- 1). Set your glassware on a table top or flat surface four to five feet from your camera position. This will vary based on the composition of your photograph. Use a tripod for your camera for clear, crisp images.
- 2). Place your light sources in front of the glassware, preferably to the side at a 45-degree angle, and behind the subject as well. Diffuse your light sources to prevent reflections from your glassware. This will vary greatly depending on the type of glassware, the shapes of the light sources and the glasses, and the angles of the light to the glassware. Use soft-boxes or lighting umbrellas to diffuse the light.
- 3). Set a black card behind the glassware, slightly bigger than the glasses and placed approximately three to four feet behind the subject. The card will rest between the glassware and the light source.
- 4). Hang a translucent material, such as an opaque sheet or curtain, behind the black card and in front of the rear light source. The translucent material will diffuse the light source behind the subject, adding a slight white edge to the glassware.
- 5). Shoot several test images and adjust the lights, hanging sheet and black card accordingly. The main objective is to eliminate major reflections in the glassware and to create a highlight of the glass imposed against a black background. This scenario will cause the glassware to stand out from the background and give definition to the object being photographed.
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