One of the most exciting projects that an individual product photographer or packshot studio can work on is food and drink. For this article, we are going to focus on drinks and some helpful tips on how to get the very best product photos. It may appear simple at first glance but to truly explore the detail, the emotion and the power of a drink, you need to think more carefully about what you’re doing.

Reflections

Utilising reflections can add another dimension to your drinks photos and as a product photographer, you are likely to already have the required equipment to hand. Whether it is reflecting card, mirrors or light strips, you can add extra light and vibrancy to the drinks by using these.

It does very much depend on the set up you choose for the drink, as well as the brand image, tone and story you are trying to tell. For more fun, exciting or elaborate drinks then utilising reflections correctly can make a huge difference to the final results.

Backgrounds

A product photographer will have spent countless hours changing backgrounds, thinking about what works best and what detracts from the product. In the case of drinks, there is an added consideration that you must be aware of. As a result of being able to see through liquids to a varying degree, a background will have a direct impact on the drink and how it appears on camera.

It could be a case that the colour of the background changes the colour or appearance of the drink, or the pattern detracts from the drink making it seem less appealing.

Ice

Have you thought about the type of ice you use in drinks as a product photographer? All good packshot studios should either have found the perfect type of ice to use, making sure it is uniform and high quality, or invested in fake ice cubes.

Whilst real ice can deliver fantastic images if chosen correctly, it can also cause issues with fogging up the liquid, changing of shapes and melting. The fake versions vary in price significantly and the best ones can cost a lot of money but do take away many of these issues.

Condensation

One amazing trick that we have discovered over the years is ensuring there is plenty of condensation on the glass. If you’re using fake ice then it is likely that you need to create the condensation and this can be done using various water sprays available from retail stores.

Condensation can bring the photograph of a drink to life and appeal to the different senses of the person looking at the image. It can also tell a story, perhaps of a summer holiday or drinking a refreshing drink after a big workout.

Summary

In summary, any product photographer who gets asked to photograph drinks for their client should follow similar rules and ideas to other product types. Think about the story you wish to tell, how the subject interacts with the surroundings and what tricks you can use to enhance the photograph. With these simple ideas, you can deliver beautiful images that your clients will love.