speedlite was set to the side just off the edge of the view.
the Incense gives a straight smoke stream so turbulance was done with a slight blow down a straw from a distance so said straw not in shot
and also the mess is just me being me the top image was made using the image here, no crop just resized and minor sharpening to compensate for the downsizing
this next image is what I'm going to be working on when I get back home at the weekend and on a better system than this laptop, on the left just down from center there seams to be a dragons head complete with wiskers, also what seams to be it's body, theres no lens dust those white specs are sparks being thrown by the match and picked up by the flash and high shutter speed , theres tons of them and faster spark streaks throughout the smoke which will take a lot of work to get rid of
Awesome shots and effects. Unfortunately I can only see the first two pieces. But I do see the man jumping, I also see a horse, goat, jumping spider and a frog. No LSD required.
Darren