5 Essential Bottle Photography Tips in 5 minutes
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- Loads of people tell me how hard they find it to photograph bottles. Granted, it’s not easy but these 5 tips will help you to take an amazing packshot. Wish I’d known all this when I started!
1) Prepare your bottle!
2) Get the correct camera and subject position
3) Your back light is what will create the interior glow, positioning is key!
4) Use black card to bring back blown out edges
5) Cross polarization…magic
As a still life photographer you’ve got to be confident photographing any subject. Once you understand some basic principles, things like the angle of reflection and refraction, which I’ll explain in a later video, you’ll begin to become comfortable photographing anything.
EQUIPMENT USED TODAY
Nikon D810 - geni.us/cwHFb
Nikon 85mm - geni.us/oye1
Manfrotto 410 Junior - geni.us/9FB5b7
Profoto D2 - geni.us/8uMYmJ
Profoto Air Remote - geni.us/ssbMlqc
Wireless triggers - geni.us/kxzt8I
Profoto 1x1.3 - geni.us/dbBF4
Impact strip small 9 x 36 - fave.co/2q4Q3W0
Opal Acrylic - bit.ly/2EfVV2V
Polarizing Gel - fave.co/2q4IjTJ
20-inch C-stand - fave.co/2It9q1M
40-inch C-stand - fave.co/2uOdQhG
Matthews Knuckle - fave.co/2uKFWu5
Baby Wall Plate - fave.co/2uIlqdH
Extension Arm - fave.co/2q4WBny
Manfrotto Super Clamp - geni.us/DmQmnKf
Manfrotto Magic Arm - geni.us/rAyO84
Acrylic surface - bit.ly/2Emr7xC
Label remover - geni.us/xjYcFyB
VISIT SQUAREMOUNTAIN.CO.UK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US
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LINKS TO ALMOST EVERYTHING I USE...ALMOST!
CAMERAS AND LENSES
Nikon D750 - geni.us/yya8gC
Sigma 150mm Macro - geni.us/B56E
Nikon 50mm - geni.us/F8mw9
Tamron 15-30mm Macro - geni.us/fzAJn
TRIPOD AND HEAD
Tripod - Need a better one
LIGHTING
Godox Speedlight - geni.us/HUKtxA
MODIFIERS
Profoto 3x3 - fave.co/2q4RKTk
Profoto Reflector - geni.us/mqwrzOr
Profoto Gird kit - fave.co/2q6E61S
Acrylic Mirror - geni.us/tHHV6X
Lee 129 - fave.co/2q4BaTE
Savage Translum - fave.co/2IsZpS3
Cinefoil - geni.us/uz7rAbd
GRIP
Matthews 48x48 Trace Frame - fave.co/2q71RXy
Overhead Boom - fave.co/2q54M3j
MISC
Acrylic blocks - bit.ly/2Emr7xC
Acrylic Ice Cubes - setshop.com/spe...
Matt Paint Primer - bit.ly/2GuhHFY
Vegetable Glycerin - geni.us/oEGj
X-rite Colour Checker - geni.us/iDhK1
Wacom Tablet - geni.us/wJ5z
SOFTWARE
Adobe Creative Cloud - fave.co/2qe3JxV
Capture One - captureone.sjv...
Helicon Focus - store.payprogl...
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
RGG EDU - rggedu.com/col...
SLR Lounge - www.slrlounge....
Fstoppers - fstoppers.com/...
Phlearn - phlearn.com/af...
THAT 5TH TIP THOUGH. DAMN!!
You know max is a good UA-camr when he still likes comments after 2 years.
Ha ha! Shame I never get time to upload a video :). One day
Some of the best tips I've come across, thanks kindly
You saved my life. Thank you so much ❤️🙏
This is the best and straight to the point that I have seen so far
Nicely done! Thanks for the quick tips.
Super helpful, thanks!
Without any fuss. This has been the best photography tutorial of the many I've watched on YT. thanks!
uiaiui thanks! Really appreciate that!
uiaiui yes.... keep your eye on that fuss
I think this is the best UA-cam video I have watched in months! Thank you very much for these tips.
Very helpful, thanks.
You have the gift of teaching, THANK YOU! for such a great tutorial
Wow! I do 3D rendering of bottles and experienced some of the problems you address here. These tips work very well for 3D rendering as well!
Excellent. Finally not just a cheap click-bait title, these tips actually work. Thank you.
thanks very much for the tips!
Excellent presentation. Currently doing a project (learning experience) of shooting wine and whiskey bottles so your video was invaluable for tips, tricks and pointers. Greetings from Dublin.
Excellent YT video man. About perfect.
Great video, very informative. Thanks chap!
Loved your presentation. No unnecessary talk- straight to the point. And love your precise language. The studio is also clean without clutter.Thank you for the insightful video!
This video is super helpful
One of the best tutorials! Better than other overly simple ones. This is the proper way!
this was awesome...the polarizer gel tip was the greatest. Thanks!
Very clear instructions well done
Hey, I'm down a product photography rabbit hole for bottles (learning to shoot my for my own alcohol bottle coming out). I think your video is the best one. The two cut out black bits really helps make things easier in photoshop which is better than what other people suggest (to hang a black card near the bottle on both sides and just take different composites then mash them together). Good stuff. Also saw your Haig video ad, fucking incredible
Thanks! Good luck with the brand
Great to see those tips - thanks for sharing
Brilliant. Probably the best 5 minute tips I've seen. Subscribed!
Cross polarization! Brilliant! . . . It is now a week later since I commented. And my order for the circular polarizer filter and linear gel has arrived. Put the gel over a led light and tried it out. Yes, it works brilliantly. The biggest advantage so far is killing the reflections on a wine cap. Fantastic time saver in post. Thanks again for sharing this tip.
this technic of polarization the light with gel and blindered the horribles speculars brights on the surface of the bottle is how the work are made in films and grand formats cameras 4x5 or even more in the earliers years of the begining digital cameras. In this time the work consistency in a "spend" 8 hours creating the set, composition, atrezzo and lightening and in the last minute of that day of work, only one click and "voila", the picture are perfect allways!!!!... this time of digital cameras change the metods, to priorize the velocity, but depreciate the quality and knowlege of work too the old school...
Awesome tutorial! Seen a lot of tutorials on the topic but still you managed to give me a few novel and really useful tips, kudos to you man!
Really great video - some great tips and techniques and straight to the point!
Helpful video, thank you very much
amazing man amazing!!!......thankyou very very much
This was awesome. Thanks so much for this! I love taking photos of bottles so I can’t wait to apply all of these tips.
One golden nugget after another...
Dude, awesome tutorial! Been fighting a glare on a bottle for several hours now. Stoked to try out your tips.
Liked and subbed.
I'm back....just set up the negative fill right around the bottle, took the shot...and night and day better. Beautiful edges. Thank you so much.
Take care.
Glad it helped!
Thank you for your sharing, amazing work
I like your presentation,straight to the point, and a relatively simple/clean setup and I dont feel overwhelmed
Possibly the most useful, approachable video about product photography I've ever watched. Thank you for sharing! Subscribed:)
Thank you!
Amazing had to subscribe. Do you have any advice on the hard light bottle photography?
Really helpfull tips!! Thanks!!!
master class!
I like it very very much to learn more from you I am origin from Pakistan but I am working in KSA as a graphic designer
By far, the best video!!! Quick question though, if my bottles are clear, should I prepare the them with primer? Cheers mate, thanks for the video.
Amazing Tips, straight to the point!!!
A great teacher all the way, since you know the technics perfectly and how to transmit the keys to get such a great knowledge, Bravo...
Super! Cross polarisation - great tip!
Love the tips but you really made the shiny bottle look matte. I would personally add another light with stripbox on one or both sides behing the glass and add a nice shiny gratient on the edges.
Thank you for sharing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great! Thank you for sharing your tips.
Wow, this is very insightful! Thank you so much.
This is a great video and I've just purchased some acrylic sheet to try this set up. One question, how do you store these sheets? Are they OK to store standing up, leaning against a wall? I just wonder about them bowing a bit over time. Cheers!
Mine are all standing up and never had an issue...
Super nice Thanks!!!
Can you tell me more about the desktop app? I see that you're a Windows user. At first I thought it was only for MAC. Where can I download/buy it? It's eligible only for a certain type of cameras? I have a Canon 2000D.
As you can see, I'm a beginner and I might have tons of annoying questions. :((
Also, congrats for the channel! Like someone said in the comments, you have the gift of teaching! ^_^
Thanks. It's about time I got back to UA-cam, it's been years since I made a video! The desktop app is called Capture One. It's pretty much industry standard for tethered capture. There's a link to it in the video description.
Great video! Haven’t been able to find this Information anywhere! Thank you! Is it just the one product I need to mattify the glass? Can I check which one that is? Thanks!
No worries. It should all be linked in the description
Thank you so much!
Hi great video. What is the material at the back of the setup between the bottle and the soft box? I think you said scrim? Is it fabric or a sheet of something? Thanks
It's an acrylic. The company I get it from calls it Opal acrylic. You could use trace instead if you prefer that. There should be links in the description
Wow! Thanks. I just did a paid shoot with ur tricks.. power! Thanks..
That's great to hear!
really bloody helpful. Question. Can I achieve the same results with continuous lighting, assuming I have the same modifiers?
Absolutely, no reason why it wouldn't work
Max, great vid, I've upped my game thanks to you! Question - when spraying the bottle are you laying it on its back or stood up? (I just tried a beer and got a good result but a few drips formed (maybe im doing it too heavy and not light/misty enough?) Cheers Max
Cross-polarization... who knew? Thanks for these tips (the one about the matte primer is ace too).
CROSS POLARIZATION! Arrgggghghghghg. First time I have heard of anyone doing this but it makes so much sense! Thanks for that, inspired me to have another go!
That was super-helpful! Thank god the cardboard gobos are quickly done in 3D ;) Thank you very much!
Fantastic video! You did a great job of summarizing some critical points. It really helped me. THANKS!!
Verryyyy useful tipsssss gonna try!!!
Great video, thanks 👍👍👍👍👍
Love the video! would be great to know where to get the products used
I think it's all linked I the description. If not most items can be found at a DIY shop for bottle prep or a camera store for photographic kit
This is great, just getting into doing product photos myself and this is a huge help. Subbed :)
Hi, I just found your channel and it's excellent. I need to shoot bottles of red and white wine bottles. Would you use the same setup as you used for the Hophouse shoot? I find shooting white wine quite difficult. Any chance you might do a tutorial specifically on photographing wine?
The same principles apply so you shouldn't have much trouble. The main difference with wine is the shape of the bottle which will effect the shape and size of the highlight from the scrim. I wouldn't spray the bottles when shooting wine but definitely remove the back label.
Now you know how to shoot a beer bottle it's very similar so just mess around a little and you'll get there. Good luck
Max Bridge nailed it with this vid! Great tips and well-produced vid.
Nice tips! Just wondering, when you add the matte spray to the bottles, is it stuck there or can you remove the matte surface?
I’m also wondering if you can do a video of shooting a clear glass bottle (vodka for example) against a black background? I’m struggeling with that.
Thanks! The spray can't be removed.
I doubt I'll do a video on that but you'll just need to apply the same principles but modify. If the liquid is clear and going on a black background then a glow inside the bottle is not appropriate.
My advice would be to look at vodka advertising and analyse those images. That will give you some clues. Hope that helps
Really insightful and well done. Thanks for posting this! Going to try some of these for sure. Great stuff man.
Thank you so much for essential tips
thank you so much
God DAMN man! Thanks for this video!!! So much help!
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Very nice. Minimizing the editing in photoshop...
Amazing tips mate - thanks a million !
Great tips here ! May I ask if your acrylic sheets are all white for best results? Did you make the acrylic stand and if so how?? Thanks so much ..
Thanks. The sheets I use as diffusers are called opal acrylic and I think they should be linked in the description. I'm not sure if the stand is linked but you can find loads with a quick Google. The stand is clear not white
@@maxbridge8921 Awesome. Thanks!
Thanks! Its quick and clean tips.
Very useful. Thank you!
spot on. no bs
Great video! I have been using cross polarization on fine art paintings for years but never thought to use it for bottles so thanks for the tip. Only comment I would make about your camera set-up was the lack of a lens hood, in my experience reducing the amount of light hitting the lens does improve contrast etc.
Thanks for the comment. Funnily enough I almost never use a lens hood these days. Good modern glass makes it almost impossible to flare.
@@maxbridge8921 Well we will have to agree to disagree on that one!
Great tips!
Max that was another great session, thank you
Amazing tips! Keep it up!
Just wow.
Love it. New videos, please.
Fantastic
Amazing. How do you get the same effect with a black background?
Good question. There are multiple ways. Firstly everything other than the glow inside the bottle is pretty much the same, unless you want to light it differently but that's up to you. To get the glow you can use mirrored card, for beer I'd use either a silver or gold, go for something which isn't too reflective, more pearlescent. You then take that card and hold it behind the bottle angling it toward your lights until you get a decent highlight. You could also cut the card out in the shape of the bottle and stick it to an acrylic block for example. You then place that behind the bottle and angle the card into the light. You can stick diffusion paper behind the bottle and direct a light into that paper using something like an optical snoot. Finally, you could do it in post. Lots of ways!
@@maxbridge8921 Thanks so much!
Hi Max! This was one of the best videos I have seen about this topic on youtube! I have a question, what was the dimension of the acrylic panels you used? Were they the 433? Many thanks in advance!
I'm not sure what the dimensions are exactly and I won't be at the studio for a while. I checked a previous order and they were 750mm x 1000mm x 3mm. That said, I have lots of different sizes. Glad the video helped!
HI Max, Thank you for your tutorial is really good and easy to follow! I've started working in a wine company a couple of months ago and I'm taking the bottle shots! but they don;t look crispy and sharp like it should be! with your tips I think i would get better results! One small question I have a nikon d5100 and I would like to know if you can recommend me a lens to take bottle shots. thank you
Derlis Riascos thanks for the comment and the compliment! I've shot bottles with all kinds of lenses for different reasons. I'm assuming, given your job, that you'll be shooting quite a few and the intended usage will be online for their store. If that is correct, I'd say a 100mm macro would be good. It will give you some nice room to work which will be useful when shooting high numbers and if you're working with glossy labels. Bear in mind the crop factor on your camera and get something which would be 100mm (ish) on full frame. Hope that helps
Square Mountain thank for your answer !
Hi great vid. question about the matt paint primer. which to buy and colour? thanks
Thanks. This is what I use however these days I tend to use gloss on the front and matte on the back, I'd get both and experiment - www.diy.com/departments/rust-oleum-crystal-clear-clear-matt-matt-protective-lacquer-spray-paint-400-ml/128286_BQ.prd
@@maxbridge8921 thanks. man
Excellent!
Love your tutorials. You have anything with jewellery?
Thanks for the compliment. I have a few videos on watch photography, depending on the jewelry your photographing, the videos should be pretty helpful. Check out:
ua-cam.com/video/JkHkQZcz_Bk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/IJuqZPWuvPw/v-deo.html
Thx, helps a lot!
fantastico,gracias
just wow
Excelente !!!
I have to shoot 10 bottles individually but its only the label that changes. Once I have set up for the first shot I'm assuming it is easy to rattle off the next 9!?
From what you've said, yeah, should be pretty easy
Awesome tutorial! Just bought a polarizing gel and trying to figure out how to use it. Did you rotate the polarizing gel or the circular polarizer on your lens?
Once the gel is on the light you can rotate either. However, if you rotate the polarizer on the lens it will effect your entire image. As we only want to effect that specific light, you should rotate the gel not the polarizer on the lens. Hope that helps
Where can i buy the gel please？
You can find it on B&H here - fave.co/2q4IjTJ
@@maxbridge8921 how do you decide what angle to set the filter on the lens to initially?
@@blackshelbygt500kr I like to start with the lens filter set to neutral. What I mean by that is the reflections and highlights are as close to non polarised as possible. Then I set the polarised gel and if I want to adjust the polariser on the camera I can.
The cross polarization is freaking genius.
If you were to photograph a bottle and glass, would you also spray the glass with the Matt paint or leave the bottle shiny? Or is a shiny glass Matt bottle acceptable?
In that scenario, I'd only spray the bottle if I were adding water droplets etc. I wouldn't spray the glass.
Thanks. I will leave the glass alone, then
Hi! I noticed that you have a scrim to the right side of the bottle, but i don't see a scrim in front of the light on the left. However, in 7:25 I can see the light to the left looks almost the same in the bottle as the one on the right, I assume this is because of the prime paint you put on it. Then, what's the point of using the scrims if the paint is getting care of the reflections on the bottle anyways?
Thanks!
It's been quite a while since I made this video but I believe I demonstrated the difference between using the scrim in conjunction with the softbox and not using the scrim, I think. Either way, if you use the srcim as well the highlight will be softer, set it up for yourself and you'll see. Cheers
Is the acrylic stand something you purchased or DIY? Great 5min. tips!
Thanks. The stand is something I purchased not exactly sure where from to be honest but you should be able to find it with a quick google search. It's not a photography specific item. Let me know if you have trouble finding it and I'll see if I can track it down.
Is it three or five millimeters thick? thanks!
It's definitely not 5mm but not exactly sure. 3mm sounds about right.