Tips on photographing your beer?

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I've tried to do it a few times, but it's always trial and error.

It's a PITA trying to photograph beer in order to show proper colour, carbonation and clarity.

We have a lot of clever people in this forum with a very wide range of skills and talents, so......Over to you, master photographers!

 

[dataz722]

First question is what kind of camera are you using?

 

[rsmith179]

Here's a pretty good thread I saw a while back here on HBT:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/photographing-beer-96603/

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

First question is what kind of camera are you using?

This one.http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-locale=en_US&pq-path=2798

 

[Joeywhat]

I find that good lighting and a good backdrop are the 'keys' to good pics. I'm not a pro by any means, and I don't take amazing photos...but those two factors make the biggest difference for me.

I like to use natural light as much as possible - it's just easier then trying to position a ton of different indoor lights, and in the end it still doesn't come out right. Open up those shots or take the shots outdoors.

ETA - Also make good use of focus. Often times the part of the photo that should be in focus isn't going to be centered so your auto focus will not lock on it. Use the manual focus if you've got it.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Here's a pretty good thread I saw a while back here on HBT:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/photographing-beer-96603/

Oh buggar! I forgot the golden rule of searching! Sorry.

 

[dataz722]

Make sure you adjust white balance if you are taking the pictures inside. That is probably one of the main reason the pictures don't look right.

 

[Homercidal]

You can adjust the shutter and aperature settings to take pictures, depending on if you want the background in focus, or blurred. Some of the better pocket cameras can do that anyway.

It's all in lighting, background choice, distance, etc. Some people have a knack, and some people have to practice. My wife cannot take a photo to save her life. I've showed her so many times to hold still. With digitals, you have to hold still even after you think the picture is snapped. She always takes blurry photos.

This reminds me that I need to pour a glass of my Belgian Pale and submit. Just to see how the photo turns out.

 

[MeatyPortion]

Oh buggar! I forgot the golden rule of searching! Sorry.

Ha ha, you said "buggar".

 

[uglygoat]

if you include gratuitous pics of nipples, your photos will be well received.

 

[dataz722]

With LGI it needs to be specified that it should be female nips.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

if you include gratuitous pics of nipples, your photos will be well received.

hehe! That buggar said nipples!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I have this problem too.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/request-sticky-tutorial-beer-photography-beer-glass-102489/

I haven't had time to make a box, but it is in the plans for the future. I hate that all my beer pics look like cloudy dim junk. All my beers look terrible in the pictures I take

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

For those in cold/dry climates it may be less of an issue but here in humid Florida the glass usually sweats and kills any hope of illustrating the clarity of the beer. So taking photos of warmish beer often gives better results (and the beer itself is usually clearer when warm too). But in a way...it's cheating.

 

[dataz722]

Food photography is always cheating.

 

[StunnedMonkey]

Just remember that candid shots are generally better than posed shots. If the beer knows that you're photographing it then it might stiffen up and you'll be left with a bunch of photos that resemble grandma's photo album. Try to sneak up on the beer and capture it acting naturally.