Unless you’re a master at 3D and compositing, digitally adding smoke to a photo is a lot harder than adding it practically while you’re shooting. And with these instant smoke drops, you can easily create plumes without burning your studio down.

The drops actually come in two separate bottles of unnamed chemicals that when combined produce a bonafide smoke effect—without ever having to start a fire. The smoke keeps billowing for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, and just how much is produced is dependent on how many drops, or squirts, you use.

While the instant smoke can obviously be used for adding magical effects to your photos, on a more practical level it’s perfect for creating steam coming off of food that’s supposed to be piping hot. And if you need some more inspiration to justify their $49 price tag, just check out what Amar Ramesh is doing with smoke in his shots.

Volcanoes are incredible sights on their own—but toss in a stupendous sunset, and you’ve got yourself a photo, homie. This shadow scene looks like the world turned upside-down.

What you’re seeing here is just the shadow of Mount Rainier cast up upon low clouds. No magic, no strange natural phenomenon. Just a fantastic find by photog Nick Lippert. Half apocalyptic, half idyllic.