Budget lighting setup for photographing wine and beer bottles
Asked 4/26/2014
2 views
2 answers
0
I want to build an affordable small product-photography setup for wine and beer bottles, with a budget of about $500. My initial idea is a white background, two large softboxes on either side, and a separate light on the background behind the bottle. What lighting approach and basic gear should I prioritize to get better bottle and glass shots on a limited budget?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
This is probably a cliché answer, but the first thing you should buy is a copy of Light, Science and Magic. It covers in depth how to photograph glass (bright and dark field).
It requires a lot of trial and error to get right, but in addition to soft boxes and your white background, you'll almost surely need something subtractive - dark cards to flag the light, especially with light colored glass. To make light colored glass stand out against a light background, you need something dark to be reflected by that glass, hence the need for flags
Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4191
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Bottle photography is less about buying lots of lights and more about controlling reflections. A solid starting point is two large diffused side lights and a white background, but for glass bottles you’ll also need subtractive lighting: black cards/flags placed beside the bottle to create dark edge reflections and define the shape.
For light-colored glass on a light background, those dark reflections are often what make the bottle visible. Without flags, the bottle can disappear into the background. Expect some trial and error with placement.
A very useful resource is Light: Science and Magic, which explains bright-field and dark-field lighting for glass in depth. That will likely help more than adding extra gear.
So, prioritize:
- large soft, even side lighting
- a clean white background
- black foam core or cards for flags/subtractive light
- careful positioning and testing
If your budget is limited, spend on broad, controllable diffusion and simple flags before chasing more complex lighting.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I build a portable light tent for photographing beer bottles quickly?
How can I light a wine bottle with a reflective gold label so the text stays readable?
How can I light a glass bottle on white without orange backglow or label reflections?
How many studio strobes do I need for product photography on a shooting table and ghost mannequin clothing shots?
How should I light mannequin clothing photos in a very small space?