Wine: a bottle and its shadow

[Mike Buckley]

This is not my typical style of photography but the composition is one that I've had on my shot list for a long time. Even so, I didn't make it. My evil twin who has a very dark side made it.

[Shadowman]

Very nice layout.

[NorthernFocus]

This image poses a dilemma for me, Mike. I've looked at it for a bit and haven't yet got my mind wrapped around it. Definitely an intriguing concept. Not quite enough bottle to tell the story, nice colors but not captivating, and the shadow dominates the frame but doesn't really tell me a story either. Did you try it with the lighting slightly more direct to make the shadow a bit more distinct?

[flashback]

Mike, I LIKE it. Not your usual but definitely unique. Having an evil twin I can appreciate the mischievousness they can get up to.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you, guys, especially to Dan for giving the image so much thought despite that it doesn't work for him.

Dan: For me, neither the bottle nor its shadow tells a story on their own; their story is told together. Your idea that the color is nice but not captivating works for me because "nice" is "captivating," or at least captivating enough.

As for the indistinct shadow, my initial plan was to make the bottle out of focus and to make the shadow distinct. Unfortunately, my makeshift studio isn't large enough to move the light source far enough away from the bottle to produce a distinct shadow, at least not during daytime when I had to make this photo in a small room. I may be able to make it at nighttime using a larger space, but only if my flash is powerful enough at a greater distance to produce a substantially darker shadow than its surroundings. I've never used it in that situation so I don't know about that.

[NorthernFocus]

One thing I've never been accused of is being an abstract thinker...

[Kaye Leggett]

Its an intriguing shot and I like it although it says water to me rather than wine....this is because of the blue background and also as there is a very trendy Welsh water that is bottled in blue bottles and sold a vastly inflated prices.

[Mike Buckley]

Very interesting, Kaye! Is the Welsh water bottle the same shape as this wine bottle?

[Kaye Leggett]

Very interesting, Kaye! Is the Welsh water bottle the same shape as this wine bottle?

- actually now youmention it, it is not - its more of a pear shape....type Ty Nant Water into google and you'll get an image.

They're marketing is very strong on using recycled glass but I can't help wondering that when I was in Spain a few years ago staying in an 'eco-friendly' hotel, drinking Welsh water was missing the point somewhat.