Your choice: Red or white wine

[Mike Buckley]

When I created my makeshift studio, the purpose was to combine my photography hobby with my wine hobby. The really difficult part about photographing the wine isn't the wine itself. It's the glass that is almost always used to store or drink the wine. Now that I've become more comfortable photographing clear glass, I am finally getting on with photographing the wine.

After reviewing hundreds of photos of wine, I think I know why white wine is almost always photographed without showing the top surface: the only way I found to make the top surface look good in the style shown below is to deal with it during post-processing or to light it differently than the rest of the scene.

I also noticed that almost all photos of red wine display it in a much brighter color than normally exists. If you're used to that style, you may not like that I lit it to display its natural color (very dark, showing only a hint of red tone). However, I did cave a bit when I created the last photo just to have a little fun. That photo is for anyone who can't make up their mind about whether they prefer red or white wine.

In fact, you probably won't see the red tones in the wine unless you view the largest image in the Lytebox. If you're not using a calibrated monitor and Firefox, you still may not see it.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Mike, I really enjoy image #2. Personally, images 1 and 3 don't do much for me, probably due to the more static composition, and lower contrast / grayish bg. But #2 is great. Nice comp, lighting, etc. The interplay of all of the elements works well. I can almost smell the wine from here!

[Shadowman]

Can't decide what that blend would go with.

Nice.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, guys!

Dan, I also like #2 the best because it somehow makes me, the viewer, seem involved in the photo, whereas the first one is more of a straightforward product shot. The third one started out as a serious photo concept, ended up lacking the impact I thought it would have, so I posted it as a joke. However, I do like the grey background in the first one, partly because I tire of wine photos made with a white background with no tonal range.

[Donald]

Aahh - the wonderful Syrah(Shiraz) Sauvignon Blanc grape.

Most folks won't know about this clone of a great red wine grape and a white wine grape. Only grown in a very remote corner of South West France where the people don't have much contact with the outside world.

After reviewing hundreds of photos of wine, I think I know why white wine is almost always photographed without showing the top surface: the only way I found to make the top surface look good in the style shown below is to deal with it during post-processing or to light it differently than the rest of the scene.

Fascinating stuff, Mike. Your teaching us all with this project. What is that happens when trying to shoot the top surface of the white?

[Mike Buckley]

Aahh - the wonderful Syrah(Shiraz) Sauvignon Blanc grape.

Almost correct, Donald. It's the Pinot Noir Sauvignon Blanc grape.

What is that happens when trying to shoot the top surface of the white?

You're gonna be sorry you asked.

In the first example shown below, the top surface of both wines has a grey cast. That tone looks good with the red wine but it looks dirty with the white wine. As mentioned above, the solution is to light the top surface differently or to attend to the issue during post-processing.




In the next example shot from higher above, the part in the center that isn't dark is the grey cast mentioned above. The dark part is caused by the liquid acting as a lens that captures the dark part of the background. That part of the background would never be included in the image if the liquid was not acting as a lens. That also happens with dark liquids such as the red wine, but is less noticeable and probably not objectionable due to the dark color of the liquid.

That dark part is desirable with a brightly colored liquid but only near the edges to define the shape of the glass. The only setup-based solution that retains the high-contrast clarity of the edges is to move the camera closer to the subject and to change to a shorter focal length, keeping the bright background in the same field of view. I didn't have that luxury because the tabletop prevented me from getting closer without changing the entire setup. The other solutions pertaining to the setup are to move the camera closer to the subject without changing the focal length or to move the background closer to the subject. Doing so makes the edges of the glass less defined, which is fine if that's the look one is going for or is at least a different look that is acceptable or desirable. (I moved the background closer when making the first photo displayed in this thread. Prior to doing that, the black area occupied far too much of the subject.) Another solution is to deal with it during post-processing.

For anyone who wants to follow along in the fourth edition of Light: Science and Magic, this issue of liquid acting as a lens is thoroughly discussed beginning on page 183. I would never have figured out on my own how to deal with the issues of photographing clear glass or liquid, much less both, without the information in that book.

[Wavelength]

Pretty wonderful images....

[ShaneS]

#2 for me too Mike. That composition is more dynamic and less like a product shot as you have already stated.

I too wondered about the gray background and understand that it is an attempt to stray away from the standard shot which is laudable. To that end I wonder if you have played with different toning/colors for the shadows? So with the white wine would is be possible the have the shadows appear more sepia or golden in color which would compliment the color of the wine and act almost as a vignette? I must admit that I can't quite picture it (and it may look horrible) but my thinking is the gray is on the cool side and the yellows and reds on the warms side of the color wheel and they are also different in tonality (the red and yellow highly saturated and the grey quite muted) which might be why it doesn't look quite right to me.

On a lighter note I would like some of the "wred" wine...

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Nandakumar and Shane!

I wonder if you have played with different toning/colors for the shadows? So with the white wine would is be possible the have the shadows appear more sepia or golden in color which would compliment the color of the wine and act almost as a vignette?

I actually tried that while making the first photo in the thread. I used the tone of the white wine, liked it and might use it in the future.

the gray is on the cool side and the yellows and reds on the warms side of the color wheel

About 20 years ago, interior designers of commercial office spaces commonly used yellow walls and grey trim. I never liked it for the reason you mention. However, I like it in the first photo, which of course makes absolutely no sense.

On a lighter note I would like some of the "wred" wine...

I would be happy to send some to you. The problem is that I checked with FedEx and they aren't willing to guarantee that the two characteristics won't mix during shipping.

[dabhand]

Can't decide what that blend would go with.

Nice.

surf and turf

steve

[Mike Buckley]

For those of you who don't like the tonality of the background that I used in the first photo, the version of it shown below is as I designed the lighting. The background's brightest tones are generally at luminosity values of about 250 and above and are intentionally close to the liquid. In the first photo, I applied a radial filter in the form a vignette during post-processing that is removed from the image shown below. This version probably still will not satisfy you because only a small area of the background is so bright, but I thought I would toss it out there just in case you happen to find it more appealing.

[Shadowman]

surf and turf

steve

Perfect.

[Mike Buckley]

You guys crack me up with your surf-and-turf stuff.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

Just to say that I like the 1st image the best likely because for me it is simple, beautiful and elegant and I love all the different shades in it, and that single lone bubble.

[Mike Buckley]

that single lone bubble.

At last! Someone mentioned it! Thanks, Christina.

I like that bubble too. I have no idea how a bubble can remain so far below the surface for hours but that one did. It seemed to be "attached" to the glass, just in case someone who could explain it would want to take that into account.

[Brownbear]

That bubble is truly special...

At last! Someone mentioned it! Thanks, Christina.

I like that bubble too. I have no idea how a bubble can remain so far below the surface for hours but that one did. It seemed to be "attached" to the glass, just in case someone who could explain it would want to take that into account.