Tabletop photography - Wine glasses

[Manfred M]

Playing around with a single light (from above), a couple of cheap wine glasses and some food colouring. The background and the tabletop were covered with pieces of white foam core.

[JBW]

I like the shot. However, even recognizing that I have an obsession about such things still and all I would have lined the wine glasses up symmetrically.

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, I would control the loose reds in the stem and reflected around the glass.

[Manfred M]

Brian & John - thanks for your views.

I was primarily using the shots to try out some ideas for a work area in another part of the house, as well as to explore some concepts I picked up at a table top photography workshop I had attended recently.

My primary aim was to use the rather imperfect wine glass in front as a lens to show the glass behind it. The only real criterion I used in the setup was to have the front glass's stem to hide the stem of the glass behind it. The more or less convex shape of the front glass would reduce the size of the glass behind it and I effectively got the effect I was after. The little bit of red refracting through the green stem was an unexpected bonus.

Next step will be to use water in the front glass as well, to enhance the optical properties of the front glass.

I hope to try that tonight or tomorrow, as I'm about to head out all morning for a model shoot.

[Wavelength]

Nice; would it be better with a black background?

[Manfred M]

Nice; would it be better with a black background?

I tried that but the colours do not come through, so I switched to a white background.

[Wavelength]

Believe me, in spite of its partial disappearance into darkness, i like this very much; the darkness matches the subject too

[MillennialDusk]

For your purpose, I can see why you chose the white background... But I agree with Nandakumar that I prefer the dark background. It adds a sense of mystery to the shot, and requires a bit more inspection to identify what exactly is happening in the shot.

[Geoff F]

Yes, I tend to agree that the dark scene has a nice subtly about it.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Manfred,

With the dark set up, the next thing I would try would be to very directionally light just the rear glass and contents.

I might try with a torch from one or both sides, being careful not to allow light spill onto the bg or front glass. Or even light from below (through card with hole in).

Easier said than done, I know, I tried this decades ago with B&W film. With digital (instant viewing of results) and LED lamps and torches, it has to be easier.

Cheers, Dave

PS Spammer removed, thanks to the reporter.
I now see this a very old post!

[Manfred M]

Hi Manfred,

With the dark set up, the next thing I would try would be to very directionally light just the rear glass and contents.

I might try with a torch from one or both sides, being careful not to allow light spill onto the bg or front glass. Or even light from below (through card with hole in).

Easier said than done, I know, I tried this decades ago with B&W film. With digital (instant viewing of results) and LED lamps and torches, it has to be easier.

Cheers, Dave

PS Spammer removed, thanks to the reporter.
I now see this a very old post!

That was one of my very first ventures in photographing glass, Dave. I feel that I have mastered that genre since then.

Something from this week's work...