How To Photograph Wine Bottles - 10 tips Add/Read Comments
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Merchants just do not spend enough time or thought on presenting their products in the best possible light. A blurry, poorly lit picture of a bottle plonked on someones dining table is just not going to get me to buy. With some thought given to background, lighting and props the final image can impart so much (aspirational/cultural/lifestyle) and give a much needed professional feel to a website whether it is to sell wine or just to write about them.
Obviously I want merchants and webmasters banging on my door to provide the images for them... but here are a few tips for taking photographs of wine and other drinks in and out of bottle:
- Lighting - natural light is always best. Don't use on-board flash as the reflected burn will dominate and look crap. Shadows and dramatic lighting are good but shouldn't take the emphasis away from the label. [example 1 example 2]
- Angle - straight on full bottle shots are dull, dull, dull. Go high, go low, go overhead, straight on is fine, as long as you do try not to include the whole bottle in the shot. [example]
- Reflections - watch for reflections of the camera. I've seen images that clearly showed the tripod, the photographer and the rooms light fittings. All very distracting.
- Props - complementary props, either by colour or by national association (i.e. Something 'French' next to a French wine), can lend a unique feel to an image. Corks, corkscrews, various wine glasses and other paraphernalia can all enhance a picture. Keep an eye out for second-hand/junk items such as branded glasses, water jugs and the like. There are Pernod Water jugs, branded Champagne flutes and beer mats in my growing prop box.
- Background - get in close, filling the frame seems to work best for me and removes the worry of distracting backgrounds. Poorly lit walls, shadows, clutter should be avoided. [example 1 example 2]
- Focus - use of a macro lens and low apertures (I use aperture priority exclusively on my SLR for all my wine bottle images and all still life images come to that) allow for selective focus. This should concentrate on the producer or wine name on the label, if your aim is to 'sell' the wine, or on the bottle or prop for atmospheric general 'wine' shots. [example]
- Highlights - you need to make the image 3-dimensional. Flat and lifeless images do little but using reflectors (pieces of white paper or free-standing slabs of polystyrene) can bounce light back onto the bottle or glass adding lively highlights and reflections. Highlights and/or a few bubbles in a glass of wine adds texture and life. [example]
- Colour and Tone - experiment with reducing colour saturation or even go black and white but remember the customer likes to see exactly what they are buying. For 'arty' or illustrative/abstract images correct colour rendition is less important. [example 1 example 2]
- Food and Wine - adding food to an image can add atmosphere but has a tendency to take the focus away from the bottle. The world of food photography is a whole subject in itself! [example 1 example 2]
- Think Outside The (Wine) Box - if a more 'arty' image is required, rather than a product image you have to approach the image a little differently; think outside the box. Angles, colours, repetition, textures all have a part to play. [example]
This image above has had a little text on the neck removed in photoshop while the label itself is abstract enough to remain anonymous. This image was selected to be used as a website banner for a soon to be launched wine blog. Before use it will be rotated and cropped a little to make full use of the dynamic 'popping out of the screen' effect.
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Comments
Written by: Dr. Biggles | on February 27, 2007 12:41 AM
Hey,
Most excellent, thought I might have something to add. Had to shoot glossy bottles in the past for a few brochures and it made me crazy at the reflection those darned glass things have. Sure we can use polorizing filters and whatever else we can find.
What I found free was to chill the bottles in the fridge for a while. Then, when you bring them out to shoot, condensation forms and the shiny glass goes away!
Although, for your public, showing a chilled red may not be what's needed. Cheap and easy is the way ...
Biggles
Written by: Cru Master | on February 27, 2007 8:44 AM
Hi there
Thanks for this fantastic link to tips on photography of wine bottles!
I must admit, I have only recently received my first SLR, a Nikon D40 and it is a lot more difficult than I anticipated!
My first attempts are on my site, but I am satill shooting in pre set modes and slowly moving to manual settings.
Its not so much the composition that I struggle with, more the settings - but I sauppose the more u practice and play around the better u become.
I also find it difficult to get the lighting around the bottle right! But I am determinded and hopefully soon, I''ll be able to share some fantastic snaps with you!
Would be great to get some feedback on the two at this link:
http://thecrusa.blogspot.com/2007/02/debut-pics-from-cru-master.html
thanks once again!
Written by: Ryan | on February 27, 2007 9:03 AM
Great post! i agree that there needs to be better bottle shots. For me it's laziness when I just don't have the energy to do it. THat needs to change. BTW it would be neat to see the side by side on a few of your shots from pre and post touch up. It's fun to see what people do to the pictures.
My favorite trick that helps a ton, is simply warming up the photo a bit. It makes it more intimate, i think.
cheers
Written by: Román TM | on September 28, 2007 12:00 AM
Thanks for your excellent tips, i´ll shot tomorrow a lot of wine bottles pictures and your advices are great!
thanks again from Mexico City!
Written by: Bob | on January 2, 2008 7:40 PM
Hello Cru,
I looked at the images and you are doing well. I only saw one thing that seemed "wrong" to me. The taller image seems to have some barrel distortion which can be easily in photoshop.
More importantly, congradulations on getting a SLR! I encourage you to use it manually especially in studio. Computers are dumb and their benefit is that they work fast. In the studio you don't need fast. You need to control exposure, focus point and depth of field.
It's very simple to learn the f-stop, shutter speed, iso relationship and you should start asap. With digital it's easier than ever because you get instant feedback with every click. And be sure to use a tripod for consistency of framing and focus point among other reasons.
Best of luck!
Written by: gary | on October 10, 2008 2:51 PM
Hi,
I am trying to take pictures of wine bottles with a 10mp canon digital camera. I have a white light tent. I put a photolamp above the light tent, but there always seems to be a reflection from the light. I can also sometimes see the trip and other objects reflecting off the front of the bottle. I am not using the flash on the camera. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Written by: Andrew | on October 10, 2008 6:04 PM
Ummm, natural light is the way to go. Is the light above direct or diffused? The latter is best. I occassionally have a few reflections (normally of the reflector) and either cover via photoshop or change the angle of the camera.
Any examples (on flickr?) so we can go looksee; it might help.
Written by: Jacques le Roux | on November 3, 2008 5:17 PM
Hi Bob, try some diffusion for your top light. This could be something as simple as tracing paper (rolls work best) or you can get fancy and use white perspex sheets, which works great for hiding and softening light sources. Top lighting is a bit unusual for bottles unless the capsule or necklabel are important.
Written by: Jacques le Roux | on November 4, 2008 4:53 PM
Oops, sorry Bob, it was meant for Gary.
Some more quick tips which will make your life much easier. If you use photoshop, shooting wine will be much simpler. Shoot the labels and capsules (tops) seperately from the bottle and combine the pictures in photoshop. Use a tripod and shoot all pictures from the same position without moving the bottle. Remember bottles will reflect almost everything in the room, so starting with a dark room will leave you with less reflections to worry about and make it easier to control your light source.
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Written by: Jacques le Roux | on November 5, 2008 3:10 PM
Don't quite agree with the natural light comment. Good if it works, but you can't manipulate it for best affect. Back lighting through a diffused sheet will work good for white wines (remembering to expose the labels seperately) and red will look good when your light source is soft and elliminate most of the reflected areas in the room (black velvet works best)