Help me improve these two pictures.

[Prophet]

Once again, I got an idea, had a good idea to replicate the liquid in the glass and I rushed it all. I should have tried to slow down and used different aperatures. I wanted to make the glass as sharp as possible all the way around. But this is just my thoughts. What would do to improve them?

Thanks for the help and C&C.

Blood & Wine 1

f5.6 iso100 1/400 @20mm

Blood & Wine 2

f/5.6 iso100 1/250 @33mm

-JD-

 

[ANDS!]

I don't much care for the tilt on the first one. I would personally go with a white or black background. Make the image much more "stark" then the "oh, this is obviously a grey backdrop!".

Also, what kind of lighting you using here? Definitely would benefit with some dedicated light set up (doesn't have to be anything other than one speedlight).

 

[Prophet]

I'm using a (cheap) light box that I built from instructions from Strobist. Using a dedicated Vivitar flash on a stand on a flat black foam background that I got from a hobby store. I did use my 430 Ex but couldn't control it right in the camera's hotshoe but not with these two shots. I'm not happy with the angle of the first shot either, but it isn't that bad.

I'm still in search of a darker or better black background. I also want to switch from a double ply tissue paper and maybe some cloth.

-JD-

 

[Sardine]

I think one problem is that it's not a nice glass... It just doesn't suit the picture.
As for the tilt in the first photo; i'd try a similar angle, but I'd take it so that it's more from the top.

 

[Lostbox]

use black card either side of the glass, just out of shot, and this will give you a thin black line to define the edges.

I would under expose the background more to loose the texture, do this by pulling your subject away and use flags to make sure no light hits the background, meter your available light rate your flash higher than this and expose for the flash, or maybe light it with a spot right behind the glass so it graduates from gray to black.

And try setting the glass of center

 

[Mgw189]

as far as a difuser goes try some freezer or wax paper it works really well. And as far as a back drop goes use some poster board. Its inexpensive and there are tons of colors out there. Also do you have an opening in the top of your light box?

 

[Dionysus]

ya, the inconsistency of the color of the background is really distracting to me. I agree w/ the glass used as well.

 

[Prophet]

I promise not to tell my wife what you are saying about the glass... it was from a girl that I really never liked (for our wedding) that we don't even talk to anymore!

Lostbox. I'm assuming you are talkin about doing these things in Photoshop. 1 I do not have a light meter. =(

The lightbox is enclosed on each side and on top. I was looking for posterboard and I may try again..... but again, i was in a hurry as it was in the middle of the midwest ice storm and very cold with lots of nasty wind.

Anyone care to edit the photo for me and then explain the steps taken?

-JD-

 

[Lostbox]

I promise not to tell my wife what you are saying about the glass... it was from a girl that I really never liked (for our wedding) that we don't even talk to anymore!

Lostbox. I'm assuming you are talkin about doing these things in Photoshop. 1 I do not have a light meter. =(

The lightbox is enclosed on each side and on top. I was looking for posterboard and I may try again..... but again, i was in a hurry as it was in the middle of the midwest ice storm and very cold with lots of nasty wind.

Anyone care to edit the photo for me and then explain the steps taken?

-JD-

No use two black bits of card as close to the side of the glass as you can, it creates black defined edges to the glass, as white reflects light black absorbs it, hence if you want more light use white reflectors or to reduce highlights use mat black.

use your meter in your camera for a spot meter on the background

for example if your background says 1/60 at f.2.8 then you need to under expose this by two stops, as your camera is actually seeing this as 50% gray.

you could keep your flash as f2.8 and raise your shutter speed or keep the shutter at 1/60 and and let less light in through your aperture.

You could also use a daylight balanced lamp, or buy a bulb they are cheap, wrap black card around it in a sort of funnel shape and you have your very own snoot to play around with.