Shutter Bombs Featured on PBS NewsHour
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Last updated
The PBS NewsHour Segment
PBS NewsHour put Shutter Bombs on national television. The segment — "Can pyrotechnic gender reveals be stopped?" — examined how gender reveal parties escalated from cakes and balloons into explosive stunts, including a 2017 Arizona reveal that used an exploding rifle target and ignited the Sawmill Fire, burning roughly 47,000 acres. As part of that story, NewsHour showed colored smoke grenades like ours: the reveal effect people actually want, without the pyrotechnics that keep making headlines.
For a small company, being held up as the responsible option in a national news story is the kind of endorsement you can't buy. The takeaway from the segment matches what we tell every customer: you don't need an explosion to get the photo. You need dense, vivid smoke and about a minute of burn time.
Why Colored Smoke Instead of Pyrotechnics
The reveals that end up on the news involve fireworks, exploding targets, or improvised devices — things designed to detonate. Colored smoke grenades work differently. Our Enola Gaye-manufactured cans use a non-toxic, cool-burn formula: pull the wire ring and the can emits smoke, with no open flame and no bang. They're not fireworks, and that distinction is exactly why they kept their place in the conversation when pyrotechnic reveals came under fire.
Every can we sell is CE Approved and ATF Compliant, so no license is needed to buy or use them in most states. The smoke rinses out of most fabrics and skin with soap and water, and unused cans store for 10+ years kept cool and dry — buy for the reveal, keep the spares for the maternity shoot.
Pro insight
"Cool-burning" describes the formula, not the can. The metal body still gets hot during and after the burn — hold it by the base or set it on bare dirt, gravel, or pavement, never in dry grass.
Planning a Colored Smoke Reveal
If the segment sent you here while planning your own reveal, start with the complete gender reveal guide, then pick your hardware. The dedicated Gender Reveal WP40 burns about 90 seconds in pink or blue and ships with discreet labels, so whoever knows the result can hand you the can without spoiling it. For a smaller moment — or multiple reveal cans for grandparents to pull — the Gender Reveal EG25 Micro 3-pack gives you three discreetly labeled ~25-second cans.
| Need | Product | Burn |
|---|---|---|
| Pink/blue reveal, long burn | Gender Reveal WP40 | ~90s |
| Discreet micro reveal (3 cans) | Gender Reveal EG25 3-Pack | ~25s each |
| Default photography pick | WP40-D Wire Pull | ~60s |
| Team / bulk bursts | EG25 10-Pack | ~25s each |
Beyond reveals, the same cans power portrait sessions, weddings, sports celebrations, and car shoots — browse the gender reveal collection and the photography collection, or work through everything reveal-related in the gender reveal hub.
Safety and Responsible Use
The whole point of the PBS story is that reveals go wrong when people improvise with explosives. Colored smoke removes the explosion, but it still demands respect: use it outdoors (or in large, ventilated spaces with venue approval), away from dry grass, brush, and structures, with a water source or extinguisher nearby and the wind at your back. Buyers must be 18+.
Safety
Pull the wire ring firmly to the side — never straight up. If a can doesn't ignite, set it on a non-flammable surface, wait at least 60 seconds, and never re-pull or open it. Soak misfires in water for 48 hours before disposal.
Rules vary by city and state, and national parks generally prohibit smoke devices. Before you buy, skim the legal overview and the state legality and hazmat shipping page, then read the full safety guide before your first pull.
Where to Buy
Order directly at shutterbombs.com for Enola Gaye inventory shipped from our Nevada warehouse. Smoke grenades travel as certified hazmat by ground (FedEx/UPS) to the contiguous US excluding Massachusetts — no air shipping, no PO boxes. Orders of $225+ ship free, and most orders placed before 2:00 PM CST ship same day. New to colored smoke? The 2026 buying guide and FAQ hub answer most first-order questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch the PBS NewsHour segment featuring Shutter Bombs?
The segment, "Can pyrotechnic gender reveals be stopped?", is embedded at the top of this article. It covers the rise of explosive gender reveal stunts and shows colored smoke grenades — including ours — as the safer alternative.
What smoke bomb should I buy for a gender reveal?
The Gender Reveal WP40 is the purpose-built pick: roughly 90 seconds of pink or blue smoke with discreet labels so the color stays secret until the pull. For multiple smaller bursts, the Gender Reveal EG25 Micro 3-pack gives you three ~25-second cans.
Are colored smoke grenades the same as fireworks?
No. They use a cool-burn formula that emits smoke only — no open flame and no explosion. Shutter Bombs cans are CE Approved and ATF Compliant, so no license is needed to buy or use them in most states. The can body still gets hot during the burn, so hold it by the base and keep it away from dry vegetation.
Are smoke grenades legal everywhere?
Rules vary by city and state, and national parks generally prohibit smoke devices. Check our legal guide and local fire restrictions before buying, and note we ship ground-only to the contiguous US excluding Massachusetts.
Ready for a Reveal That Stays Off the News?
Do the reveal PBS pointed to — dense pink or blue smoke, no pyrotechnics, photos that hold up for decades.
Shop Gender Reveal Smoke Browse the Gender Reveal Collection