Flash - Behind the scenes

[Lello]

Dean, Thats how I felt when I first joined WPF, Keep looking and learning, and pick as many brains as you can, I did and still do.
Lello

[Canis Vulpes]

After two other bottle and glass type photos I thought this would be easy. I started by composing the shot with an empty glass and using lighting from above set to decide the main light and lens aperture.

What follows is the development path and thought process that arrived at the final photo.

Unfortunately the brolly created a large artefact in the glass (pic1) and I racked my brains for something that would reduce this. After some thought I figured that the reflection was coming from the stem of the glass and placed a penny in the bottom to cut this off, this was unsuccessful (pic2). A brew later I thought to place water in the glass to simulate refraction of the beer in the final shot and it did help (pic3). More pause and I decided I needed a black flag to cast a shadow in the glass – then - The penny dropped ( no pun intended ) and I thought the head of the beer would do exactly that and act as a large diffuser floating on top of the beer (pic4).

The labels were then lit using a snoot with a second flash at ¼ power through a diffuser which cooled the flash artefact on the left hand side of the labels but did not eliminate entirely. Overall shot and second flash with snoot can be seen in pic 5.


The beer is not actually beer instead tea foamed using one drop of washing-up detergent. One pint was made with one drop then whisked to get the foam tight and beer looking – hope this looked like authentic beer and for those who don’t know Leffe Bruin is a very dark beer.

Finally if you work for BMI in the First Class departure lounge at Brussels (National) Airport then on my next visit I promise to return the glass. The glass is used so has some marks probably from other users and BMI staff!

Note:- setup photos are for illustrative purposes only and are lower in quality that the final image seen in our gallery.

[Don Hoey]

Thats a great behind the scenes Foxy Bob. Full marks for the thought process. Excellent job with the tea and washing up liquid - very inventive. The head looks right, and if you had not said so, I would not have known.

I see you have made good use of the canon snoot again. For the benefit of new viewers to this thread, I call it so because it looks like a canon, not part of Canons inventory.

Very good pic, but I would make a request if there is a chance of reshoot, before you give back the glass. The glass has a great logo and it would be nice to bounce a touch of light back, to brighten it.

I won't comment on how you have the glass, unless BMI let you walk to the aircraft beer in hand so not to rush you.

I notice Lambrini still unopened on the side.

Don

[Canis Vulpes]

One thing with home drinking is the head on beer can quickly go, whereas a true pint of 'real ale' in a pub is a totally different type of beer and the head tends to stay longer.

The cosmetic beer I drempt up this morning has a washing-up detergent head and therefore stays for a long time. The photo was shot about 10 minutes after pouring and still looked good. Even when I packed away after editing, some 20 minutes the head was still intact but began to have larger bubbles so was looking a little fake.

The reason for the 10 minute delay was movement of snoot, centreing and finalising the shot.

I recommend this artificial beer this type of beer shot as it allows time to get the right shot.

The glass sort of selected me as I found it in my carry-on luggage when I arrived home and I have no idea how it got there

[yelvertoft]

Fake beer! Go wash your mouth out, at once, use the stuff you have thoughtfully provided for yourself in the glass.

I can understand the thought process, and know exactly what you mean about it gong flat quite quickly. I'd have tried it with beer, got the lighting right. Had a break, whilst emptying the glass slowly, after a suitable pause, refilled and taken the final shot.

If you're going to take a glass for each type of Belgian beer you drink, you'd better get bigger luggage. It's part of the brewing culture that each beer has its own distinctive glass, it's all part of the marketing. There are bars in Brugge that serve over 300 different beers. That's a lot of glassware if you're going to continue collecting. You can get Leffe glasses in presentation packs in most decent off-licences at this time of year. I suggest Oddbins if there's one near you.

Later edit:
There is clearly a different texture to the head of Real Leffe Brune. Who needs flash anyway? Quarter second, hand held. I like my new toy.

Much later edit:
How did you end up with the Lambrini glass then? That must be a far more shameful tale.

[ollieholmes]

I had a crack at it tonight. Ive atached my first two results, im using no more than the flash built into my D50. Any tips etc are welcome. Subject is the familys camera. The third photo is my set up.

[Jon Sharp]

Originally Posted by Don Hoey

Very good pic, but I would make a request if there is a chance of reshoot, before you give back the glass. The glass has a great logo and it would be nice to bounce a touch of light back, to brighten it.

Don

I continue to be fascinated by this thread. The thought processes and results continue to be amasing and extremely educational.

If you do undertake a re-shoot, how about trying to achieve the same effect as the snooted flash but using a small mirror or mirror card as a focussed bounce - I'm intrigued to know if you can produce similar results with one flash?

I use vanity mirrors and cards cut to various shapes and sizes covered in foil to produce/control highlights in shots, but I wouldn't even start to think about a set up like this without my studio heads.

I know not having a modelling light makes this awkward to set up but it occurred to me many following the thread have one flash gun...

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Jon Sharp

I know not having a modelling light makes this awkward to set up but it occurred to me many following the thread have one flash gun...

Jon,

If you play with flash a bit you can work without modelling lights by pre-visualising the effect of each flash. You do need to be on manual though.

A 1 gun challenge

Don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by ollieholmes

I had a crack at it tonight. Ive atached my first two results, im using no more than the flash built into my D50. Any tips etc are welcome. Subject is the familys camera. The third photo is my set up.

Using the pop up only is a bit like having both hands tied behind your back for shots like these Ollie. Other than my behind the scenes I never use a flash mounted ON the camera.

I will give this a bit of thought though. Another challenge.

Don

[ollieholmes]

Originally Posted by Don Hoey

Using the pop up only is a bit like having both hands tied behind your back for shots like these Ollie. Other than my behind the scenes I never use a flash mounted ON the camera.

I will give this a bit of thought though. Another challenge.

Don

Yes it is rather limiting, but at the moment i cannot buy a flash gun so i have to make do without.