Shooting Red Wine

[Dave Humphries]

Video: Karl Taylor & Broncolor 'How To' shoot red wine (just under 7 minutes)

Mike B may not benefit from this as much as the rest of us

However, I found the way they demonstrated the build up of lighting quite informative.

Before anyone complains; I agree, they have a lot of expensive kit there, but we can learn from the principles employed, even if we cannot emulate in its entirety.

I have no connection with the companies involved beyond being subscribed to Karl's YouTube channel.

[Manfred M]

Thanks for posting the video, Dave. The one thing that is really well demonstrated is why tethered shooting is such an important tool in this type of studio work.

I find that Karl probably was a touch misleading in terms of how he actually set up his lights. The most common practice is to set each of the lights individually (I didn't see a flash meter, but strongly suspect one was used) and then combine them once each light is set in the right place. The second part of the setup is then leaving the lights where they are and adjusting their output to balance out the scene.

He was demonstrating a 5 light setup and it is interesting that three of these lights were used to illuminate the background. He had one key light for the subject and one rim light to accent the bottle. What I found interesting is the use of the scrim to diffuse the light from the softbox even more. That part I'm going to have to play with as the light out of the softbox is quite diffuse to begin with. I wonder if he was shooting without the internal baffle.

[chauncey]

Was going to PM Mike that link, but thought it might have been akin to teaching my
grandmother how to suck eggs.

[Mike Buckley]

Nice video! There is always something to learn. I have been thinking for a long time of buying one or two honeycomb grids and that video demonstrates one use of them.

For me, the video is a lot more about designing the scene than photographing red wine. I agree with Manfred that the use of five lights is a lot more complicated and involves making a lot more artistic decisions than is implied in the video.

[Mike Buckley]

What I found interesting is the use of the scrim to diffuse the light from the softbox even more. That part I'm going to have to play with as the light out of the softbox is quite diffuse to begin with. I wonder if he was shooting without the internal baffle.

I think I can explain that (but I'm not sure): Without the scrim, the softbox itself has highly defined edges that create the highly defined edges of the reflection on the glass. When using a scrim that is larger than the softbox, those edges are then softened.

Notice that he didn't change the position of the softbox relative to the scene except to move it farther from the scene (because he wanted it at a bit of a distance from the scrim). If he had placed the rear vertical edge of the softbox on the scrim and placed the softbox at about a 45-degree angle to the scrim, the reflection on the bottle would have displayed a defined outside age, a soft edge in the middle of the bottle and a very nice gradient in between the two edges.

Nobody will be surprised to learn that I review lots of editorial and advertising photos of wine, wine glasses and wine bottles. The choice of whether to include a gradient in the reflection or whether one or both sides of the reflection will be highly defined is purely an artistic decision; I regularly see all styles used in very expensive full-page photos.

[Shadowman]

Nice link.

[Rob Ekins]

I think I can explain that (but I'm not sure): Without the scrim, the softbox itself has highly defined edges that create the highly defined edges of the reflection on the glass. When using a scrim that is larger than the softbox, those edges are then softened.

Spot on Mike.

Below is a test shot I took while setting up my Crowne Golden Ale Shoot. You can clearly see the edge of the Strip box on the right hand side of the bottle.


The result was not acceptable so I improvised by using a $2 shop shower curtain cut in half and used one peice per side.


The result of the added scrim can be seen below, a much softer light.


Finished shot.

[DougR]

Maybe your scrim setup is something Max should try on his apple.

[Mike Buckley]

Maybe your scrim setup is something Max should try on his apple.

The purpose of positioning the scrim between the softbox and the subject is to eliminate the highly defined edge of the reflection created by using the softbox without the scrim. Max's lighting of his apple has no reflection with highly defined edges, or at least the only reflection is so small that the edge definition is difficult to detect one way or the other.

[Dave Humphries]

I think it's intended more as a deconstruction (although admittedly titled "How To").

I watched a second, longer video if his on similar topic (Whiskey bottle and glass) and that had a few more good ideas in, including shaped reflectors behind the glass and bottle to throw light forward through the liquid.

Of course, Karl is trying to sell his professional photography courses, on which he may go in to the setting up more comprehensively, perhaps including the light balancing. And the kit looks nice too!

Hint: If you look at what Urs is doing while Karl is talking (in either video), you can occasionally see him waving his hand about in front of a light to check the effect on the subject or background.

Trouble is; once I watch one of these, I usually spend another couple of hours watching several more - they can be addictive!

[IzzieK]

Thanks for the link...yes, it can be addictive, especially the set-up and working the lights part...