Monthly Assignment #1: Bottles

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Comments

  • Wildisme02Wildisme02 Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
    edited March 25, 2010
    Nikolai wrote:
    Welcome! clap.gif
    While I applaud your desire to become better in shooting galss objects, I must honestly say that you seem to be underequipped for task ne_nau.gif . 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! thumb.gif


    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.
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited August 17, 2010
    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.

    1 standing on a plastic shoebox
    973735819_StsKv-L.jpg

    2 on black cloth
    969923638_BTMKd-M.jpg

    3 on red poster board
    973736081_yKeis-L.jpg

    4 on a piece of plexiglass
    973737750_x5RbW-L.jpg

    5 on black fabric
    973737911_X3XZw-L.jpg


    Thanks, Chris
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    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! clap.gif
    Definitely a solid attempt in the correct direction. thumb.gif
    Just watch for those pesky details, such as stray reflections on the black bottles.. deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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.

    973608333_WayXb-XL.jpg
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    4 on a piece of plexiglass
    973737750_x5RbW-L.jpg

    Really like this one but would like it better if you cropped the white line off the left.
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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.

    Dave- I just noticed that white line. It's a cropping mistake that I didn't catch.

    chris
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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.
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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.

    Good luck!

    chris
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2010
    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.
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    Dave,

    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
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    dlscott56 wrote: »
    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! thumb.gif
    I agree that adding some light for the top could help. 15524779-Ti.gif
    I'm also not sure about the whole green-on-pink concept, I think green-on-green would make it more ad-worthy..headscratch.gif
    Nikolai
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    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.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    Dave,

    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.
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    Nikolai wrote: »
    Nice image, Dave! thumb.gif
    I agree that adding some light for the top could help. 15524779-Ti.gif
    I'm also not sure about the whole green-on-pink concept, I think green-on-green would make it more ad-worthy..headscratch.gif
    Nikolai
    Thanks Nikolai. Yep, the color does look a little weird.
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