Michael Hrankowski  


Topping Off by Michael Hrankowski

November 2024 - Topping Off

About the Image(s)

Leica Q3; 28mm Summilux f/1.7; 1/60 sec @ f/1.7; ISO 2500

Image captured during a wine tour in Provençe, France
Denoise and sharpening in Topaz Photo AI with finishing edits in Lightroom Classic


This round’s discussion is now closed!
11 comments posted




Joan Field   Joan Field
Michael,
I wish you had given us more information about what is going on there. At first I thought it was an operating room, and I guess,. in a sense, it is. I like the concentration that the two wine experts are giving to their work, but I couldn't
figure ou what they were doing. Please expand to let us know what
is going on. An interesting journalism subject. The lighting works so well for you.   Posted: 11/01/2024 19:43:21



Michael Hrankowski   Michael Hrankowski
Hi Joan
...sorry, I thought it'd be obvious from the photo. Here is a description of what "topping off" is courtesy of amleswines.com:
Topping a barrel of wine is the act of filling empty headspace at the top of the barrel - or ullage - caused by absorption and evaporation. It is a routine procedure and is extremely critical to ensure the wine is healthy and maturing appropriately.

Wood barrels are porous and naturally absorb liquid over time. Evaporation also occurs in even the most ideal settings (stored at 55 degrees F and 80 percent relative humidity). This causes a need to top off the barrels every 4-6 weeks - a preventative but critical measure to avert wine spoilage.

Barrels can be topped off with some of the extra wine kept aside specifically for this purpose.   Posted: 11/01/2024 20:20:16



Andres Valdespino   Andres Valdespino
Michael, interesting shot that really tells a story. You captured the lighting perfectly. What is also neat is the combination of old and new technologies. The barrel, the can, and the cellphone flashlight! The two workers are so sharp and the background perfectly blurred. Really like the photo. Nice job.   Posted: 11/06/2024 21:34:23
Michael Hrankowski   Michael Hrankowski
Thank you, Andres!   Posted: 11/06/2024 22:26:54



Ruth Sprain   Ruth Sprain
Michael, I must admit that I had to study your photo a moment to figure out what was happening, since the cell phone was blocking the tip of the spout. Like Andres, I appreciate the old and new technology, especially using the cell phone to light the barrel's hole. The lighting on the man's face is especially dramatic. I like your composition with the lines of the men's arms and the spout. Great journalistic shot!   Posted: 11/07/2024 18:27:38



Mary Ann Carrasco   Mary Ann Carrasco
Michael, I appreciate the explanation as well. I agree with Andres as well in that the old and new really adds to the story here. The lighting is perfect. I was curious how you managed to get so much in focus at f/1.7?   Posted: 11/12/2024 22:07:00
Michael Hrankowski   Michael Hrankowski
Hi Mary Ann and thank you for your comments. To answer your question, my Leica Q3 has a fixed 28mm lens and a 61 megapixel sensor. The image was taken back far enough from my subjects to put them well within the lens's hyperfocal distance. Final image was cropped for the close-up composition.   Posted: 11/22/2024 00:10:03



Robert Coleman   Robert Coleman
Michael. What a fun shot and interesting to see that the cellphone flashlight is used around the world. Hope that you got to taste some of the wine on the tour.   Posted: 11/21/2024 22:12:19



Kieu-Hanh Vu   Kieu-Hanh Vu
Hi Michael,
You have captured a great moment of "topping off"! I appreciated your explanation of it as well. It's great that you have special access to get that shot because I don't think that this process is open to the public to see. I am curious to know if it's a routine process for those 2 workers to do so? If Yes, why don't they use the electric light instead of using cell phone for lighting?
It's a nice photojournalism shot! I don't have any comments for improvement.   Posted: 11/29/2024 11:54:13
Michael Hrankowski   Michael Hrankowski
Good questions, Kieu-Hahn. At the cellar we visited, workers were coming and going and doing their thing. Most wine cellars are kept pretty dark and I'm surmising using the cell phone light or a conventional flashlight is just quicker and easier. Topping Off is indeed a routine process, as evaporation is inevitable.

We were getting a talk by our guide when I spied these guys at the other end of the space. I always go by the rule of "It's better to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission". So I just slipped away from the (boring) talk and got close to them and got off a couple of quick shots. Although I was only 8 or 10 feet away, I don't think they even noticed me. Thanks so much for your comments.   Posted: 11/29/2024 15:19:20
Kieu-Hanh Vu   Kieu-Hanh Vu
Thanks, Michael, for more clarification! I am glad that you were able to catch the special moment of making wines.   Posted: 11/29/2024 23:29:55