Natural light bottle shots

I recently saw a photographer advertising bottle shots, their website text stated "expensive lighting is needed to achieve professional bottle shots". I'm sharing this image to prove this not the case.

I'm sharing this image to prove that this may not be the case. Knowledge, experience & understanding light and lighting are more important than gear. Gear enables the photographer to create their vision.

The key light to the left of frame is a 6'x4' window with a close weave net curtain. The natural light was heavy diffuse cloud from a open sky. This was then diffused by a 30"x20" piece of Tough Frost diffusion gel (Rosco Cinegel 3008, LEE Filters 220) attached to a sheet of clear acrylic for rigidity.

The background is a old rough sawn wooden apple box. Light is prevented form reaching the background by means of a piece of black card acting as a flag. There's also a piece of card above the box preventing top light on the box.

To frame right is a white v-flat supported by a 3 foot bar clamp. This reflects light back to fill the shadows.

In order to illuminate the beer in the bottle a piece of bright gold foil card cut to the rough shape of the bottle is placed behind the bottle and directed to the key light. This attached to a bamboo skewer in a washing detergent measure with white tack. This enables easy slight adjustments to the position of the reflector.

Looking toward the camera position there's a white reflector surrounding the lens - a piece of white foam core with a hole the diameter of the lens hood. The small v-flat to frame right above controls a reflection on the next collar which is gold foil.

There were a few minor tweaks in post-production.

The reflectors used for this shoot where made from card or foam core boards available from most art & craft stores. The only specialised material is the Tough Frost as I wanted a smooth clean reflection - see the left side of the black label.

That's it for now and don't forget if you really enjoy lighting to visit and join The LIGHT Side - a place to learn, be mentored, nurtured and learn about lighting, lighting and photography, whatever your level or experience.







Credits

• Lighting Equipment: Sunbounce, Elinchrom & more from our friends at The Flash Centre - I don't recommend businesses unless I have direct experience of the products and people - when contacting The Flash Centre call Brian Collier at the Birmingham branch. 

Photography lighting equipment in association withThe Flash Centre and Elinchrom Ltd