Whiskey Photography – Case Study

Take a look at how I approached whiskey photography for a personal project to build my photography portfolio.

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With almost nine years of experience in food and drink photography, I’ve built a reputation for helping national and international brands showcase their products.

Today, I’m thrilled to share the behind-the-scenes details of creating a striking image featuring a glass of whiskey. These insights highlight how the right expertise can captivate potential clients. Join me as I walk you through the process behind this spectacular photograph!

This was a personal project I did earlier this year. Personal projects are great ways to show your potential clients your skills and the way you can serve them.

For this particular photoshoot, I wanted to create a mysterious look, which I wanted to add to my portfolio.

1. Pre-production

The idea for this shot was to focus on mood and the space where whiskey might be served. I created a moodboard to help me hone in on the final look.

2. Setup and execution

I immediately knew this was going to be a photo created with multiple light sources because I needed to emphasize smoke with backlight but also light up the glass from the side to show the drink and garnishes better.

This is also a topic we will more deeply dive into at the Mix, Snap, Sip Retreat in September 2024, a retreat designed to upscale your drink photography, videography, editing, and mixology skills.

To create smoke, I used a fog machine (the ones that are used for events), which I really love because it creates a lot of smoke and operates on a remote control (which is very helpful on a set!).

3. Fixing and adjusting

At first, my idea was to add some ‘room-related’ objects in the back, but just a little. I did not want the frame to be too crammed. However, once I tried a few different setups, I felt like the one with more elements had more soul. This just goes to show, that an idea can evolve during a photoshoot and you need to be alert of the things that are working or not working.

Then, it came to creating the perfect smoke. I took over 30 photos, to make sure I had options. I actually like to take a few photos even after I already feel like I got the right one, just in case. Better to be safe than sorry, right?

I ended up creating an extra photo where the garnish on the whiskey was lit separately (with the addition of a white reflector) and then combined with the original photo in post-production. And an additional photo where I focused more towards the front of the glass, so ice at the front would be in focus.

4. Post-Production

I edited the photos in Lightroom using my personal presets and some tweaks and adjustments. Then, I used Photoshop to merge the original photo with the two extra photos of ice and orange peel, which would then make the final photo.

5. Conclusion

When creating a personal project like this one, I like to focus on what is missing in my portfolio, but also what are the skills that I can showcase, so that future clients can see what I can offer them.

I find it very important to do planned projects like this whiskey photography one on top of more relaxing personal projects because they will not only give you awesome photos to showcase but also keep you up-to-date with how your portfolio is looking.