Red wine and tea lights

[Mike Buckley]

This photo was inspired by my experiences at our daily evening meal. Our dining room table is always lit by tea lights reflected on a glass tabletop. I regularly enjoy the look of red wine when lit by the tea lights and finally got around to making a photo that reminds me of that experience.

EDIT: A second and third photo are displayed later in the thread.

Setup
There are two types of light sources -- the tea lights and a very small amount of sunlight peeking through an opening in the black curtains of my makeshift studio. This is the first time I have used sunlight in my makeshift studio and it worked out exactly as I hoped. (When anything works out as I hope, that's always a pleasant but complete surprise!)

The sunlight was used to open up the shadow on the wine label, though it conveniently also lit small portions of the clear glass holding the tea lights. The auto white balance apparently used the candle light as the primary light source, which rendered the sunlight as cool tones. That's the detail that I had hoped would happen; otherwise I would have had to use a custom white balance. The cool tones of the sunlight nicely complement the warm tones produced by the candlelight.

The tabletop is semi-glossy gold poster board, which produces a soft-focus reflection in keeping with the romantic mood I wanted to convey.

[selig1656]

excellent

[Rob Ekins]

Very nice.

I think the texture on the label has benefited greatly from the two sources. (Colour and positioning)

What is your favourite type of red wine to shoot colour wise. I was looking at some wines that had been poured at an event recently and started wondering which type or blend would photograph well out side of the bottle. My initial reaction was that some would be to dark/dense is this the case or is it more of a lighting issue?

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Raymond and Robbie!

I think the texture on the label has benefited greatly from the two sources. (Colour and positioning)

Thanks for noticing that. I am also pleased that it's an especially nice touch.

What is your favourite type of red wine to shoot colour wise.

I actually don't have enough experience to make any recommendations about that. I used pinot noir in this scene because it tends to be slightly more translucent than other red wines we drink. We don't drink Beaujolais or rosé, which would be more translucent.

I was looking at some wines that had been poured at an event recently and started wondering which type or blend would photograph well out side of the bottle. My initial reaction was that some would be to dark/dense is this the case or is it more of a lighting issue?

It really does depend mostly on how you light the wine. Sometimes you want the density, sometimes not. The other factor is that a dense wine lit brightly will appear more translucent than a less dense wine not lit brightly. The amount of wine being displayed also affects the degree of translucency.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Mike The elements of the composition look so rich in this image that IMO you should shoot and upload more images by using the same elements. I loved the color of the wine lit by the tea lights and also the reflections.

[jcuknz]

I would buy the deep red wine and then mix it with tonic until the right density .... a favorite nightly tipple of mine to avoid going over the new restrictive alcohol limits here in NZ if I have to go out after dinner.
Pinot Noir becomes quite rose at 50%

[Rebel]

Stunning image Mike.

[Marie Hass]

Really nice, Mike.

I like the perspective and richness of color.

Marie

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[FootLoose]

Mike, I really like the idea here. I always hold my red up to the light to appreciate the colour - as we all do, no doubt - but I think you have too many elements in this shot.

Would it be possible to produce the same lighting effects in the wine with just a single candle?

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, everyone!

the new restrictive alcohol limits here in NZ

What are the new limits? New Zealand is the only place I've come upon a highway check point where they conduct an alcohol test of all the drivers. That was 15 years ago. Fortunately, I hadn't drunk any alcohol that day.

[Mike Buckley]

but I think you have too many elements in this shot.

Thanks for the feedback, Greg. Design of a scene is the most difficult part of studio photography for me. I hadn't planned on using the tea light in the top right area but added it to keep the viewer's eye trained on the wine rather than being distracted by the wine bottle.

Would it be possible to produce the same lighting effects in the wine with just a single candle?

It is just one candle producing the lighting effects in the wine. You can't see that candle but you can see its holder at the bottom of the photo. The other two candles are included only for overall ambiance.

[Mike Buckley]

Binnur likes the tones of the first photo and suggested that I make other photos in a similar style. Greg prefers a scene with fewer elements. So, I offer this image that I didn't plan on uploading because I don't like it quite as much.

Setup
Same as the first photo except there is no sunlight. A small lamp with a diffuser sock to knock down the brightness is added to light the rear part of the tabletop.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Mike. This image might look good even if you don't like it very much. IMO the bottom tea light has to be cloned , because it distracts. Otherwise, interesting composition and lovely colors.

[Downrigger]

Fantastic hues, Mike, and I am impressed with how you set these up to create composition. Anything done in PP (warming?) to strengthen these? Also, why f/8 on the second (as opposed to f/22 in first)? The softened tea candles look fine and mellow as they are, but I wonder how they'd look if sharp. Also, the way the light comes of the curvature of the glass differently on the two sides almost makes the glass look tilted slightly left - or maybe that's just me.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Mark!

Anything done in PP (warming?) to strengthen these?

Only the usual stuff: minor adjustment in the curve of the first one; no adjustment in the curve on the second one (probably the first time I've never adjusted a curve); typical dodging and burning; typical cloning to deal with imperfections in the glass and tabletop.

Absolutely nothing done with regard to the warmth of the image. The auto white balance nailed the scene. In fact, that aspect of it not only matches the scene in my makeshift studio but also my impressions of the tones at the dinner table.

why f/8 on the second (as opposed to f/22 in first)? The softened tea candles look fine and mellow as they are, but I wonder how they'd look if sharp.

I used f/22 on the first one because I wanted as much as possible in focus. Even though f/22 is my smallest aperture on that lens, not everything is in focus, which works for me. I used f/8 on the second one because I felt its composition commanded a smaller depth of field. I tried five apertures ranging from about f/3 to f/16 and liked the middle one at f/8 the best. All just personal choices.

Also, the way the light comes of the curvature of the glass differently on the two sides almost makes the glass look tilted slightly left - or maybe that's just me.

I assume you're describing the second photo. Now that you point it out, I see that characteristic. I actually like it as part of the romantic mood. The glass was on a level tabletop and the camera's electronic level indicated that the camera was level, so I'm reasonably certain there's an optical illusion at play.

[Mike Buckley]

IMO the bottom tea light has to be cloned , because it distracts.

This is the best your gonna get, Binnur (cropped rather than cloned). Thanks for the idea!

[Barbara Ponder]

I LOVE the first image! To me it tells a story. It brought to my mind a couple having a romantic evening and having abandoned it for shall we say funner things

[NorthernFocus]

Barbara stole my post. I like the first one due to your description of what inspired the photo. Forgetting the technical aspects etc, I'd say the first shot nailed it based on your stated intent. Plus of the images you've posted to-date, this one maybe tells us more about Mike than any of them so far. Nicely done.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Barbara and Dan!

It brought to my mind a couple having a romantic evening and having abandoned it for shall we say funner things

The wine is never abandoned. It's easily transported to the room where those funner things are done.