Oak Rum - product photography

[Foodguy]

Yes, but remember, angle of incidence = angle of reflection. Just keep in mind that they are reflecting in the glass surface, that'll guide you as to placement. When I shoot bottles like this, I use cards that are roughly 11X14 or so, stood vertically and generally in close proximity. At times, I've bent the cards to form a semi-circle...it depends on the specifics. For an image that is going to be silo'd (cut out) it doesn't matter. For an image that's going to be shown in a particular squared up format, you get them as close as you can.

Remember, all the cards are doing is *reflecting* in the glass surface.

[tewlman]

how's this look on black?

[IMG]
pure blue by steve_southerland, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Foodguy]

Like a charcoal gray liquid in a bottle. Imo, missing the clarity and sparkle that's generally associated with Vodka and other clear liquids. There's a reason that the iconic vodka shot is done on white.

In the absence of that, it would benefit from some kind of light treatment on the darker background to give the bottle and the liquid inside some life...a burst, a streak, the addition of a gel...the addition of light.


You might also consider removing the back label if it's paper (if it's painted, don't bother trying as it won't come off)

[tewlman]

I tried a blue gel and didn't like what I saw. Agreed it would look better without the back label! This image is what motivated me to make the black work: http://www.psfk.com/2009/10/absolut-...-campaign.html

[Foodguy]

Then if you're up for experimenting, go black, not gray. Bolder, with a strip light on either side to rim the bottle in a white highlight. An overhead bank light with 2 small strips of white on either side of the bottle is another way to get there, depending on what you have available.

One of the best ways to do this kind of shot is to deconstruct one that you like...reverse engineer an existing sample like the one that you linked, using a critical eye.

Don't get me wrong, you've done a competent job of photographing the bottle, I'd simply prefer a bolder statement than the gray achieves imo. Also on your linked example, the absence of any soft fill card highlights which would distract from the overall image.They've essentially created a black and white image. Yours would be even more dramatic with the blue label. Could be post production, but imagine your bottle done in the higher contrast like the sample with the blue label having a streak of light across. Those kinds of things elevate the image from a simple rendering to something more 'photographic'.

[tewlman]

I wish I had some strip lights but don't. I used white cards down each side on the above photo and it is a black background but blown out I guess from having to crank up the backlight enough to get a proper exposure on the front side. I know what I want just getting there is the hard part.

[Foodguy]

Pull the bottle further forward on the sweep? Bank light overhead with a gobo shielding the background? That'll allow the black to go black(er). Silver strip on either side? (Aluminum foil taped to a card, if you're careful not to wrinkle it) catching some top light could potentially work.
Also, don't overlook post production. Relatively straightforward to add a white highlight along the edge and/or to layer blend a well (interesting) lit label with a well lit (interesting) bottle.

Best of luck, you're well on your way-

[tewlman]

thanks for all the input, thats what makes this forum great.

[Foodguy]

I'm just throwing out ideas...arm chair art-directing. It's difficult as I don't know what tools you have to work with and obviously for a shot like this, that makes a big difference.

FWIW, I think the biggest part of any studio assignment is to have the shot in your head before you even mount the camera then it becomes a matter of execution...step by step.If you can see it, the rest becomes easy.

As I said, I think you're well on your way and you could stop where you are but as you said earlier, you have a shot in mind. Now it's just a matter of getting there.

[Harleypugs]

Check this guy out. Lots to learn here:

http://www.akelstudio.com/blog/

[Foodguy]

Originally Posted by Harleypugs

Check this guy out. Lots to learn here:

http://www.akelstudio.com/blog/

Good primer. The lighting is more video-centric than still life but it's a good place for ideas.

[tewlman]

wow...very good site. thanks for the post.

[Harleypugs]

Foodguy....

That was just a video that the blogger was sharing.

Look more around the site and you will see more than just a primer.....he shoots water splashes, glass, and other things. All still.

Pretty cool site.

[Foodguy]

I realized that Harleyplugs, but as it related to the Grolsch shoot and the lighting on the bottle, I believe that was for the series of videos they produced. Seems that they did this as an exercise more than anything else?

And while it was fine for a general lighting that served for a variety of video themes, my point was that it wasn't necessarily how you'd want to light the bottle for a still shoot where you take the time to study an image in more depth than the 3" it's on the screen with motion.

All in all, any information is helpful. I was just pointing out that the 'lighting' in the Grolsch production wasn't anything special. In fact, I was excited at first to see that they were using a card behind which I'd advocated here previously, was just a bit disappointed with what they'd done with it!

[tewlman]

after looking around on the site Harleypugs linked, I came up with the following shot. I need to try again when it's darker in the house, too many reflected images in the bottle!


[IMG]
oak rum by steve_southerland, on Flickr[/IMG]