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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Bottle Photography help
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 12/15/2016 07:20:42 PM · #1
I have taken on a job to photograph some bottles of Cider and could do with some advice.

I did a shoot tonight with a small light tent and a several Yunongo Flash guns and a couple of cheap continous lights.

For a first attempt at photographing bottles I am reasonably happy with the results but these are for a client so I need to ensure they are happy too.

I have encountered a few problems.

Most of the photos - the background is not very white - they need to be on a white background.

Here is an example:



This one I tried to rack up the exposure



What is the best way to try and make this background pure white? I tried selecting it and filling with white but then the bit at the top of the bottle looks odd as the background behind it is not so white.

Another issue with the darker ciders is there are more reflections and I can see my camera in the reflection. The camera is poking through a hole in the light tent.

See this example:



I am done shooting for today and may have an hour or two tomorrow for a reshoot if editing will not save these photos.

Any advice appreciated.

BTW I have the 2 continuous lights pointing at 45 degrees at the back of the light tent. towards the back of the bottle and 2 reflectors, one on each side of the front of the light tent - each at an angle, the theory being they would reflect some light back on the front of the bottle.

Message edited by author 2016-12-15 19:30:35.
 12/15/2016 08:38:29 PM · #2
the answer to your problem is that the lighting ratio must be right , the background to be white it needs to be about two (2) stops over exposed, Also try surrounding the bottles with sheets of white polystyrene to bounce the light around and lessen any shadows. Essentially you are using High Key lighting.
I purchased a couple of large sheets ( 8ft x 4ft) from a firm that uses them as insulation in their concrete houses. cost about $nz15.00
 12/15/2016 08:40:42 PM · #3
I'm no expert but the more you diffuse the light on the bottles the better. Point a separate light at the background to blow it out.

I've seen a decent article on this over at PictureCorrect -- I'll see if I can find/link it a little later.

BTW: Congratulations! :-)

Several (hundred) articles on product photography. I know at least a couple which I've seen in the past seemed useful -- sorry I can't rememeber which ... :-(

Message edited by author 2016-12-15 20:52:47.
 12/16/2016 04:44:50 AM · #4
Thank you for the replies.

Bottle photography is very difficult I have decided.

I struggled to light the background as the light tent is fairly small and I am not sure how to light it without placing a light behind the bottle and then you would see the light.

Here is my light tent and how I have set the bottle inside it. I ended up with 2 white reflectors at the front of the light tent at angles to try and reflect the light from the rear continuous lights back on to the bottles. I also fired a flash up in the air above the tent to bounce off the ceiling - without doing this, things were too dark overall.




So I would be interested in a set up like this - how do you light the backdrop - do you need a light on some sort of stick that goes into the light tent and is above the bottle but points downwards at the background behind the bottle?

Any other set up tips appreciated. I would love to perfect this.

These are my best efforts so far






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