Rob Tarbell's Spectacular Smoke Circus

Rob Tarbell's unique ability to control smoke to create these striking images is amazing. He had to find a way to control the smoke while also letting it flow on its own. This balancing act of controlling the smoke while letting it act parallels a circus ring show. Tarbell describes his work, "The trainer must recognize and respect the innate nature of an animal when trying to modify its behavior to achieve a desired outcome. e.g. training a bear to dance or training a horse to walk upright. The same is true in working with smoke. The inherent properties of smoke must be respected, then permitted to - and yet discouraged from - acting naturally." The results are stunning illustrations of this delicate balance. Tarbell has found a wonderful way of reinterpreting this natural form to create something extraordinary.