Welcome!
While I applaud your desire to become better in shooting galss objects, I must honestly say that you seem to be underequipped for task . It is not feasible to attemt to produce a nice image of a glass subject without having at least some control over the environment: flags, gobos, lightsources.
Hardly recommended: get Da Book (Light: Science and Magic), start reading and start collecting some props. They don't have to be expensive, in many cases a trip to the local OfficeMax and $10..$20 for a set of white and black poster boards should do the trick. Lack of strobes can be compensated by the household lights, but in that case you should be ready for long exposures = solid tripod.
Good luck!
Well, I do have some black poster board and some White laminate boards about 24" x 24". Only I have never messed with lighting effects.
Just starting glass
I just started learning how to shoot glass this week. Here are a few of my first tries. I know that this thread is pretty old, but if anyone is still out there, I'd like to hear your critiques and suggestions for improving....especially the bright field versions.
I didn't shoot my set up, but will try to recreate them soon.
Basically for bright field I have a 5200K lamp inside of a soft box. For dark field, I have a 24" light box (fluorescent) standing upright with 22" of black posterboard background. There's about 1"strip of light from the lightbox on each side.
I just started learning how to shoot glass this week. Here are a few of my first tries. I know that this thread is pretty old, but if anyone is still out there, I'd like to hear your critiques and suggestions for improving....especially the bright field versions.
I didn't shoot my set up, but will try to recreate them soon.
Basically for bright field I have a 5200K lamp inside of a soft box. For dark field, I have a 24" light box (fluorescent) standing upright with 22" of black posterboard background. There's about 1"strip of light from the lightbox on each side.
1 standing on a plastic shoebox
2 on black cloth
3 on red poster board
4 on a piece of plexiglass
5 on black fabric
Thanks, Chris
Chris,
nice set!
Definitely a solid attempt in the correct direction.
Just watch for those pesky details, such as stray reflections on the black bottles..
New attempt
Shooting glass again lately. Shot into a 15" x 15" strobe softbox with some snooted fill for the label, flagged to remove reflections on the glass. Black foam core boards used on the sides to get some edge definition. Probably should have added a light for the top front of the bottle. Comments appreciated.
Dave- I agree with your own assessment that your bottle could use some light at the top front. I think that might give a greater sense of depth. Right now, the bottle seems a bit flat.
How wide is the white background behind yor bottle and how big are the black sides? I think this is where I've been falling short.
Dave- I agree with your own assessment that your bottle could use some light at the top front. I think that might give a greater sense of depth. Right now, the bottle seems a bit flat.
How wide is the white background behind yor bottle and how big are the black sides? I think this is where I've been falling short.
Chris
White background is just out of frame on both top and bottom. Black foam core is same height as softbox. I've been trying to follow bright field lighting technique outlined in the Light: Science and Magic book. Excelent source of information by the way.
Dave, I've been reading the same book. Great info. I just bought some new foam core, foam sheets, poster board and fabric. I'll try bringing the black pieces closer to the edge of the frame. That may help me get better definition of the edges.
I just started learning how to shoot glass this week. Here are a few of my first tries. I know that this thread is pretty old, but if anyone is still out there, I'd like to hear your critiques and suggestions for improving....especially the bright field versions.
Thanks, Chris
Chris, #1 is really nice. #2 would be great with the background lighting diffused a bit more to avoid the blown out area in the center. If you haven't already read through this thread I'd highly suggest it.
I'm reading and re-reading. Each time I do a session, I go back and read the book and the intro threads. Of course, I pick up a little nuance each time.
Shooting glass again lately. Shot into a 15" x 15" strobe softbox with some snooted fill for the label, flagged to remove reflections on the glass. Black foam core boards used on the sides to get some edge definition. Probably should have added a light for the top front of the bottle. Comments appreciated.
Nice image, Dave!
I agree that adding some light for the top could help.
I'm also not sure about the whole green-on-pink concept, I think green-on-green would make it more ad-worthy..
Nikolai
Nik- thanks for the encouragement. specific somments on what to improve andhow to do it? I could especially use some help with the bright field.
chris
Since those are clearly "experiments" with no particular goal to achieve it's hard to deliver complete C&C.
On a purely technical side:
too much top negative space on the first one
already mentions stray reflections on black bottles
the white left border on the flower (Dave already mentioned it)
the stray light on the black bg on the right of the last image
the blown out area on #2
How to fix those: a general answer is "watch for it" and compensate with light positions, modifiers, gobos, etc. The more you practice, you more you will become aware of the "standard foes" and how to avoid them tight off the bat. But it does take time and numerous attempts the see what you're getting and comparing it to what you want.
I'm reading and re-reading. Each time I do a session, I go back and read the book and the intro threads. Of course, I pick up a little nuance each time.
Thanks
I can relate. My copy sits on the shelf for a while then gets picked up and re-read from time to time. Too much info to digest and remember all at once.
Nice image, Dave!
I agree that adding some light for the top could help.
I'm also not sure about the whole green-on-pink concept, I think green-on-green would make it more ad-worthy..
Nikolai
Thanks Nikolai. Yep, the color does look a little weird.
Comments
Well, I do have some black poster board and some White laminate boards about 24" x 24". Only I have never messed with lighting effects.
I just started learning how to shoot glass this week. Here are a few of my first tries. I know that this thread is pretty old, but if anyone is still out there, I'd like to hear your critiques and suggestions for improving....especially the bright field versions.
I didn't shoot my set up, but will try to recreate them soon.
Basically for bright field I have a 5200K lamp inside of a soft box. For dark field, I have a 24" light box (fluorescent) standing upright with 22" of black posterboard background. There's about 1"strip of light from the lightbox on each side.
1 standing on a plastic shoebox
2 on black cloth
3 on red poster board
4 on a piece of plexiglass
5 on black fabric
Thanks, Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
Chris,
nice set!
Definitely a solid attempt in the correct direction.
Just watch for those pesky details, such as stray reflections on the black bottles..
Shooting glass again lately. Shot into a 15" x 15" strobe softbox with some snooted fill for the label, flagged to remove reflections on the glass. Black foam core boards used on the sides to get some edge definition. Probably should have added a light for the top front of the bottle. Comments appreciated.
My Photos
My Facebook
Really like this one but would like it better if you cropped the white line off the left.
My Photos
My Facebook
Dave- I just noticed that white line. It's a cropping mistake that I didn't catch.
chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
How wide is the white background behind yor bottle and how big are the black sides? I think this is where I've been falling short.
Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
My Photos
My Facebook
Good luck!
chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
Chris, #1 is really nice. #2 would be great with the background lighting diffused a bit more to avoid the blown out area in the center. If you haven't already read through this thread I'd highly suggest it.
My Photos
My Facebook
I'm reading and re-reading. Each time I do a session, I go back and read the book and the intro threads. Of course, I pick up a little nuance each time.
Thanks
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
I agree that adding some light for the top could help.
I'm also not sure about the whole green-on-pink concept, I think green-on-green would make it more ad-worthy..
Nikolai
Since those are clearly "experiments" with no particular goal to achieve it's hard to deliver complete C&C.
On a purely technical side:
- too much top negative space on the first one
- already mentions stray reflections on black bottles
- the white left border on the flower (Dave already mentioned it)
- the stray light on the black bg on the right of the last image
- the blown out area on #2
How to fix those: a general answer is "watch for it" and compensate with light positions, modifiers, gobos, etc. The more you practice, you more you will become aware of the "standard foes" and how to avoid them tight off the bat. But it does take time and numerous attempts the see what you're getting and comparing it to what you want.My Photos
My Facebook
My Photos
My Facebook