New Video Tutorial: A Shot of Scotch

<p>Hi All,<br>

I hope everyone's summer is going well, and all of you (us!) are enjoying some time off during the hot, lazy days of summer.<br>

A new Set Shop tutorial is up on the web describing the journey I took while creating a beauty shot of a glass of scotch liquor. The video shows the creative decisions I made and the technical hurdles I had to jump over while solving the problems that arose as I worked my way to the final image.<br>

It can be accessed here:<br>

http://www.setshoptutorials.com/item/17-shot-of-scotch<br>

I hope you enjoy it and also hope it offers solutions for similar images you might be creating yourself. <br />Constructive criticism and comments are always welcomed.<br>

Happy August.<br />Steve Sint<br />steve@stevesint.com</p><div></div>

<p>Steve, I love the shot, lit from below but with a dark base. I like having a way to light from below without using clear plexi. I guess this could be done on clear plexi covered with a piece of foam core or seamless with a hole cut in it. </p>

<p>Bob Wrote: " I guess this could be done on clear plexi covered with a piece of foam core or seamless with a hole cut in it."<br>

Hi Bob,<br>

Depending on the weight of the subject and the thickness of the acrylic you chose to use, you are absolutely right, but I think you'd be better off using a piece of white translucent (different than "opaque") acrylic instead of "clear" acrylic. In the attached photo (I shot for an electronic products catalog cover) I used a jig saw to cut the bottom out of a Haliburton case and placed it on a sheet of translucent acrylic that was covered with black seamless that was covered with an electronics blueprint. The black paper and the blueprint had a like sized opening (as the hole in the bottom of the Haliburton case) cut through them. In the end, I had to use some window caulking putty to seal the hole in the bottom of the case because that AD wanted the illusion of the light only coming from inside the case and didn't want any light to creep out from under the case (only from in it). I billed over $ 500 dollars for the bottomless case because it was a worthless prop after the shoot...;)<br>

SS<br>

steve@stevesint.com</p><div></div>

<p>Oops, meant "frosted" not clear, but that raises a question, the local plexi shop has several densities of frosting. Steve, Do you lean towards a heavier frosted or translucent for example for the diy light table in a previous tutorial? I am a novice at plexi, is one a surface coating or texture as opposed to something in the material of the plexi? </p>

<p>Hi Bob,<br>

For this type of shot, I don't know why you are so stuck on using a piece of white translucent acrylic under your paper? Furthermore, I don't know why you would need a sand blasted (or chemically etched) surface to your piece of acrylic?<br>

Acrylic is expensive and not strong structurally. the DIY light table I showed how to make on a previous tutorial was eighth inch thick and only got its strength because it was flexed and arranged under tension.<br>

For experimentation you could just as easily get a similar result by using a board with a hole cut (even a square hole) in it, covered in paper and a sheet of Set Shop Tough Lux or Rosco Tough Rolux between the paper and the board. The lighting result would be the same, there would be less sag problem using the board (as opposed to the acrylic sagging under its own weight), and the whole shebang would be much less expensive! a sheet of 24 X 40 Rolux is $ 8.50 and even with shipping added would be much less expensive and easier to work with than sheet acrylic (plus, you can cut it with a scissors!).<br>

Look here and scroll down to the bottom to find the single sheets of the stuff:<br>

http://setshop.com/gelsdiffusion/tough-lux-tough-rolux-diffusion-materials<br>

As for more info on acrylic, Shutterbug published an excerpt from my book (Digital Still Life Photography: Art, Business, & Style – apologies for the shameless plug) which is now up on their website that explains all this here:<br>

<a href="http://www.shutterbug.com/content/digital-still-life-photography-art-business-style">http://www.shutterbug.com/content/digital-still-life-photography-art-business-style</a></p>

<p>IMO, don't get hung up on using the local "plexi shop"! The diffusion material in this instance just does not require buying a large sheet acrylic. It's the lighting effect you're after that's important, not how much money and effort you have to invest in making it! Good luck.<br>

SS<br>

steve@stevesint.com</p>

 

<p>Steve,</p>

<p>I like the way you eventually tightened the composition of this shot to show just the tip of the Scotch bottle and the glass. </p>

<p>I do think the level of the Scotch in the glass is too low. I'd like to see a second, possibly even a third "ice" cube and a fuller glass of Scotch. This might require raising the bottle a bit but the additional shapes and lit edges of additional cubes would add more visual interest than that empty part of the glass does now.</p>

<p>Hi Brooks,<br>

As always, thank you for your pointed and thoughtful input. That being said, in this particular case I feel I can only agree to disagree with you. Although I did add more scotch and a second ice cube (both items you mentioned) to the final image I presented, personally, I'm happy with the result as it stands.<br>

SS<br>

steve@stevesint.com </p>

<p>hmm ... the shot looks great but I cannot watch the tutorial. the video never loads on my end ... I tried several times. never had a technical problem with your tutorials before.</p>

<p>Hi Lubos,<br>

Forwarded your email to the webmaster at the tutorial website. Will let you know when he responds.<br>

SS</p>

<p>Hi Lubos,<br>

The tutorial sight webmaster sent me this response:<br>

"Do you know what day he had the problem? We had an cyber attack on the server last Wednesday that slowed everything down. The problem was immediately fixed, but he might have been on the site during the attack."<br>

Don't know when you tried to view the video but his info might help.<br>

SS</p>

<p>Hello Mr. Sint,</p>

<p>Even today I cannot load the tutorial video (I even tried an older one which I remember wathing without issue previously). I also tried switching proxies to the extend that's available to me. I have yet to verify from another ISP network.</p>

<p>Hi Lubos,<br>

I am sorry for the troubles you are having seeing the tutorial. All I can add to this discussion is the video loads on my (and friends) Macs and other friends PC's. Maybe your machine picked up a virus, or there is a problem with your server. Good luck and please let me know if the problem is ever resolved.<br>

SS</p>

<p>Well, since the tutorials worked for me before on the same laptop and network, I don't think it's a virus. Especialy since I tried:</p>

<p>1. Windows XP laptop (Opera browser)<br>

2. Linux PC (Opera and Firefox browsers)</p>

<p>Both computers are connected via different ISP (and the laptop has access to proxy servers all over the world), different browser and flash plugin versions were used on both computers. Also both computers work without issue with youtube, vimeo and other sites featuring different flash video players. I even tried an old Internet Explorer 7 on the laptop, loading the video player plugin hangs the browser (while youtube works without issue). So I guess there's something odd with the video player on the site.</p>

<p>Thanks Steve,<br>

I agree with the poster who thought there should be more scotch in the glass, but only because you were going to drink it after. Great tutorial, bought one of your books immediately after watching it. </p>