A more elaborate studio setup!

[Kodiak]

•

Three heads, three modifiers, half a dozen flags and two mirrors!

For this series of 27 posters ordered by a German liquor wholesaler in preparation
for the next Christmas season, Olivier and I have to be resourceful since he is
very demanding in terms of originality, creativity and rendition.

These posters will, like this one, all be shot with the 85 PC lens.

He is the first we made today:

C&C welcomed.

[flashback]

I don't do this kind of work but I can certainly appreciate the time, skill and artistry involved. This said, I think the bottle should be tweaked just a bit CCW so that the 'I' in 'IRISH' isn't obscured.

[AB26]

Thank you Daniel for posting this. I made a few adjustments to “equipment” after receiving a few low blows in another thread.

If this is SOOC and it looks anything like it looks on my screen, I am on the right track.

If your client is not happy I will be more than willing to deal him a few low blows.

Permission requested to download and print. No, not a poster, a 10x15. For purposes of analysing the adjustments I made.

[Venser]

I don't know what the client wants, but I'll tell you what I'd want done.

- The glass on the far left, since the name is recognized on the glass, it needs to be illuminated better to showcase the brand. That name needs to be prominent everywhere it appears.
- The whiskey bottle needs to be illuminated more to see the contents a little better. All whiskey manufacturers love showcasing the colour, it's one of the things that gives whiskey its character, and needs to be easily visible.
- On the note above, the colour of the background could obfuscate the colour of the whiskey.
- On the middle glass, there's a reflection from a light source not apparent anywhere else. I'd remove that post.
- The brightness on the main whiskey bottle needs to be a little brighter. The signature on the green banner of the label is a little too dark.

[Manfred M]

Nicely done Kodiak; I think I can figure out where the lights and modifiers are likely located; but the 2 mirrors and 6 flags; you have me baffled on that one.

[The Blue Boy]

Yes, very nicely done.

The wholesaler should be quite happy with that.

You've done such a nice job avoiding the normal horrible reflections on glass you'd often get with this sort of shot, and yet my eye was immediately drawn to the reflection on the cap. Sorry,

That said, if this was my work, I'd be very pleased.

And I'm with Manfred. Mirrors and 6 flags?

[Mike Buckley]

In addition to comments already mentioned...

What is the relevance or purpose of including the beads (or whatever they are)? Is it possible for the manufacturer to provide a bottle that has the name, "Jameson," on the foil below the screw cap centered with the label? Is it a mistake or intentional that the camera is not straight with the tabletop? (I would prefer it straight but your typical attention to detail leads me to think that you intentionally designed the scene this way.)

[Shadowman]

Nice, was this shot wide open, the colorful beads have less sharpness. I understand you don't want them interfering with the main subject, but their color and highlights immediately drew my eyes in their direction, I then found myself trying to identify what they were. The recognition of the whiskey brand and whiskey in the glass was immediate and took very little effort to perceive. I wonder if ice (don't hate the concept just yet) would work better as a contradiction of stimulae?

[Venser]

I wonder if ice (don't hate the concept just yet) would work better as a contradiction of stimulae?

Didn't think of that, but ice makes sense. It also provides a talking point about the product in question, neat or not?

[Kodiak]

I don't do this kind of work but I can certainly appreciate the time, skill and artistry involved. This said, I think the bottle should be tweaked just a bit CCW so that the 'I' in 'IRISH' isn't obscured.

To Jack:
The bottle is perfectly facing the camera and was placed this way so that it will
reflect the overlapping of the glasses. How did you know the obscured letter is
an "I"… an educated guess?


To André:

I made a few adjustments to “equipment” after receiving a few low blows in
another thread. If your client is not happy I will be more than willing to deal him
a few low blows.

I'm not sure to understand this!

Permission requested to download and print. No, not a poster, a 10x15. For purposes of analysing the adjustments I made.

Since you may come back to the thread at any time to see a much larger size, denied.


To Chris:
- This shot, through its mood, wants to inspire and not to describe. If it can be
recognized, it does its thing.
- If your brand name is Jameson and your product is whiskey, you don't need
neon lights on a christmas poster.
- the dark green of the bottle is, in itself, obfuscating the content; the colour of
the background is to associate the product to the seasons celebrations.
- …remove that post? - Not my intention at all.
- The best way one would think to drink this product is in good company (two
glasses) and in subdued lighting… not necessarily in broad daylight. The product
in the right atmosphere.

To Manfred:
Thanks man! Flags stop the light where the gridded strobes were too generous.

To Mark:
In the meantime, he sent via em@il his —"pleasure and surprise at the great
execution of my wishes."
Yesterday, I was at the glass shop and asked for a list of mirrors in given
dimensions. Olivier and the "glass man" were both baffled… but when my son
saw how to use them!

To Mike:
If the bottle is straight, the camera is straight… specially when working with a
PC lens. The scene is laid out on a floor tile that is not straight to the camera.
The beads are just a bait to keep your eye longer on the shot… as I see, it works!

To John:
A quick look at the exif will reveal ƒ17 with 2/3 EV, purposely to avoid closing the
lens more. I wanted the softer focus there… but dead sharp elsewhere.
It's clear to me that the shot could be done in zillions other ways… but I had
instructions.

To Chris again:
This was discussed with the client that thought "…they can always put all the ice
they desire once the glass is served but many will not remove the ice and just
ask for a fresh glass! For once that I have a client that knows what he wants!

[Mike Buckley]

To Mike:
If the bottle is straight, the camera is straight

It's clear that I wasn't clear. Notice the name, "Jameson," that is partially displayed on the foil immediately beneath the screw cap. I would like it better if a bottle could be found that displays the entire name there when the bottle is facing the camera as in this scene. (There may be no such bottle.) I have this issue with wine bottles that I photograph and can rarely find the name displayed as I want it.

The beads are just a bait to keep your eye longer on the shot… as I see, it works!

Indeed it does! I would never have thought of including items in the scene that are not directly related to the subject, so this is a great lesson to learn.

[Kodiak]

It's clear that I wasn't clear.

I am not fully literate in english and chances are that I most certainly totally
miss understood you… sorry!

In such a scene, the only thing that MUST BE PERFECT is the message. When
everything else IS too, the mind sees the perfection, fells that nothing is to
be done, gets bored, and moves on. A most disastrous chain of events!

[Kodiak]

•

Hey dad, can I do something with your setup?

I was curious… Ok, it's all yours.

And he cooked this one, using only two heads, no gel, one mirror and one flag.

C&C welcomed.

[Mike Buckley]

You son is very talented. Well done!

[Manfred M]

Nicely composed, it and photographed. I like the way that the chips on the right balance out the glass on the left. I tend to like single light shots, but of course, these are not always possible.

Perhaps a bit too perfect; a lip (stick) print on the glass perhaps?

Is he using the mirror as a reflector?

[Kodiak]

You son is very talented. Well done!

In this case, I would translate talented by opportunist! …since he hardly changed
anything to the setup except the things that were too difficult for him to solve.

Do I feel bad? Nope! Because he threw me out of the studio, he took a bit too
big to chew and, desperate and growing impatient, he decided that this was good
enough.

[Kodiak]

Is he using the mirror as a reflector?

Yes, I had myself some mirrors cut the other day and he has learned how to use them.

[Manfred M]

Thanks Kodiak; while I have used silver (and white and gold) reflectors; I've never use a mirror in this way. It makes sense, as the characteristics of the reflected light will not changes as much as it will than when using a less reflective material (less scatter).

[Mike Buckley]

In this case, I would translate talented by opportunist! …since he hardly changed
anything to the setup except the things that were too difficult for him to solve.

I understand and agree with you to a certain extent. His talent was most evidently displayed in the setup of the scene, the relationship between the bottle, glass and poker chips. That's what I was referring to. He deserves a pat on the back for that.

[HaseebM]

Excellent image, really makes me want to go out, buy couple of wine glasses and non-alcoholic bottle of wine and try it out with my budget set-up. Anyway, what are these 'Flags' you people mention about?