38/52 - Little Creatures Pale Ale

Little Creatures Pale Ale

This weeks entry for my project 52 is a photograph of the cap of a bottle of Little Creatures Pale Ale. I had to play around with a few different compositions before I settled for this one.  I liked the effect of the condensation on the bottle top (click on the image to see a larger version) and I tried to light it in a way which would emphasise the droplets. Not sure if I succeeded but I like the end result.

Read on for lighting info and setup shots.

Lighting setup - Little Creatures Pale Ale

I wanted to light this from two separate angles so that the photograph had a bit more depth. 

I used a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/128th through a CTO gel as the main light. It was placed on the left of the camera and slightly behind the subject. This light created the highlight on the left hand side of the lid.

I used a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 through a 1/2 CTO gel and a reflective umbrella to bring out the label on the neck of the bottle and the right hand side of the lid. This light was placed slightly behind the subject on the right of the camera. I used a reflective umbrella because I wanted the image to be lit evenly.

I created some Bokeh by placing a red tea light holder just behind the lid. The effect is subtle but I think it helps balance out the image.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.