Horseshoe in a Blue Bottle

[Mike Buckley]

This bottle is from the home of the mother of my friend Kathleen. The bottle was displayed on built-in shelving that my father constructed decades ago. I didn't even know or at least didn't remember that detail until Kathleen explained it to me when we spent the weekend together clearing out the house.

Setup
The tabletop and background are a single sheet of gold semi-glossy poster board. A small continuous-light lamp on the left faces a black curtain behind the camera and a reflector redirects light onto the front of the bottle. A medium continuous-light lamp positioned behind the bottle on the right illuminates the background using only a very small portion of the light produced by the lamp. No light source is shining directly on the bottle.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Mike, the colors complement each other so well in the image. I also like the slightly blurred reflection because of the semi-glossy poster board. No need to say that the horseshoe shape of the bottle is a beauty on its own

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, I would let the bottle blend into the background if intent on creating an illusion as suggested by the title.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Binnur and John!

I would let the bottle blend into the background if intent on creating an illusion as suggested by the title.

Now that I have seen your comment, I realize the title of the thread isn't phrased quite accurately. Interestingly, I was not planning on lighting the background. In the end, I had to do that to create separation between the bottle and the background.

[Rebel]

Very nice, the colours are great, the lighting is great, its a great looking bottle and you've done it justice.

[Chri5]

Very Pleasing to look at and as others have said, very nice light as well.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Matt and Chris!

[John 2]

You have done well to produce the modelling on the front of the bottle Mike given that the main detail is recessed. Clever - and nice work.

[Mike Buckley]

the modelling on the front of the bottle

Thank you for noticing that, John. I tried displaying those characteristics as bright lines but there wasn't nearly as much nuance as when displaying them as dark lines. I've never before produced a direct reflection on such a large percentage of a glass subject as in this photo but the situation seemed to call for it this time.

[Kaye Leggett]

Its very beautiful, particularly the texture of the bottle

[Mike Buckley]

Its very beautiful, particularly the texture of the bottle

Thanks, Kaye! That texture that you like is also the most difficult characteristic to artistically display in a photo. Interestingly, it is displayed much more nicely in this photo than in a typical setting because it would be so impractical to light the bottle displayed in a home using the same method to light it for making the photo.