The Prep-Production
Everything here started with the recipes. The client gave us the recipes and Rachel (prop stylist) and I started by rifling through old shoots and gandering through Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration. For this particular shoot, we were working on a campaign for the Botanist Gin brand surrounding specifically, Gin & Tonic and Negronis for the Spring/Summer season. Once we have the concept and it has been approved by the client we start to press forward, I’ll plan the lighting and have Brooke (Cocktail Stylist) help with the sourcing the ingredients to make the drinks. To play on the spring/summer theme, Rachel went with a plant forward layered look with natural wood and simple colors and fun textures. We love finding different props to accent the cocktail with strong color palettes because it always makes a bleak set feel so much brighter.
Behind the Scenes of a Cocktail Photoshoot
While Instagram makes cocktail photography look like a walk in the park, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes good planning, a good idea of lighting, a lot of consideration for glassware or props and the know how to make a good drink. With a new season comes a new shoot for several cocktail brands, always wanting to push a seasonal forward recipe with new ideas and a fresh feel in each new campaign. And a few of the things we’re tasked with are coming up with lighting concepts, scouting the right location, planning glassware, sourcing ingredients, and most importantly getting the money shots just right. We achieved 11 final shots for this shoot in just one day of shooting but 3 days of prep. Since you guys are always asking about photography tips, I wanted to take you guys on a behind the scenes of a successful cocktail photoshoot.
The Finished Product
After the shoot is all over now it is time for the editing and retouching. This can take a few hours or several days depending on the complexity of each shot and the need for cleanup or retouching. Here are a few of the finished shots.
