Wine bottle and other memorabilia

[Mike Buckley]

We drank the wine, my only first growth grand cru red Bordeaux, nearly seven years ago on my 60th birthday. The portraits are of people on my wife's side of the family and the middle portrait is about 110 years old. The far left portrait and the middle portrait are of the same man. The school books were used by children on my father's side of the family.

Click to view the image at a larger size to more fully appreciate the stare given the viewer by the person in the middle portrait.

Setup
The background is textured white art paper that I especially like when I want to make the background appear as if it is a wall made of textured plaster. The tabletop is a piece of wood. A small continuous-light lamp is high on the right side fitted with a diffusion sock to create soft shadows and with a flag to prevent too much light from falling on the background. A white reflector on the left brightens the brass double frame and the left side of the wine label. Strips of black gaffers tape on the reflector make the reflection in the top of the wine bottle seem like a reflection of a window.

[Wavelength]

Well done image

[Shadowman]

Nice done, good use of shape, shadows, and tones.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice Mike, great toning , sepia supports the old look very well May be a bottle older than 1996 and/or some flowers in a vase to complement the scene?

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, everyone!

Maybe a bottle older than 1996

That's the oldest bottle I have. I would be happy to receive an older one from you or anyone, especially if it contains wine that is still good.