If you told me I could only keep one type of prop in my collection for food and drink photography, I wouldn’t hesitate with my answer - glassware. I love glasses and many in my collection are from thrift stores. Others are upcycled from former bottles. The remaining come from sales at home stores.
I’m selective when thrifting for glassware, though. I know what will and won’t make a good photo (meaning it aligns with my personal style) and I know what I will and won’t use the most. This skill comes from much trial and error.
I’ve made many purchases that resulted in a glass sitting on my prop shelf without use. Because my studio and office are one room in my home, I don’t want those things taking up valuable space. To avoid this, first I refer to the questions I always ask myself before buying a new prop.
Once those are answered, I consider the following things for glassware. Use them as tips when you are thrifting or shopping for your own.
Tall and narrow - Tall, narrow glasses that aren’t too thick or bulk are great for cocktails, sodas, and smoothies. They are especially ideal when you want to show off a garnish because it stands out amidst the smaller diameter on the surface of the drink.
Coupes of all kinds - Coupes are my favorite style of glass and that might be because manhattans and martinis are my favorite cocktails. I look for those with slightly different top edges - curled in, u-shaped, or squared off. They are also good for champagne. I find them much easier to photograph than tall, stemmed flutes.
Careful with color - I do have a few colored or tinted and solid glasses. If I used a lot of bold color in my photography, I might have more. For now, I find two or three is enough. I like light tints so you can still see the drink and I always make sure the colors will work with other props I have. If the glasses are not transparent, I make sure I have an idea for use that includes a drink with an interesting visible top layer.
More than one shape for wine - I rarely photograph standard stemmed wine glasses. I find them difficult to fit into most scenes I create. I do look for unusual shapes, though, and lots of stemless. Tasters work well for wine, too, especially to place around snack boards.
Clean etched patterns - I love creating shadows with natural light and there is nothing like a beautiful etched pattern in a glass paired with the right time of day to create an original photo that can’t be replicated. I look for clean patterns, grids and sharp angles versus swirls or floral.
Taster styles - It’s hard for me to turn down a small, taster-like glass. Not shot glasses, but those that might be used for craft beer, water, or spirit tastings. I look for interesting shapes. They work well when keeping the props on my set proportional.
Too ornate is out - Large knobs of glass in the stem or swirly, floral etching rarely work for me. These might be your style and if so, go for it. But I know they aren’t mine. I’d have a difficult time using the glass in multiple photos, and I’d risk making my photos look dated.
Singles or sets - When thrifting, it’s common to find glasses in full sets of 4 or 6. I have purchased a set of 6 because I loved the glass so much, but more often, it’s not worth it. The set takes up a lot of space, especially if you find yourself only using 1 to 3 of the same glasses all the time. It’s a tough decision, though, and one that can only be made by considering how unique or rare the glass is and how much storage space you have available.
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