Four wine glasses

[Mike Buckley]

It's really amazing how perspective changes everything. One of these glasses holds far more wine than any of the other three and it's the one that I would least expect based on this photo.

[Digital]

Mike, you did an exceptional job with this photograph.



Bruce

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you, Bruce. Though the top of one of the glasses and the bottoms of all of them are not included in the photo, I can assure you that none of them are broken.

[Daisy Mae]

Lovely Mike...you have honed this down to an art.

Now which is mine and could you fill it please?

[Donald]

Lovely Mike...you have honed this down to an art.

He has indeed and there can be no finer compliment.

In terms of getting best experience of nose, I'd be choosing that tulip bowl on the left-hand side (That's they way we wine folk talk, y'know!)

[chauncey]

I assume that we're looking at four different glasses and the subjects were all in the scene at the same time...did you play with the arrangement because the rear one isn't centered with the front one.
The more I look at it...doesn't look symmetrical???

[Mike Buckley]

Sharon gets the largest one (the tallest one in the rear) because she asked first. Donald gets the one with the tulip top because that's what he wants to help appreciate the aroma of the wine. (I couldn't care less about how a glass affects the aroma of the wine because I can't smell it no matter how hard I try.)

[mknittle]

Beautiful simply beautiful the smooth lines draw me in nice work Mike! I love the way you have learned to use the light to highlight just the parts you want.

[Mike Buckley]

I assume that we're looking at four different glasses and the subjects were all in the scene at the same time

Correct. This photo was made with one release of the shutter.

the rear one isn't centered with the front one. The more I look at it...doesn't look symmetrical???

The overall image is symmetrical in the sense that the negative spaces on the left and right sides are the same dimensions. The left and right sides of the bowl in the front just barely "touch" in this two-dimensional view the outer edge of the two stems immediately behind it. Notice that that symmetrical placement also symmetrically refracts the inside edges of those stems.

The glass in the rear (the tallest glass) was placed in a position that "feels" good (not right, wrong, symmetrical or asymmetrical) to me. No matter where that glass is placed, there will be at most one relationship with the other glasses that is centered and other relationships that are not centered. That's because the light on almost all edges of that glass is being refracted by either two or four curved pieces of glass.

In summary, there is overall symmetry that includes details that are not symmetrical by design.

[Wavelength]

You are a man of wine glasses!!! which ever way you arrange, the outcome is splendid

[Loose Canon]

Mike this is my all-time fave of your’s to date Brother. And that’s after a long list of all time faves of yours.

Excellent composition, balance, flawless execution, lighting…

…its all there.

Naturally my eye hits the highlight in the front glass and wanders throughout the frame without ever leaving.

If I had to pick a nit, I might consider cloning the rear glass’s stem below the front glass’s bowl and leaving that to black. The more I look at this the more interesting the highlights look so that would have to be the only thing I would try.

Mike? Makeshift Studios rocks!

Oh, and after you have poured for everyone else I prefer mine in a more traditional manner! Brown Paper Bag!

Well done Mike.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to everyone!

Terry: I'm actually not sure of what to think of the stem of the rear glass. Most of it is refracted to the right, which implies that the lower part should be as shown here. However, I also wondered if getting rid of the lower part of the stem would be preferable but didn't try it until after I posted it. Thanks for mentioning it!

[Downrigger]

Lotsa Windex again, Mike, and a very impressive result.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Great shot! I love high contrast images like this. One of the many things I like about your glass photos is the complex play of light, shadow, reflection, etc. Interesting how they interact with one another.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you everyone, including those who I forgot to initially thank!

Matt: I hope you saw this. as it would never have happened without your fabulous suggestion.

Mark: It's actually frustrating that even using Windex doesn't get the glass completely clean. I think that's because Windex itself is a soap that leaves residue that can't be seen under normal circumstances that is abundantly evident in this lighting situation. If you saw the capture and everything on the glass that is revealed, you would surely be as shocked as I am. I really have no idea what people who shoot (shot) clear glass using a film camera did to get the glass truly clean.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Mike, thanks for pointing that thread out. I had not seen it until you did, as I haven't had much time to peruse the forums and contest areas as much as I used to. Glad to have had some small influence in the creation of your beautiful masterpiece. I also posted on that thread.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Another thought. I don't know if this has ever been suggested to you, but off the top of my head, I wonder what would happen if you put together a book, or series of books, portraying the glass photos that you do. I think it could be something really interesting, maybe a fine art coffee table type thing. You could sell it Just a thought.

edit... after posting this, it occurred to me that "coffee table" might better be replaced with "wine cellar"

[ShaneS]

Mike, nudge, nudge - website please or at least a dedicated online presence somewhere You told me I could keep on you about this so I am taking you up on that and adding to what Matt said:

put together a book, or series of books, portraying the glass photos that you do

Another great shot, I also agree with the comments of others regarding the central stem of the back glass.

[Mike Buckley]

I actually do intend to produce a book, if nothing other than for friends. It will be a long time before that happens, as I want a stronger portfolio of images that covers a wider span of subjects. I'm thinking that the book topic or even title might be "See Through." It might be something simple like the two books I've produced using Blurb or it might be something better using another company.

All of you are witness to this promise to Shane that I will establish an online presence in the early part of the New Year. If I do a half decent job of photographing her broken glass that is on its way to me, I'll even include her glass in the website.

[Mike Buckley]

Terry and Shane suggested removing the stem of the rear wine glass that is adjacent to the stem of the front glass at the very bottom of the frame. This version makes that change.