Work with glass 2

[Marie Hass]

Thanks to a very generous gift from Loose Canon, I now have translum to work with!

It arrived right on time for my most recent mentoring session.

C&C welcome.

Marie

[Mike Buckley]

Very, very clean, Marie!

Just two thoughts...

When deciding upon the composition of a photo, consider the size you want to present it. As an example, if I display your photo at the uploaded size, I can immediately see the separation between the front and rear of the rim and the three-dimensional characteristic that that separation conveys. However, when I view the image at the smaller size automatically displayed in the thread, I have to study the image to see that separation; upon my initial viewing I thought you had lined the front and rear of the rim so as to obscure the rear.

One of the characteristics that I like about transparent glass is its transparency. The color of the background outside the glass is different from the color inside the glass. That implies at least for me that the glass has color, when with this style of photography I want to think I am seeing "through" the glass all the way to the background.

[NorthernFocus]

Nicely done, Marie. Simple and elegant.

[Marie Hass]

Dear Mike,

I also wished the rim would have been more defined. I need to work on that. BTW, I tried lining my cut glass to absolutely no avail.

The glass was clear. I lit the background only, so, the glass presented as darker.

Marie

[Brownbear]

Beautiful image, Marie! Reminds me of Mike's images and that is intended as a huge compliment.

[Marie Hass]

Dear Christina,

Mike Buckley was the one who inspired me on the glass. Terry (Loose Canon) offered encouragement. I said to my mentor, "I want to do that".

Especially since i have been less than mobile, tabletop work has been ideal.

I confess that I thought it would not be hard. It is most definately is!

The work is very precise. I feel as though i have gone back to school. I am challenged, taught and tested. A wonderful feeling!

Marie

[Mike Buckley]

I also wished the rim would have been more defined.

Your rim is very well defined. If people who haven't done this kind of photography only could appreciate how difficult that can be to do and you did it very well!

The issue I was mentioning has only to do with the perspective, the relationship between the lens and the subject. If you had changed your perspective, you could have placed more space between the front and rear of the rim as they appear when displayed in two dimensions. However, as I mentioned, no more space is needed in my mind if you intend to show the image at least as large as the size that you uploaded.

The glass was clear. I lit the background only, so, the glass presented as darker.

I'm not referring to the difference in brightness. I'm referring to the off-white color leaning toward cream outside the glass and the off-white color leaning toward grey inside it. I'm using a profiled and calibrated monitor and I'm using Firefox, so any difference in equipment on your end might be at least part of the explanation. I'm also seeing that difference when displaying the image in Lightroom.

I've never had that happen and I'm not able to figure out how it would happen. It might help if you explain your lighting setup. Also, are you absolutely positive that you didn't do something during post-processing to make the background appear in two different colors (cream and grey)?

[Stagecoach]

Wonderful job Marie !

[Loose Canon]

Excellent work Marie.

I would guess you already know how to deal with the rims so no need to mention.

I opened this shot in my editor and was immediately struck with the BG. The BG is a solid and consistent 255. So I’m not sure what the comments are based on regarding said. Naturally, the inside of the glass is going to cut light transmission from the BG and the shades of gray inside the glass seem entirely reasonable to me.

The shot is clean, balanced and symmetrical in its detail.

I think rims can be an “optical illusion”! Especially if presented without the base of the glass and if the areas outside and between the rims are close to the same. When the base of the glass is also shown, then a visual cue is given. When I need to composite glasses like this one for splashes or whatever, and need to include the glass in its entirety, I have to be very careful to duplicate the angle of the glass as accurately as possible throughout the composite images.

If the rim is off relative to the base then it becomes obvious. Otherwise it is possible that when viewing the rim alone different people will see it differently. Especially if the shades of gray are close to the same.

In this shot, what I am seeing is a darker gray below the front rim. A lighter tone between the rims, which cues the top rim as the back rim. There would be a darker tone when the light tries to transmit through two layers (front and back) of glass than when it does one. If this makes any sense!

The angle of the base then further confirms this.

Very nice work!

[Marie Hass]

Dear Mike,

I went again into my raw converter and I read 255 for red/blue/green on the background.

My goal was to work with well made glasses with no flaws. However, the glass quality is not crystal, so one may not expect the same characteristics regarding diffusion of light (transmission). I did raise this question during my session, and the answer was, "Yes, if you have a higher quality glass". The price of $10 each glass is justified by the making, not the raw materials. I do know these glasses were made with potash!

On my screen(s) and on my mentor's, the background appears white and the bowl of the glass, greyish? There is a gradient in the bowl itself, but not in the stem, since the stem is just a massive piece of glass, so, I am not sure where the beige comes from.

Marie

[selig1656]

Keep up the great work , I believe in every photo there is a lesson to learn .

[Marie Hass]

Dear Terry,

Again, I cannot thank you enough for my lovely translum background! it cut my prep work down to "0"!

Kodiak also thanks you!

He also says that there are four ways to achieve the above results. The image above is just one way. Because of my own equipment limitations, I may not be able to explore all four, but the next session I will explore a second way.

So, stay posted!

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Dan, Grahame, Christina and raymond,

Thank you! I love the mental challenges of this work. In the end, I feel as though i have accomplished something.

Marie

[Mike Buckley]

I don't think there is as much difference between the photographic qualities of glass and crystal as most people apparently would believe. At least that lack of difference is my experience. However, I've never photographed expensive crystal so perhaps at higher levels of quality there are differences. The main differences I see in various subjects, whether they are made of glass or crystal, is the number of defects. Some are appealing and some not.

Terry mentioned that the rim of a glass when photographed can be an optical illusion. I would go so far as to say that it's almost always an optical illusion. I stopped trying to figure out which parts of the rim are near and far, mostly because it really doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned.

The issue of the background that I mentioned could also be an optical illusion. I've never tried to create a background that has equal tonalities throughout because I always go for variation in tonalities. Even so, I just now looked at dozens of really nice images of wine glasses on the Internet and I only saw one image that displayed the same characteristic in the background that I'm seeing in your photo. Perhaps the best explanation is that I haven't had enough wine yet tonight...but I'm working on it!

[Loose Canon]

Awesome Marie!

You, and I guess Kodiak, are most welcome! I am thrilled you are getting some good use with it. It makes great diffusion material as well as BG!

I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with!

I don't think there is as much difference between the photographic qualities of glass and crystal as most people apparently would believe.

Admittedly, I am easily amused, but a while back I was talking to a TSA agent (airport security screener). He was telling me that when someone puts a piece of crystal through the x-ray screener they have to check it by hand. The reason is because since it is made from lead the x-ray cannot see through it and they don’t know what it is. For some reason my feeble brain finds it fascinating that something so clear may not really be! (I’m getting a headache again!)

Perhaps the best explanation is that I haven't had enough wine yet tonight...but I'm working on it!

Well, at least you should have plenty of straws to get you through the night! Enjoy Brother and have a glass for me!

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[Marie Hass]

Dear John,

As always, thank you.

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Dear Mike,

I asked you long ago why you worked with glass. You were kind enough to answer, but I still could not viscereally understand your response.

I just want you to know that I "get it".

Marie

[Mike Buckley]

I had forgotten, Marie, that it was you who asked why I enjoy photographing glass. I should thank you for asking. That's because the core of my response to you is now on the home page of my Class Glass website.

[JBW]

beautiful.