Best tips and trick for Cocktail Photograph & Styling

I’m the biggest fan of a good cocktail photography and styling so this is the best way to share with you all my favorite tips to up your content game. We all know and love a good cocktail shoot but here’s a step by step guide on how I create content to showcase the lifestyle behind a signature cocktail.

Recently I shared some tips on my Instagram here and wanted to let you know on some great tips you can use when shooting cocktails and drinks for any occasion. As a lifestyle photographer the most important part for me is to really showcase the lifestyle behind the brand.

This means that my client’s dream target will connect with the lifestyle shown and attracts them because they see themselves in that shot. It may sound like a lot but with these tips and tricks will help you nailed that signature lifestyle cocktail perfection!

Shadows can be your BEST friend!

When it comes to cocktail photography & styling, shadows can be your new bff! Let me tell you why: Direct sunlight + cocktails = the most beautiful shadows and sparkles.

I know when it comes to food photography and styling shadows can be intimidating, but shadows will help your photography have contrast and dimension. In cocktail photography it will help you make your photos look so much better.

Be sure to shoot on direct sunlight so the cocktails can shimmer and create sparkles all over your shot!

Composition comes first, styling comes second

Cocktails can be so beautiful to shoot but at the same time dealing with liquid can become messy pretty quickly. That’s why composition comes first and styling second. When you’re getting ready, try making your composition with empty glassware. This way you’ll get to the composition without worrying about spilling the most perfect drink.

Believe me, I’ve done that and it’s no fun! Create your composition first, add the drinks and put on the garnishes LAST. This way you can style, tweak and change the styling with out your garnishes sinking and falling.

Shoot that cutie from all angles!

Flatlays are a great way of shooting good looking drinks from ABOVE, but remember not all drinks or cocktails look great this way. So be sure to shoot them from different angles, add depth and character to make sure you can really capture the essence of who made the drink, who ordered it or even for what occasion you may have it.

Add hands & people to your shots!

Remember that drinking is a social activity that means you should definitely add people to your shots. This will make your photos look more inviting, fresh and natural. Grab your friends or even the staff and tell them to model for you for a sec. TIP: Make sure their hands and nails are CLEAN, bonus point if they have a cute manicure!

Play with height and props

The great thing about shooting cocktails is the variety of glassware you can use. Every drink has its own style of glassware and that way you can play with height creating compositions that flow. You can guide your audience’s eye towards a focal point using height and styling!

I personally like to work 3’s! This way I can always style 2 drinks and a side dish, 3 cocktails, 2 cocktails and a menu, etc, making the shot more appealing yet natural.

Pour & Shoot!

My go-to favorite cocktail shot has to be a pouring shot! When you add action to your food photography it makes it so human and real that you can really experience that moment. So be sure to add this to your shot list for next time.

Believe me there’s nothing like a good pouring shot! It’s GOLD.

Lifestyle is KEY!

I LOVE shooting cocktails and having fun creating content for my clients and even for myself! For me lifestyle is KEY to any good photoshoot. It’s the way we can connect with a photo in a second, it’s feeling like we’re right there and then having that cocktail in the middle of summer while the palm trees are moving and you feel the salty breeze on your face.

That’s the power of lifestyle photography! Hope you’re feeling more confident in shooting cocktails and drinks from now on. Be sure to tag me @hopefuloutsiders on your photos if you use any of these tips!

If you want more tips and tricks you can see more posts here!

Cheers my darling, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere!