Pace, Inc., the soldering gurus, tell you to not use a traditional iron as it asymmetrically stresses the component and board and can cause failures later as the part remains under stress after each side cools independently of the other. I say, for hobby purposes, whatever works, works.
I've had success with paste and an Ungar heat gun with its accessory baffle that directs the air in a 3/16" stream. In fact, I use the Ungar heat gun to depopulate SMD boards for parts. Just be sure to harvest more delicate items such as LEDs, transistors, diodes, electrolytic caps and ICs first. The ceramic caps and resistors can wait until last.
If you don't have solder paste, you can always tin the board pads and the ends of the component first, lay it down and reflow the solder using the heat gun. If a part wants to wander, use an awl to hold it in place.
Dean