Photos of BEER! - DPChallenge Forums

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

01/22/2004 01:18:14 AM · #1

Well, I asked for some advice in this thread on how to best photograph beer. I went out and bought the cocoon, and these are the results I have obtained, so far. I used a combo of water and glycerine to create the "sweaty" look to the glass, but I still find the it "runs" a little too much. Maybe I just need to tweak the ratios. I used 1 x 250w from below to illuminate the empty glass and 3 lights to illuminate the full glass: 2 x 500w Tungstens on the sides and 1 x 250w lighting from below.

Any comments on how to make these better would be greatly appreciated.

kreybar

Nikon D70

01/22/2004 01:24:30 AM · #2

There seems to be condensation on the label of the beer - filled glass that detracts from the red. Also , just an idea ; how about a little foam running down the side of the glass ?

faidoi

Pentax K10D

01/22/2004 01:30:06 AM · #3

I can see the reflections of the tabletop. I like the lighting on the glass without the beer.

willem

Sony Alpha a6700

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

01/22/2004 02:28:30 AM · #4

In the other thread you told us the background had to be white. These are not white.

What kind of look are you after ? What is the look the client is after ? What kind of instructions or limits have you been given ? What freedom do you have ? Which product aspects need to be emphasised ?

Should we judge in that context or just with our own opinion on how to photograph beer/glass attractively ?

e301

01/22/2004 05:33:35 AM · #5

Your best bet to get the condensation effect is to do it for real - get the beer really cold, and the glass a little warm, and unless your in 0% humidity it should happen of its own accord.

The cocoon looks effective though - what kind of shutter/aperture/ISO speeds were you able to use with that set-up?

Ed

Pepette

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

01/22/2004 07:24:51 AM · #6

One of my favorite beer anyway!!! I also agree that some foam coming on the side of the glass would help. What is a cocoon?!

Danielle

01/22/2004 09:58:04 AM · #7

Originally posted by willem:

Yes the bg has to be white, but that can be done in PS.

What my client and I are after is a shot where the beer glass looks at it's best, as this is what we are selling with these shots. So mainly the glass and logo have to be right on. The beer should also look apetizing and tasty, as we want people to want to put our beer in it as well.

I guess what I'm asking is: is the glass well presented, does it look tasty, could my lighting be better, etc. In other words: if you saw this picture on a package, would it make you want to buy the product and/or glass?

I agree that foam coming down the side would add to it, but these shots must match some others that were previously taken (not by me, they used to use a PRO and paid big $$$ until they discovered I could take their photos). I will be shooting only 3 of the 6 used in the packaging, so they want some consistency between the shots.

Danielle: this is a cocoon.

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

01/22/2004 10:03:16 AM · #8

Originally posted by e301:

With the lighting setup I had, I used F 32, ISO 100, 1/3 sec. I shot in RAW and adjusted the exposure by +0.8.

I think I'm going to try using 1 more light, from the back to bring out the colour of the beer.

I'll post some more later.

willem

Sony Alpha a6700

01/22/2004 11:01:20 AM · #9

Thanks for explaining it further. A few comments :

1) You can make the background white in PS in the shot with the beer in the glass, but it would look strange in the shot with the empty glass.

2) I especially like the clarity and colors of the logo.

3) The empty glass shot I do not find very attractive. I find it rather dark and in some area's the glass does not stand out from the background. It misses definition. The edge definition on top is o.k. but on the sides there is little contrast. Since you are using the cocoon you severely limit yourself in the contrast you can obtain.

If you use the setup recommended by scab-lab in the previous thread, with lots of light on the background, and then dark surfaces in the background, just outside camera view, you get a totally different result. But it might not be what you are after.

4) The beer shot is a good representation of reality, but does not pop, in my opinion. Your additional try with more light through the beer might change that. Another option might be a large light (e.g. softbox) from the front to add a reflection. Would maybe make it more alive.

The cocoon creates a very even light, without reflections or shadows, but also takes away some of the atmosphere which I would expect to be important in a beer shot.

If you try the suggestion above with the empty glass, you might also want to try the same thing with the beer shot, but then maybe with surfaces outside view which has a slightly lighter color than the beer, which you then will see in the edges of the glass.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/22/2004 11:07:36 AM · #10

Some tricks that I have picked up for shooting beer, pop, or any liquid in a glass conatiner. Put some white paper on the back of the glass this helps give that glow and makes the liquid look clear. Also, you can set the glass over a hole in the surface you are shooting on and shoot a light up through the hole. This gives a similar effect, but usually is more effective on darker fluids like your beer. You can use the two techniques together as well. These might help you get a more even color in the beer from top to bottom in the glass.

Also, rather than repositioning the glass should you need to empty it due to the beer going flat or whatever, use a small wet/dry vac to suction the fluid out.

I don't know how you are getting the water drops on the glass, but you might want to try something that gets smaller droplets like a plant mister as opposed to a regular spray bottle.

Hope these help you out.

Dan

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/22/2004 11:44:26 AM · #11

Thanks for the input guys:

Willem, we will mostlikely only be using the filled glass shot. My other one is mostly there to show my beginings of the process.

Dan: The idea with the paper in the back is similar to what the guy at the camera store suggested. He said to use aluminum foil. I'm assuming that this would have to be lit from the front, not the back. Do you make it exactly the size of the glass, or just shaped similarly and smaller?
Also the suggestion of the plant mister is good. i was using a regular spray bottle. I'll defenitely try that. I hope the glycerine/water mixture will still go through.

Thanks again guys. If anybody else has advice, I'm all ears.

Mario

drydoc

Canon EOS-7D

01/22/2004 11:58:24 AM · #12

The observations of a rank amateur. . . for what they're worth:

While I like the idea of more foam, I don't want it running down the side of the glass but certainly want it higher than the rim of the glass. . . almost to the point of going over the rim. Beer, itself, looks flat in the current shot.

The colors in the logo on the glass appear faded and flat. I am guessing from too much light. Maybe the suggestion with the white paper on the back of the glass may help remedy that as well as the liquid's color.

While I don't share Willem's observation about the logo on the glass, I do agree with the comment that the "presentation does not pop." With that in mind, I was wondering if less lighting might prove more effective. Do the 250w tungstens have transformers so that the lighting can be played with to soften one side? Wouldn't a slight shadow on the base of the table give it more dimension? I guess what I looking for is some contrast. Lighting is too even.

As for the sweat, more of it and simply running straight down the glass.

As the person who submitted the martini, stirred not shaken, in the motion challenge, I am extremely interested in the comments you are getting. I knew my photo was not great but was not sure of how to improve it. Thank you for putting you efforts up for scrutiny and letting me share in the learning.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/22/2004 12:03:20 PM · #13

Originally posted by mariomel:

Thanks for the input guys:

Dan: The idea with the paper in the back is similar to what the guy at the camera store suggested. He said to use aluminum foil. I'm assuming that this would have to be lit from the front, not the back. Do you make it exactly the size of the glass, or just shaped similarly and smaller?
Also the suggestion of the plant mister is good. i was using a regular spray bottle. I'll defenitely try that. I hope the glycerine/water mixture will still go through.

Thanks again guys. If anybody else has advice, I'm all ears.

Mario

Any reflective material will work. You can change the shape/size to control how the glow appears from the front. I would try some differnt width strips on just the upper part of the glass where the beer seems the darkest.

Be sure to post your improvements.

Dan

A Weaver

Sony DSLR-A100

01/22/2004 02:46:03 PM · #14

Here was my go at it. BEER SHOT

Message edited by author 2004-01-22 14:46:50.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/23/2004 09:57:17 AM · #15

Well, OK. Here is the result of yesterday's trials. Modified the lighting setup to the following: 2 x 500W on the sides, slightly to the front (45Â°) + 500W from underneath, slightly to the front as well + 500W right in the back, shining through the beer. Still using the cocoon. Did not attempt to change my drops. That'l be my next step.

Total= 2000W vs 1 glass of beer. And the beer won. This beer is so dark that I found that it still did not get enough light through it. I tried many diff scenarios, but this is the one that looked the best.

Once again, comments and advice are welcome. Thanks.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/23/2004 10:09:16 AM · #16

left a comment on the photo, not sure it will help, but i have tried it before.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/23/2004 12:15:12 PM · #17

Originally posted by soup:

left a comment on the photo, not sure it will help, but i have tried it before.

Thanks for your comments. I tried many ways to light it more intensly from below, but did not try your method. I'm not sure a MAGLITE will have much effect given the 2000W already there, but perhaps since it's beam can be very concentrated. I'll give it a try.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/23/2004 12:18:53 PM · #18

right but the light beam will be pressed against the bottom of the glass, where as the lamps you have now are away from the glass.

so all the light from it will be forced through the beer.

maybe it wont work...

drydoc

Canon EOS-7D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/27/2004 08:33:06 PM · #19

How about a mirror for a coaster to get that light up through the beer?
I was also wondering if the white background is bleaching out your subject. Simply changing background color might make it all pop out.
I am asuming, of course, that this will all be adjusted in Photoshop or something similar. This is on a light table, correct?

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/27/2004 08:47:34 PM · #20

A coaster on the bottom would look nice. Maybe a Griffon coaster?

labuds

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/27/2004 09:34:00 PM · #21

change beer if it's too dark.