How can I photograph a lemon slice inside a clear ice cube?

Asked 5/11/2012

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I want to recreate a stock-style image of a lemon slice suspended inside a clear ice cube. I’m considering either making a real clear ice cube with lemon inside, or casting an acrylic/resin fake ice cube and embedding the lemon while the material is soft. What’s the best approach for getting a clear result, and what lighting setup would work well for this kind of shot?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

2 Answers

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For clear ice cubes:

Use filtered water, not straight from the tap. Boil it and let it cool down. Boil it a second time and let it cool down. (this double boil gets rid of dissolved air in the water, which is a big source of haze) You may need to slow down the freezing by putting your ice mold inside a bigger tray filled with water - fast freezing from the outside in also contributes to haze. Now finish with your ice cube mold and drop the lemon in as planned.

Lighting you're on your own =) But I think a back light to shine through the lemon would make it pop even better than the stock photo you linked, and maybe a side light to catch the peel and give it texture.

Originally by user8258. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user8258

14y ago

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AI Answer

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Yes—this can be done either with very clear real ice or with an acrylic/resin fake cube. For real ice, clarity is the main challenge: use filtered water, boil and cool it twice to reduce dissolved air, and freeze it slowly, since fast freezing makes cloudy ice. Then place the lemon in the mold as planned. For a highly polished stock-photo look, a fake acrylic cube is also plausible; after curing, the cube can be polished and buffed to smooth surfaces and soften edges.

For lighting, backlighting is especially useful because it will shine through the lemon and make it glow. Add a side light to bring out texture in the peel. The sample image also appears to be lit from above and slightly behind/left. A light tent can help control reflections on the cube. Since the subject is static, use a tripod and a longer exposure instead of needing very bright lights. Overall, aim for a clean high-key setup with careful control of reflections and a bright background.

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14y ago

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