Looking at the final images from this recent Hickson House Gin shoot, it’s easy to focus on the bottle.
But some of the most important decisions happened long before we picked up a camera.
For this styled product photography project, our Sydney product photography team was tasked with creating imagery that felt premium, consistent and true to the brand. That meant paying close attention to details that most people would never notice—but would immediately recognise if they were wrong.
Glassware
The client specified the exact style of stemware and tumblers required for each set up. While it might seem like a small detail, the shape of the glass plays an important role in how consumers perceive a drink. Using the correct glassware helps create authenticity and ensures the imagery reflects how the product is intended to be enjoyed.
Garnish
Each citrus slice was carefully prepared and trimmed to ensure it looked fresh, balanced and proportional within the frame. A garnish that’s too large, too small or poorly cut can distract from an otherwise perfect image.
The Drinks Were Real
One of the biggest misconceptions about beverage photography is that the drinks are often fake. – for this shoot, they weren’t.
The cocktails were made to the exact recipes provided by the client. While using substitute ingredients can sometimes make styling easier, using the real product ensures the colour, clarity and presentation are true to the final serve. For a premium brand like Hickson Gin, those details matter.
Ice That Doesn’t Melt
Perhaps the most important styling element wasn’t the gin at all – it was the ice.
Rather than using real ice, we sourced handmade acrylic ice cubes imported from the USA. Real ice begins melting almost immediately under studio lighting, creating inconsistencies between frames and making it difficult to maintain a consistent look throughout a shoot.
The acrylic ice allowed us to create realistic drinks while maintaining complete control over the styling and photography process.
Creating Perfect Condensation
Those droplets on the glass weren’t created by pulling a drink straight from the fridge.
To create a realistic condensation effect, we used a coating of clear acrylic matte paint primer for the frosted look and roughly a 50:50 mix of glycerol and water for the droplets, which was then carefully sprayed onto the glass.
One of the tricks used during the shoot was applying clear tape to the outside of the glass before spraying. This prevented condensation from appearing above the liquid line and helped maintain the illusion that the glass had been freshly poured – it’s a small detail, but one that makes the final image feel believable.
Controlling The Light
Product photography is often about controlling reflections as much as creating them.
For this shoot, we used a custom black card cut-out positioned behind the bottle to maintain definition along the edges of the glass. Without it, parts of the bottle can blend into the background or lose shape as light passes through the glass.
It isn’t something customers would consciously notice – it’s something they don’t notice because the image simply looks right.
Why The Details Matter
When people look at the final image, they see a bottle of gin and a beautifully presented drink.
What they don’t see is the planning behind the glassware selection, the imported acrylic ice, the carefully prepared garnish, the real cocktail recipe, the condensation techniques or the lighting modifiers used to shape the bottle.
That’s often what separates a good product image from a great one.
The final image should look effortless.
Planning a beverage, spirits or product photography shoot? We’d love to help bring your brand to life. Contact us to discuss your next project.
