I’m not going to lie. I am a big lover of beer. So when you are approached by a brand like Endeavour to photograph their new range of beer, it’s a no brainer! I have been a fan of Endeavour for a good few years now. The Tap Rooms is one of my favourite pubs in Sydney. It sits in the heart of The Rocks and keeps that traditional old school feel that I love so much. Maybe because it reminds me of my English roots. The beer itself is made more like a wine. With the flavours changing depending on weather conditions that affect the hops. There is a wide choice of beers on offer but for this shoot, we were just concentrating on the three flavours.
The brief was simple. They wanted the images to be bright and refreshing and to really POP! Bright colours that complemented each other was a must. So I purchased a range of backdrops that I could switch around depending on the drink in the shot. These images will be used across web, print and social media. The variety was key. I wanted to give them as many photographs as possible that I could shoot. I am not one of these photographers that gives you five images and if you want any more you need to pay. If I am shooting and I have images leftover then I am happy for you to have them. It always brings the client back for more when you leave them with a good experience.
Endeavour also wanted a perfect serve shot. Photographing glassware is extremely difficult and takes years of experience to learn the skills. Your number one problem is reflections. Glass picks up, EVERYTHING! I have learnt to build my images up in sections. The shot above is made up of seven images. In post-production I will combine all the shots and remove any nasty reflections that may be distracting.
Shadow play is also important for these images. As a photographer in Sydney, I am constantly battling with the harsh sunlight. Any outdoor shoots I will try to avoid after 10am because the sun and shadows are just so harsh. But for this shoot we wanted the cans to really pop and the shadows really help with this. This was actually shot on an overcast day. The lighting is all placed with my studio strobes. Even the pool behind as been enhanced by a separate light.
You can see the colour play in action here. The orange backdrop really helps the blue to pop and draws your attention to it. The water droplets on the can add to the refreshing look that you come to expect from an ice-cold beer.
The perfect pour for the perfect beer! I made sure to take the pouring images on a Friday afternoon! Let me tell you not a drop was wasted! Trying to pour a perfect pint in a straight beer glass whilst firing the camera is no easy task but after a couple of attempts (burp), I got the shot! Then I just had to do it for the other two flavours!!
Well, I hope this has given you some insight into my product photography work. There is a lot that goes into it. From sourcing the right backgrounds and bases to the styling, then the shoot then the post-production. All to deliver that perfect beer! Mmmmm
Thanks for reading!
Gareth Carr
Cinematographer & Photographer based in Sydney, Australia
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Exposed Wolf is a video production & photography company based in Sydney, Australia. With over 20 years of industry experience, they can help you with planning, shooting and editing your projects to give you months of powerful content to raise your business and brand.