A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

I am taking a class at my local vocational school and the assignment is still life. I have a very small studio space with a 6' ceiling where I mostly do portraits. My setup is two speed lights with a 32" reflector to camera right. Camera is Pentax K-1 with a Sigma 28-105mm and aperture set about f13. I used Photo Elements to "clone" over a couple of the harsh reflections. I tried positioning the lights to reduce the reflections but I was not successful on getting rid of them all together. Critque and suggestions are welcomed.

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PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Great concept but the bottle in the middle is not working for me as my eye bounces back and forth with the flowers on left and right. Suggestion is to redo it with a flower on the left only and then your eye stops to look at the bottle and read the label. Lighten it up a bit in Elements.My 2 cents.

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

Thanks for your 2 cents, I'll try that and see what it looks like.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

The flower to the right 'talks' to the bottle label. But the red flower to the left has nothing obvious to talk to. If the bottle contents basically red maybe PP might tune in a bit more reddish intensity in the bottle, if such is there.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

In the context of a commercial photograph the PRODUCT in a still life must stand out as the motif of the image. A glass object presents cretin problems of unwanted reflections, however, certain deliberately placed highlights (reflection s)are desirable in glamorizing the product, providing dimensionality and shape and separating the product form the background.

Oftentimes a single diffused light source such as a soft box or north window light, striking the subject at between 45° and 120° from the camera/subject axis, will provide a nice, soft vertical highlight on the entire length of the bottle to delineate its shape and impart an elegant mood.. A silver or white reflector, picking up the edge of the beam of light form the main source and redirected back at the front and and label of the product will serve as fill light source.

In this image, the flowers do not directly late to the product and serve as a distraction. If you want the flowers to suggest a table setting or table centerpiece, the should be in back and to the side of the subject, in a darker rendition by feathering or shading the light away from them and in a position where the will not reflect in the bottle.

A more appropriate prop might be a filled wine glass with the light trans-illuminating the wine. Other props may be a food that would be accompanied by that particular wine.

If the labels printed on a metallic paper, a white reflector would be a good frontal fill source which would illuminate the label without objectionable reflection. We should see more of the label head on. Sometimes a slight shorter focal length lens or zoom setting, not a full wide angle, by slightly wider than normal and a closer camera distance brings out more roundness in the bottle.

It is best to control reflections in shooting that having to clone out unwanted refection in processing.

The dark background is dramatic and desirable, however just a light touch or color or tonal mass from a very subtle lighting of the background will yield better separation and more dimension.

A slightly off center position of the main subject will yield a better an more dynamic composition.

I hope this helps and thank you for posting your interesting project.

Ed

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

Ed, thank you for your comments. As I look at my photo and read your suggestions, I can see where I could make many improvements. This type of photography is much more difficult than it appears and I want to practice until I can turn out an acceptable image.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

A10! Thanks for your remarks!

Never get discouraged- if you want to master still life work or any other aspect of photography-it takes time.

As you practice, experiment and study, things will become easier. As you become more conversant with lighting and other technicalities you will be better able to concentrate on composition, props and the creative facets of any given project.

If you are up for it, why not shoot and post the same item with the application of the suggestions you have received? That would be SO COOL, as my grand kids say, in that it is very it is seldom that folks do that after a critique, especially in online forums.

I am very glad that I started this section and very impressed that photographers are not only posting the work that they are satisfied with but the projects where the are seeking improvement.

Thanks again for sharing your project and post again soon! Ed

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

I will reshoot and repost and see if I can get it looking better.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Look forward to seeing it

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

The is gonna be GREAT for for everyone in this section! THANK YOU!

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

I have worked on my still life of the wine bottle for a couple nights and it is much more difficult than I thought. The reflections are driving me crazy as well as the uneven coloration of the bottle. My lighting setup stayed much the same though, I added a led flashlight to help with the label and lighten the bottle. I have not given up but I think this is the last photo I will post with this subject. E.L. Shapiro, I appreciate the help and suggestions. I will continue to shoot still life, but maybe less shiny objects.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

DON"T GIVE UP!

PLEASE post a picture of your last attempt- as is- and also pull the camera back and show me the setup. Don't mix your lighting with a LED flashlight- that may account for the color difficulties.

I am sure we can work together and clean up the reflection issues. Learning this stuff is a process- it takes time and after a little experience you will find it very simple.

I am looking forward to you post!

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

I reshot this morning without the flashlight. As you can see I have one speedlight to camera left and a softbox with defusion. I added the small reflector in front for this shot. Again, I appreciate the encouragement.

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PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Great improvement. The grapes provide what we call a leading line out of the picture. You should get a good grade.

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

Thanks PixelStan77, it IS difficult with those reflections.