More backlit glasswear

[Manfred M]

I tried to take my work with back-lit glassware to another level.

In this shot, I am only using water in the glasses for its optical properties. I lit the whole scene with two gelled studio lights to give me a red / blue colour gradient on the background. I introduced a glass shelf into the arrangement to let me add an additional layer of height.

[Manfred M]

Question for the group:

The one thing I'm not entirely sure about is the glass shelf that sticks out to the right. It's physically necessary to support it at two points, so I have it clamped in place out of frame on the camera right side. It is resting on a toothpick (retouched out) that is sitting between it and the short glass in the middle.

Does the image work better with the long shelf or is the shelf that seems to "float" in mid-air, as shown below, more effective?

[royent]

Second one for me Manfred though I might prefer it and the two glasses left out altogether

[Manfred M]

Thanks Roy - that is what I started with and I added the shelf and two glasses for balance, otherwise the bottle overpowers the image and there is too much negative space on the top right.

[ST1]

The second image for me too Manfred. Love the gradient you've created with the gels


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Astro]

Hi Manfred, second image for me too.
In the first my eye tends tofollow the shelfout of the image, whereas in the second it centres my vision.It also seems to me that the second image is brighter and softer. I suspect because I am not being drawn to the darker edge of the shelf.
I particularly like the quartered symetry you created in the second glass from the left.

[pschlute]

Second for me too. Can you not rest the shelf on two glasses or use 4 glass columns to support it ?

[Manfred M]

The second image for me too Manfred. Love the gradient you've created with the gels


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks Peter - that was what I was trying to do. In the past I had used a single light source for this type of image and now that I have a better diffuser (a sheet of acrylic instead of a scrim), I get better mixing and diffusion of the light.

[Manfred M]

Hi Manfred, second image for me too.
In the first my eye tends tofollow the shelfout of the image, whereas in the second it centres my vision.It also seems to me that the second image is brighter and softer. I suspect because I am not being drawn to the darker edge of the shelf.
I particularly like the quartered symetry you created in the second glass from the left.

Thanks James - the base images are identical and the only change is the reworked shelf, so that just goes to show how easy it is to fool our visual system.

[Manfred M]

Thanks James - the base images are identical and the only change is the reworked shelf, so that just goes to show how easy it is to fool our visual system.

I'm going to try a few more ideas. The issue I run into when I rest the shelf right on the glass is that creates an optical surface where the two pieces of glass touch. I don't have a copy anymore, but there was a white line at the interface, which was both unattractive and distracting. By placing a toothpick between the two glass surfaces, I had a minor bit of retouching to do, but a much better looking image.

[xpatUSA]

Question for the group: <>

Does the image work better with the long shelf or is the shelf that seems to "float" in mid-air, as shown below, more effective?

Manfred,

I don't find it more effective because my eyes insist on seeing the shelf as a distracting element.

Although I realize that the purity of a single shot is highly attractive, my inclination would be to take two shots then align and merge them so that the "added" glasses do themselves float in the air ...

... or, with your undoubted PP expertise, "just" make the shelf disappear.

[pschlute]

... or, with your undoubted PP expertise, "just" make the shelf disappear.

"What witchcraft is this

[Manfred M]

Manfred,

I don't find it more effective because my eyes insist on seeing the shelf as a distracting element.

Although I realize that the purity of a single shot is highly attractive, my inclination would be to take two shots then align and merge them so that the "added" glasses do themselves float in the air ...

... or, with your undoubted PP expertise, "just" make the shelf disappear.

Virtually impossible to make that look right. There are all kinds of subtle gradients from the interplay of the glass and water surfaces. Even trying to remove a few blemishes on the bottle were a lot of work.