How to Light Wine Bottles for Video and Photo
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Lighting glass products can be tricky, and wine bottles are no exception. The goal is to highlight the bottle’s shape and liquid without creating distracting reflections or hot spots. Here’s a breakdown of how to do it right.
1. Prep the Bottle
Before setting up lights, make sure the bottle is spotless. Wear gloves to avoid fingerprints and, if possible, remove the back label. This allows you to place a light behind the bottle and create a clean, glowing look through the liquid.
2. Use a Rectangular Light Source
The biggest mistake people make is lighting bottles with a round softbox. Because of the shape, it creates circular, uneven highlights that don’t flatter the bottle. Instead, use a rectangular or strip-shaped source. This produces a smooth highlight that runs cleanly down the side of the bottle.
If you don’t have a rectangular softbox, you can improvise with diffusion fabric stretched into a rectangular shape. The key is to keep the highlight narrow, soft, and even from top to bottom.
3. Control Unwanted Reflections
Bottles pick up every stray light. If you notice random highlights, block them off with flags, black cards, or any object that absorbs light. Keeping your set controlled will make the product look polished.
4. Add Glow From Behind
Placing a small LED panel or pocket light directly behind the bottle gives the liquid a nice inner glow. It makes the drink look more inviting and brings the product to life.
5. Use Longer Focal Lengths
A longer lens (like a 100mm macro) helps isolate the bottle and minimize background distractions. It also lets you capture tight detail shots of the label, texture, or condensation without revealing your whole setup.
6. Top Lighting for Balance
Adding a soft light from above can gently lift the background and the top of the bottle, keeping everything balanced. It doesn’t have to be strong — just enough to separate the subject from the background.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need complex movements or fancy tricks to make product shots look professional. With clean prep, the right light shape, and good control of reflections, you can make a wine bottle (or any glass product) look like it belongs in a high-end ad.
