Cheers to Capturing Flavour: A Guide on Taking Good Fresh Beer Photos

Fresh Beer - an art form, craft, and culture. In this guide, we'll explore the techniques and tips for taking great beer and cider photos, that not only showcase the beauty of your brew, but also make your followers' mouths water. We’re going to give you the lowdown on getting the best pics with your phone. So, let's dive into the world of beer photography!

Clean Glassware

The cleanliness of your glassware is crucial when photographing your tipple. Not only that, but the deep removal of soap suds counts for a lot as well! Take a look at this picture below - do you see the bubbles converging in a ring around the glass just below the head? That shouldn’t be happening and it means that the carbonation subsides more quickly as well as reducing head retention - not only does that take away from the enjoyment of your Fresh beer, you don’t want evidence of a dirty glass to be seen elsewhere!

Lighting

Lighting is perhaps the most critical factor in all photography and it plays a significant role here as well. Natural light is usually the best choice as it provides soft and even illumination. If shooting indoors, position your glass near a window or use a soft light to avoid harsh shadows and reflections.

Background

Choose a background that complements the beer's colour and style. Wooden tables, rustic surfaces, or a nice garden setting work well. Sometimes you want the background to be prominent, so make sure to include it in the shot, but other times you want it to be hidden and a blurred background is best - you can use Portrait Mode and focus on the glass to make it really stand out - see below the difference with and without Portrait Mode - the first examples have a dynamic background which you might want on display. 

 It's maybe best to blur this background using Portrait Mode, though:

Focus on the Details

The devil is in the details, and when photographing the product of your hard craft, those details matter. Capture the condensation on the glass, the bubbles rising to the surface, or the fluffy beer head. Macro Mode on your phone camera can help you get up close and personal with these tiny details.

Mix it up!

Experiment with different angles to find the most visually appealing perspective. Mix up the background and what’s going on in the photo - action shots and stills have different qualities.

That’s it!

By selecting the right glassware, checking the lighting, focusing on details and the background, experimenting with angles, and adding a Pinter to the frame, you can capture the essence and beauty of Fresh Beer in your photos. So, raise your glass, snap some stunning shots, and share your journey with the world – one photo at a time. Cheers!