Lighting Glass Equipment/Technique Questions

[kelbow]

So I'm looking for a cheap alternative or DIY for professional equipment. In my commercial photography class last year I had access to a complete studio of equipment (this included reflectors, seamless, battery packs, lights, snoots, gridspots, softboxes, umbrellas, etc.) Now I work for a small engraving company doing mostly web stuff but dabbling in product photography. My boss is completely satisfied with the shots I have produced for his engraved wine/pint glasses. However, I am not. I only have access to his lightbox (white and black backdrops), three hot lights, a boom, and two lightstands.

How can I best recreate the photo I took in commercial photography (top) with my current equipment? (I'd also be willing to purchase cheap equipment such as reflectors/black foam core.)

Mostly, I'm just looking to eliminate/reduce reflections while enhancing the engraving. Any suggestions?

Studio Shot taken in commercial photography practice

Shot taken in lightbox at work (black backdrop. light source from above)

Shot taken in lightbox at work (black backdrop. light source from above)

 

[Derrel]

Try placing two tall, skinny pieces of white foam board off to the sides of the glassware, to create edge highlights. Sometimes, if the light source itself is pretty large and diffused, there's a need to use a more-specular type of reflector, in which case I often resort to a very expensive, high-tech, rare reflector surface called Reynolds Aluminum Foil. It is produced by smelting some type of rare-earth ore (bauxite I think??) in a furnace, and then rolling the resultant molten compound into very thin, long, continuous sheets, which are then packaged by wrapping around cardboard cores, which are then packed in small, sturdy boxes with these magnificent self-contained sawing-off systems!

Seriously...Reynolds Aluminum Foil (referred to as Al-you-min-eee-um by the British) is magical stuff...as were the old, dull foil-coated Polaroid film boxes.

Look at the LiteRite reflector system...maybe it was spelled LightRite or LiteRight...

 

[kundalini]

A pretty decent video on light tent product photography of reflective products. Mind you it is a video about the the Lastolite Studio Cubelite = read sales pitch. I'm not advocationg the Cubelite (although it looks to be a pretty nice piece of kit), but around midway of the video, it begins to discuss the actual lighting used and principle of it's use.

Using the Cubelite LiteTable Lastolite School of Photography

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

The book, Light, Science, Magic...There is a section on lighting glass that will blow you away.

 

[Village Idiot]

And your DOF is too shallow for the current shots. The bottom of both your glasses are OOF.