Wine Humor

[Mike Buckley]

I have been gradually making just a few images over a long period of time pertaining to my wine hobby that display a blatant incongruity in the scene. This image is my latest one made in that style.

Though the composition is simple, it was actually quite difficult to light the scene to make everything happen as I wanted. The expectations that were important to me were:

• Very soft shadows
• The uppermost side of the shiny metal would be bright
• The round shape and "hills and valleys" of the screw cap would be revealed
• The black corkscrew would be separated at a glance from the background even though both are quite dark
• Despite that that the corkscrew handle is the same color throughout, all of its levels would be revealed
• An angular vignette in the corners would be produced by the lighting as much as would be reasonably practical as a matter of discipline and for learning purposes. (I accomplished that only in the top corners; the vignette in the bottom corners was created during post-processing.)

Setup
The tabletop is charcoal presentation paper. The main light fitted with a diffusion sock is a medium continuous-light lamp positioned close to the subject and relatively low in the top right area. (The close position and diffusion sock created the soft shadows. The low position raked light across the screw cap to reveal its "hills and valleys." The shiny metal is bright because the lamp is within the family of angles of that area of the scene; that brightness is a mirror-like reflection of the direct light.) That lamp is flagged to produce the angular vignette in the top corners. A reflector in the bottom left area brightens the areas of the subjects that are opposite the main light. A small continuous-light lamp in the bottom right area fitted with a diffusion sock and a sheet of diffusion material defines the shape of the red handle by adding at least a hint of direct reflection to the edge of its entire length. (The two layers of diffusion material were used to reduce the brightness of the light, not to diffuse it.)

[Wavelength]

Majestic

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Now that is funny Mike.
Nice presentation.

[pnodrog]

That's a common problem when the user guide is missing. Nicely done - would make a great card.

[Shadowman]

Nicely conceived and captured.

[ST1]

Well done Mike the humour works well too
I have one of those tools in a kitchen drawer but ...I had never considered making an image of it, thanks for the inspiration

[Sergio M.]

Mike,

Now that's what I call screwy humor but definitely creative and well done.

Sergio

[Manfred M]

Okay Mike. I think you've sampled a few too many of the wines before you took this shot.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you, everyone!

Time to confess! Who among us hasn't tried to use a manual or automated cork screw on a wine bottle that has a screw cap? Certainly not I.

I think you've sampled a few too many of the wines before you took this shot.

You couldn't be more wrong; I haven't sampled enough. But I'm working on that problem.

That's a common problem when the user guide is missing.

The user's guide wasn't missing. I knew exactly where it was and never read it. You'll notice characteristics of my photography indicating the same issue pertaining to my use of gear.

[pnodrog]

The user's guide wasn't missing. I knew exactly where it was and never read it. You'll notice characteristics of my photography indicating the same issue pertaining to my use of gear.

Mike I was just trying to be polite. I know you totally disregard the use by dates on wine bottles so I was pretty sure you would also disregard any instructions you had with the possible exceptions of serving temperature and most the appropriate food for it to be consumed with.

[flashback]

I would likely have failed to see the humor in your post....had I not actually done exactly what you showed. I have to admit I was gobsmacked in that I could not, for the life of me figure out what the heck was going on...initially. Slowly, very slowly, it dawned on me what I was doing. Not of course, before I had totally destroyed (and removed) the metal screw cap. This may or may not make sense to perhaps a non-imbiber but, in the interest of complete disclosure, I have shot more than a few rolls of 35mm film that never quite actually made it into the back of my camera. Fortunately for me (and others I might quickly include) something like a house fire is much easier to deduce, locate and deal with. Hey...we can't all be geniuses under all circumstances.

[Mike Buckley]

Hey...we can't all be geniuses under all circumstances.

True, but I do look forward to the day that I can be at least half-genius in just one circumstance. Nah. I don't look forward to it; I'm realistic enough to know it'll never happen.

[bnnrcn]

Funny image

[Kaye Leggett]

I have been gradually making just a few images over a long period of time pertaining to my wine hobby that display a blatant incongruity in the scene. This image is my latest one made in that style.

And beautifully done.