Moving, Shaking and Cocktail Making
Updated: Jun 1, 2020
Background
Supporting local business by helping the owners of The Old Laundrette exhibit their new cocktail menu.
Where I was
The Old Laundrette, Eccles, Manchester, United Kingdom.
The gear
Camera
Lenses
Storage
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB SDXC Memory Card
SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB 160 MB/s CompactFlash Memory Card
Stabilisation
Monopod with three legs
Joby JB01510-BWW GorillaPod 3K Stand
XCSOURCE® MPU100 Universal L Quick Release Plate Bracket
Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist Strap
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3
Lighting
Neewer Dimmable 176 LED Video Light 5600K
Neewer® 6 x 9FT / 1.8 x 2.8M PRO Photo Studio
Luggage
Backup
Batteries
Canon spare batteries
Duracell Rechargeable AA 2500 mAh Batteries
What I did
Working with the incredibly talented owners and bar manager, I met with the team ahead of the shoot to plan exactly what would be needed. This included products, equipment, editing requirements and turnaround time. I checked through some of the glasses and drinks we'd be shooting, and explored different options for composing and framing the images - I was immediately drawn to the original, industrial feel of the bar with exposed brickwork and complimentary metal trim.
The work spanned three separate shoots across February, in order to make the most of what little natural light was available. We shot coffees, teas, cakes, beers and a range of bespoke cocktails. Each photoshoot was friendly, informative and collaborative, which gave rise to an atmosphere and outputs that reflected the experience and preference of both myself and the owners.
My personal preference - and luckily one that was shared by the team - was to use a shallow depth of field to emphasise key details of each cocktail, be it the rim of a glass, a cherry or a floral garnish...
What I will do differently next time
The main challenge with this project was organising the photoshoots at a time that made the best use of natural light. Being very early in the British year, we had a very slim window of opportunity, which meant a lot of time was spent setting up and editing a photoshoot with less-than-ideal lighting. This required a mix of constant lighting and flash lighting.
A particular challenge was effectively white balancing shots near to the window, which become more orange and washed out as the light shifted from natural, hard light to artificial tinted streetlights. I overcame this using a mixture of targeted HSL desaturation and split toning.
The goods
If you're ever in / around Manchester, be sure to check out The Old Laundrette.
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