On this Resource Magazine behind the scenes video, NY based food photographer Adrian Mueller shows how his collaborative creative process, how he works with lighting, and ice to shoot a Maker’s 46 whisky inside a block of ice.
Food (and liquid) photography is both extremely technical and yet very pre-planned but creative process. On this behind the scenes look at a Maker’s 46 whisky shoot we can see some of the challenges Mueller was facing when shooting this image.
First, you need to understand the medium that you are shooting – in this case Maker’s 46 whisky is made only in the winter so ice was an obvious choice . Working with ice isn’t simple – it doesn’t stay frozen so you need to work fast (or turn on the AC – even if it is cold outside – just like Mueller did).
Next you need to consider lighting. Reflections is a big issue here (they can be difficult with glass objects such as bottles) so you will need plenty of diffusion. You will also need to consider the background – in this case Mueller used moulted red wax on top of a metal sheet to create a very specific texture that he was looking for.
By the way, if you are into creating your own metal sheet backdrops (or backgrounds) for food photography – check out Brooke Lark from cheekykitchen blog. In the video below she shows just how she creates her backgrounds (we suggest using gloves and something to protect your breath – these sprays are not something we would recommend breathing- even outside).
How to create a cool DIY aluminium backdrop / background for your food or product photography shoot
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn0j0SRd394[/youtube]
We highly suggest that you check out food photography sub-section here on LensVid which includes a large number of very helpful videos on the subject. If you are more into behind the scenes videos – you can check this page.