A new optical method to seed a flow with elemental metal species is described and demonstrated using laser ablation. The unique ablation seeding approach is shown to generate free gas-phase metals in their atomic form, without the need for a spray or solvent. The technique can be used in both reactive and non-reactive environments, which solves a problem that has hitherto plagued the seeding of many flows. The ablative seeding approach has the potential to become a standard tool for chemical seeding, with a diverse range of application from flow tracing to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). ; P.R. Medwell, Q.N. Chan, B.B. Dally, Z.T. Alwahabi, S. Mahmoud, G.F. Metha and G.J. Nathan