A while ago we posted a re- cap of how we took shots of our Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. We are great admirers of this elegant and natural brand. When we think: „Tullamore Dew”, we see an Irish Pub where every customer feels at home, and indulges in a glass (or two ;-) ) of whiskey, whilst chatting and laughing away in a friendly environment. As fans, we decided to try forming a connection with the producer. To our great pleasure, somewhere along the second half of January, we received a package filled with alcohol and Tullamore Dew accessories.
We automatically had a number of ideas for some fantastic photos – as you may have already noticed, our imaginations have no limits.
WE START WITH A PACKSHOT
However starting simple is usually a good idea. That’s why we decided to begin with taking a few packshots. To those of you who are new to our trade, here is a small explanation of what a packshot is. A photo like this is taken against a white background. These sort of pics show products that are later used in catalogs, brochures or in on-line stores. Taking a photo like this is seemingly quite easy. All you need to do is set up the background, a few lamps and it’s time to shoot.
It does have its challenges though. Especially when it comes to products which are shiny – for example made of glass (like a bottle of alcohol). Everything reflects in glass. You can easily notice every scratch, speck of dust or finger print. A poorly prepared object means unnecessary extra Photoshop hours, spent on eliminating each and every flaw.
Our Studio specializes in commercial photography so we are professionals in taking Packshots.
THE PHOTOSHOOT - Baccus Restaurant
These sort of pictures did not satisfy our appetites. We decided the best scenario for our star products could be set in one of the finest Zielona Góra restaurants: The Bacchus Winery (Winiarnia Bachus). Ania Anklewicz - the fabulous and brimming with positive energy manager of the place, helped us make it happen.
Laden with equipment and accessories we made our way down the stairs and through the front door, which one of the restaurant chefs opened for us. You must know, that The Bacchus Winery is a very characteristic place. Situated in a former wine cellar its walls expose the old brick, automatically creating a charming and homey vibe. While Piotrek went to the car in order to grab the rest of our equipment I started unpacking the lamps and tripods, transforming the inside of the restaurant into a photo shoot environment.
IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT FRAME
When the most necessary things were unpacked Piotrek started searching for the best frame to take our shots. We decided the scenario of the bar would best complement the 12-year-old Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. That’s how the purple- labeled bottle became the star of that days shoot. Her colors corresponded perfectly with the bar behind which was the filled with chefs, restaurant kitchen. The staff initially didn’t mind us at all, but after a while the flash of lamps caused them to pause their work from time to time and observe what we were doing.
With every hour the restaurant was filling up with employees. Waiters, chefs, barmen all were slowly preparing for the arrival of their first guests. You could load up on the amazing energy that you encounter in this place. We could observe a coordinated team at work, which created a unique vibe striving to make its customers feel welcome and at home. Our photo shoot definitely disrupted the rhythm of how things usually got done there. As we had quite a lot of equipment it was difficult not to be in their way. However they were wonderfully understanding for which we are grateful.
TWO DAYS LATER
After two and a half hours (which in “photographer time” is quite fast ;-) ) we were ready to pack up.
We did come back after a couple of days though. We couldn’t help passing on an opportunity to photograph the classic green labeled Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. So the atmosphere of the Bacchus Winery drew us back into its threshold.
We decided the best frame for this bottle would be in the guest section of the restaurant. Looking at it from a perspective creates an incredible depth, which is perfectly complemented by the lit fireplace. As you can see the main character of this photo is a glass into which the Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey is being poured into.
This photo was a bigger challenge for us than the last one. Not only did we have a more complicated frame and composition, we also had less time – only one and a half hour! That is extremely little, especially considering the amount of time we have to spend unpacking and setting up our equipment. We were up for the challenge though and decided to take a risk. Looking back we are confident we made the right decision.
We are extremely happy with the outcome and are looking forward to more. As they say, the more you have, the more you want.
