Assignment: Client is a distributor of adult beverages, and specializes in exotic cocktails. Colorful drinks in fancy glasses. From martini glasses to tall, skinny glasses, the drinks are both colorful and delivered with style in most establishments.
He wants a shot to augment his marketing campaign, and show the products he delivers in a trade ad for the adult beverage industry. The ad will be short on copy, but strong on visuals. Most other advertisers in the magazine opt to show their trucks and forklifts, but he wants to grab the attention of the viewers by showing them the end use of the products he delivers.
A striking, cool shot of an exotic drink or glasses shot with a visual kicker that grabs their attention is all he needs to capture their attention to his logo/services.
This is for a single glass or up to 5 glasses.
ASSIGNMENT:
STEMWARE – 2 SHOTS.
Shot one: Against pure white. We want to see the edges of the glass(es) and use color to accent shape or design of your composition.
Shot two: Against black. Change the composition to present stemware with a dark background. You will need to light the edges of the glass, and make sure the color comes through with careful placement of liquid bounce cards.
Color can be introduced by what is in the glass, a prop that augments the drink (strawberry, cherry, lime) or something totally different. Impress the client with something that grabs the attention of the restaurant owners/managers and it is a win.
Do not add liquid to the glassware. You can pop a cherry or strawberry into it, slice lemon for the side, or add one other item to bring color to the image. This is optional.
The image may be portrait or landscape. The client doesn’t have an art direction that he wants to pursue, only that it should be a very dramatic shot.
He has a few examples that were pulled from different places. He doesn’t want to copy, but only to give you some ideas of stuff he likes.
SOME OF THE ART DIRECTORS SWIPE FILE:
IDEAS FOR YOUR LIGHTING
Make sure you work a bit with the size of your light when you are doing the dark field lighting. Should it be a wide, large light on both sides of the glass or a thin bit of light shining around? Should the black area behind the stemware be only slightly larger than the glass or should it be quite a bit wider?
These are some choices you will have to make, but make them from a position of knowing what you want to achieve.
On the white background… will you use a very slim black card to add edges or will you use something much wider for a deeper reflection? Again, these are ideas for you to determine for your own vision.
Make sure the horizon is straight and doesn’t come into the glassware at an awkward point on the stem.
Clean the glass so it has fewer dust or water spots.
Soft gloves will keep the glass looking good.
Double-check to see if there are any other lights that could be reflecting into your glassware. Make sure the camera, and you, are not reflecting from the glassware as well.
Dollar stores have cheap glasses and stemware.
OPTIONAL EXPERIMENT.
Try splitting the glass with black and white to see what happens. This means part white background, part dark field background.
AUGUST 2021
FEBRUARY 2021
PREVIOUS CLASS WORK
-
- OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
-
- Assignment 19, Stemware
This one was a doozy… so many topics, ideas, and fun. Over two hours!
