# Wine bottles...c&c and any help, please!



## souljourney (Feb 27, 2008)

Could you guys please give me some c&c on these images? I might be getting the opportunity to do a product shoot for a local winery and want to fine tune things before hand. They are going to want crisp images of the product as well as more artsy images. Product/commercial photography is *not* my strong point so I can really take whatever C&C you can give me!Thanks in advance!

#1...How would you handle the metallic surface on the label at the bottom?






#2





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#5


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## kundalini (Feb 27, 2008)

Hey SJ

I think there is some lighting issues by way of the reflections IMO.  A good book *Light Science & Magic* is a good source for lighting.  It has a chapter dedicated to shooting glass.

A light box could be handy as well.  *Here* is one cheap way to make one.

I would also suggest to go to top end winery websites or magizines for some creative ideas.  Also, don't forget that shots within the winery can be a possibility.


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## souljourney (Feb 27, 2008)

Hey stranger!

Thanks...I can always count on useful C&C from you.


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## Iron Flatline (Feb 28, 2008)

Ask one of the strobists about the metalic parts... but I think several diffused light-sources will even those out.

Fundamentally, wine is a luxury product - which means the customer doesn't actually _need _it. That means the images on some level should exude a quality that makes the customer _want _it. In this case, none of the images leave me with a sense of promise... such as the promise of some relaxation after getting home from work, or a good chat with a friend, or a decent meal. 

Also, if you're just shooting for the bottle and the label, you should still consider putting in context - like next to two empty wine glasses, and/or a basket of good bread, for example. Set it on covered table, or next to a good book. 

Finally... if these are samples, but not their own wines, find some other bottles. Both of these bottles have absolutely horrible labels. If they ARE their bottles, consider processing in B&W, with selective coloring. Bring out the purple as their brand's color.


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## souljourney (Feb 28, 2008)

Iron Flatline:  Thanks for the C&C.  UNFORTUNATELY...the one with the purple label IS one of their bottles.   They are going to want images of the wine bottle set against a background such as you suggested but probably 50-75% of the shoot would be of each individual wine they sell, shot by itself like in the first image, then cut out of the image so that it can be used for whatever various things they have in mind.  The new sales manager himself calls their whole approach very "Mickey Mouse" but he's having a hard time changing that because of one of the owners wants their products to appear "fun" as opposed to sophisticated.  Almost all of their wines are very sweet...I personally wouldn't buy a single one of them and if you were at my house for dinner on any given night of the week, you'd know that I am a wine drinker!


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## usayit (Feb 28, 2008)

I did a similar subject a long long time ago.  A few different wine bottles on a black wire wine rack.  What I noticed was that I had to set up a few spot lights to shine directly into a few of the bottles.  (Believe it or not, I used home depot shop lights for most lighting and Mag lights for light sources shining directly into a few of the bottles.)  This brought back some "brilliance" back into the lighter wines... Without those lights, those wine bottles came out muddied and dull.


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## usayit (Feb 28, 2008)

souljourney said:


> ... "fun" as opposed to sophisticated......



Then you should try to follow the "fun" factor rather than try to place the bottles in a sophisticated setting.  It might appeal to them to follow along with the "Mickey mouse" factor.

I don't mind sweet....  I almost always have a bottle of Port at my desk at home.


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## souljourney (Feb 28, 2008)

That's actually a good idea.  They have a wine called Reggae Red, which is actually pink and it tastes like Kool-Aid.  I could do something fun with that one, I'm sure.

I don't mind a good port or any other good dessert wine but this stuff is not really quality, IMO.  BUT, it sells, so who am I to say?


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## clawery (Feb 28, 2008)

I shoot a lot of glassware for one of my clients.  If you have the space to use a white sweep with paper or a 4x8 white (milk) plexiglass and backlight it.  For bottles of white wine I might use white foamcore or a silver card to mimic the shape of the bottle and place it behind the subject.  This would allow you to rotate it and pick up light and reflect it towards your camera.  If you want I can send you some examples of my glass shots.

Chris Lawery
Capture Integration
www.captureintegration.com
chris@captureintegration.com
404-234-5195 - cell
877-217-9870 - National 
404-234-5195 - Cell


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## souljourney (Feb 28, 2008)

Clawery...thanks for the advice about the foamcore or silver card behind the bottle!  I'd love to see some of your work...thanks!


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## Iron Flatline (Feb 28, 2008)

My heart goes out to you. I'm a hard-core wino, and there's nothing worse than bad wine... except bad wine that was made purposely to be that way - with the label to let everyone know. 

Btw - glass table, with a lamp underneath shining right into the heart of the bottle. That will get some brilliance into it.


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## souljourney (Feb 28, 2008)

Iron...yep...I AGREE.  Like I said, I have wine on my dinner table almost every night, as a matter of fact, I'm drinking a glass of malbec right now.  I am a sucker for a good, inexpensive glass of wine, too.  But...even the inexpensive good wines I drink at least have nice labels!  You haven't even seen the bad ones yet!  If I get the job you'll see them, for sure.


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## John_Olexa (Feb 28, 2008)

My hats off to all in this field!!!I think Advertising / Still life is the toughest form of photography to master. Also think it's the most lucrative for those who do master it. Advertisers & Agencies spend so much money on photographs they expect the highest technical quality so the jobs..and highest prices go to those who can produce!!

I have seem images I thought were good only to have someone point out something I didn't even notice!!! REALLY MINOR stuff at that. BUT was the diffrence between a nice image and a sale! I have seen where the best spent a whole day setting up and shooting a single subject shot to perfection :hail::hail::hail:


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