Photographing Glass Items to Best Advantage

I have seen some great APB photos showing details taken by holding the piece up to a clear, blue sky. It doesn't work well for overall shots, but shows the pattern details beautifully

 

This idea seems like it might fit my need for a light weight, inexpensive, moveable arrangement. Do you happen to have a picture of it all set up so I can make sure I understand how it works? (Like, how much is "most" of the 3 sides?) Thanks!

 

I'm working in a pretty cramped space so here are a couple of pics of my box. I use binder clips to hold the material in place. The 'frame' around the openings is about 2-3".

 

Ah! Light dawns on Marblehead!

Thanks so much for the pictures, classique!

 

this is a great thread. Photographing EAPG is much like examples here io ABP. Definitely for selling purposes it is best to tack a technical approach that best displays all of the attributes (design detail as well as damage) to best inform prospective buyers. That includes no hands or extraneous props. I often use a light table below and flanked by black boards, as the black will reflect in the pattern detail to better show the detail in photos. Lots of great photos here : )

 

I use Posterboard as backgrounds. It is Inexpensive....comes in a rainbow of colors and is easy to store. I keep mine in the little space between my fridge and counter. When I need to take pics, I pick out the one I need. (Usually Black for crystal and White for colored Glass). I set a piece of poster board on my stove so it curves up the back against the wall, amd use my range hood lights as lighting along with the regular kitchen lights.. I can change the bulbs in the hood to whatever type I need. I also have 2 plug in flourescent light bars that I can use. One I have a flourescent light in ( For Neodium / Alexandrite Glass) and one I have a blacklight in for Vaseline pieces. N ot the most scientific set up, but it works well for me, and takes up very little space.

 

I do have to experiment most on the Vaseline and uranium glass pieces and that set up is a bit strange; I have an interior bath with no windows that works well for a dark space to photo Vaseline glass but it is quite tight. For Vaseline and uranium glass I do the setup and focus with normal lighting; then with the camera on manual adjust the timing for several shots to compare the final results.

 

Best present my honey ever got me years ago was a photo studio box. He IS NOT a mall person, but he went to one and got it for me I use to get the best pics with this thing and a cheapy Kodak camera. I didn't care for the blue, took that out. White was best for most stuff.