Glass Photo - What a difference a day makes?

Question

I shot a quick example of how someone could take a suitable photo for eBay last night. I didn't want to move stuff around and so I got a "fair" result. I decided that I couldn't let it stand and say, "Just take my word for it," so I moved some stuff out of my way to gain the lighting angle that I prefer and recommended to our asker.

Lit from behind: http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/1023266602/
Lit from the front:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/1014800796/

In fact, once you are on the first photo, just click on the other cream pitcher in my photostream and you can swap quickly.

As I said under the photo, it's not quite catalog material yet, but it's an improvement. It's just a point and shoot camera, too, like anyone might already own. The only special equipment needed is a tripod. Since you would be using the self-timer and a light-weight point and shoot camera, you don't even need to spend $100 and up on a tripod. Just a $25-50 tripod would be fine.

Antoni, you should see my "rolled horizon." It's just a jacket turned inside out so the lining shows and it's hanging on top of a box. Thanks, though. eBay photography has taught me a lot of quick and dirty tricks.

Thanks, teef. Here I'm thinking that _anyone_ could set up and take this shot and you say something nice. :-)

Terisu, check me out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/412244168/ ...if you ever need to shot a ring again.

Answer 1

Goes to show the old adage "It's not the camera so much as the photographer"

That is a really really nice effect. I suspect that a magazine on a budget would be quire prepared to use that shot. Personally I prefer the realism of some sort of shadowing rather than a complete white box approach. I also suspect that some of the nice highlights in your shot could not have been achieved with a white box solution.

Well done - thanks for sharing!

Answer 2

I've never been much of a fan of lit from front photos, so I think the lit from behind is much better, while showing just as much detail. You usually get the best detail from quarter side lighting, but I guess glass is tricky to light. Never tried it myself, but I had a heck of a time trying to get the lighting just right on an opal once.

Answer 3

Tripod is one of my standaad answers i hope people pick up on it.

A littlt idea for you, hold a black board off camera and it will help define the shape and edges


Love your rolled horizon, nice work Dr

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