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PROJECT: LIGHT FIELD
PROJECT: DARK FIELD
For each of these projects, your goal is to submit at least THREE images of glassware:
Empty glass
Pouring water into glass
Adding food colouring to class (multi-colour swirls for Light Field, one solid colour for Dark field).
You are expected to crop & develop them in Lightroom and/or Photoshop to achieve a stunning, professional look. No need for before/after images; just the final product will suffice.
If you took multiple versions in either setup and they're worthy, feel free to post additional images as well.
DARK FIELD and LIGHT FIELD (AKA Bright Field) photography refers to methods often used to shoot glassware or other transparent objects that need to be defined by edge contrast.
This has been one of the challenges in the Skills Canada photography competition.
The image on the left is an example of light field photography. The image on the right is an example of dark field photography.
Source: Ivo Guimaraes (https://digital-photography-school.com/3-easy-steps-to-photograph-glassware-with-minimal-gear/)
To do this successfully, you need to use properly placed black or white surfaces to control precise reflections coming from a light source situated behind your subject.
Why is this necessary? Because standard front-lighting or ambient room lighting is not attractive:
Yuck! (Source: http://lowel.tiffen.com/edu/lesson_lighting_glass.html)
GENERAL POINTERS
You will need a camera, tripod, studio light with tripod, transmitter, table, two matching glasses (one stacked on the other with the bottom glass upside-down), cloths for drying and polishing, food colouring, and a filled water bottle
Shoot in Manual Mode (Shutter speed 1/200s, ISO 100, aperture to be determined...you want to "kill" the ambient light")
Remember to turn off predictive Live View (Custom Settings menu > d7 > off) if you only see black in your viewfinder
To aid in getting a perfectly straight image, turn on the framing grid (Custom Settins menu > d8 > on)
Align the tripod approximately so the camera lens is approximately the height of the top of the glass being photographed
Shoot vertically (will need to adjust the tripod head)
LIGHT FIELD SETUP
Key points:
Simple setup: Camera is facing directly into a studio light (with softbox), with the glassware in between.
Light will likely need to be at relatively low power so the image doesn't blow out (overexpose).
To darken the edges of the glasss, try moving the glass away from the light and closer to the camera OR adjust light or camera settings
DARK FIELD SETUP
Key points:
Black foam core / board / paper must be behind the subject and fill the frame
The light is situated behind the subject and behind the black foam core. It should be aimed towards the subject (possibly diffused with a softbox or even a white garbage can liner) or aimed away from the subject and bounced off a wall.
Black foam core / board / paper is hung on the sides of the subject, leaving a gap for the indirect light to illuminate only the outline of the subject. The distance between sides & subject determines the thickness of the edge that you see (as does flash power, visible gap, etc.)
Having more blackness in front of the subject is recommended to avoid seeing other, unwanted reflections in your subject.
OTHER TIPS
Potential problems and how to overcome them
If you see unwanted reflections in the front of the glassware (you, the room, etc), set up a black curtain or series of black foam core boards/paper alongside the camera (not blocking the lens, of course.)
If you want the edge of your glass to appear thicker, bring the side reflectors closer. The opposite applies. You can also play with the distance between light and glass.
Expect to use Lightroom and Photoshop to ensure pure black/white where wanted and to remove unwanted elements from the image.
OTHER RESOURCES:
STUDENT EXAMPLES:
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