"misssilver" wrote in
ups.com:

Hello, I am a photo student and I am in my second studio class-dealing
with strobes. I have been attempting to photograph wine glasses, but I
can't seem to get it correctly. The wine looks dull etc..what is the
best way to light wine glasses? With a soft box behind? What kind of
background? Help! Any input would be appreciated.


In addition to the great advice from That Guy There... ;-)

I've seen wine glasses illuminated quite well by placing a white
paper behind the glass, cut exactly to the shape of the glass and wine
level, which gave a bright background to the wine and caused it to glow.
Doing this in front of a darker background should give the best effect.

You may also achieve some decent results with bounce lighting
directly above, removing most highlights from the glass and getting the
light down into the wine. A small bright flashlight from behind, aimed
upwards into the wine, may work too, but balancing its weak light to the
other lighting you're using might be tricky, and chances are it will appear
much more yellowish.

Do a websearch on "gobos", because this may also help you use direct
light without specular reflections from the curved glass. A gobo is a
simple piece of black cardboard on a wire, positioned to block only the
portion of your lighting that bounces back into the camera lens from the
glass. You get the brighness and contrast of direct lighting without the
burning spot of a main reflection. These are easiest to set up with
constant lighting though, not strobes.


- Al.

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