# Why water droplets are not visible on my beer photographs?



## hellboy80 (May 21, 2016)

I tried to photograph a beer with the lighting setup you can see on the first picture.

I tried white and black background (second picture). How is it possible that the droplets are so clearly visible on the first photo and almost invisible on my photographs (the photos are awful, i know, they are straight out of the camera, i was just experimenting).

The droplets are partly visible only when I add some side light (third picture), but there is no side light on the first picture (its only a back light). So what am i missing? Thanks for any tips!


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## tirediron (May 21, 2016)

You need to cross light this for the drops to show up; in this case, I would probably try putting the glass on a reflective surface and light from the top. Failing that, light from the side, and raise your light.


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## Overread (May 21, 2016)

Considering that your lighting came up with a different result consider:

1) That you need to move the light around more to catch the right angles to make the drops show up. 

2) Look for editing information as well; sometimes certain effects are only part captured in camera and then are brought out into detail in the editing phase. This might be one where the right lighting gives the effect; but you don't typically get the pronounced stand-out until its been edited a certain way (of which there might be several approaches)


I've never done lighting nor a shot like this so I can't give a firm answer.

That said it looks like the dominant light in the shot you linked to is back-lit - ergo its coming from behind.
Meanwhile the shots you have taken are more frontal or side lit; the light from around is lighting as much if not more than the light behind. Which is changing how the light is rendering the shot.

Consider turning off all the light except the light behind. If you're using flash then use a small aperture, low ISO and as fast as you can sycn (1/200sec or 1/250 on most cameras) so that the flight light is the only exposure contributing light.


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## hellboy80 (May 21, 2016)

Overread said:


> Considering that your lighting came up with a different result consider:
> 
> 1) That you need to move the light around more to catch the right angles to make the drops show up.
> 
> ...



The first picture is straight out of the camera, no Photoshop (i saw the tutorial). And there is only back light at this point. I used a backlight too. My sync speed is 1/160 and my aperture was F8. But maybe the light was bouncing back from surfaces around. I am in smaller room then the guy who took the first picture.


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## KC1 (May 21, 2016)

Try using a light table for the lighting.


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## hellboy80 (May 21, 2016)

I just figured out what the problem is - the fluid in the glass (it wasnt real beer, but water with syrup) was too opaque. With reel beer the result is ok ) So there is no magic trick, I was just stupid


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