Whiskey Cocktail Photography for Uncle Nearest’s Calendar
Our photographer Sarah Hone had the fun task of photographing 12 unique cocktails for Uncle Nearest’s 2020 promotional calendar.
It’s always exciting for us to work on a brand with a unique and inspiring story. Uncle Nearest’s history stretches back to the mid-1800s’. Its founder, Nearest Green, is the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States and is thought to be responsible for helping perfect the Lincoln County Process, a requirement in being categorized as Tennessee Whiskey.
The goal of the shoot was to capture 12 cocktails crafted by some of the best mixologists in the country. Each month describes the recipe, method, and shows our photos. The variety of cocktails within the calendar demonstrates the versatility of Uncle Nearest’s premium whiskey.
The Production
The process of creating and photographing each drink required a thoughtful approach. Specialty cocktails change over time from the beautiful first pour. These drinks can quickly lose their original visual characters as the ice melts or the ingredients further fuse. However, it is continually enjoyable to work with these creative limitations in mind. The production was a marathon of backdrops, surfaces, and cocktail glasses. Each cocktail photo received special attention to finding the right surface and context that would accent its natural colors. In addition, Sarah worked within pre-set designs for the calendar’s layout as seen in the photo above.
The lead mixologist working alongside Sarah for this shoot was Sailor, who flew in from Spokane, WA. Sailor is the northwest market manager for Uncle Nearest and is an experienced mixologist herself, authoring the upcoming book Kickass Cocktails. She even has a podcast: Metal, Rock & Whiskey.
Follow her on Instagram: @sailorretro.
As a person who lives and breathes mixology, she was a pleasure to have on set and working with Sarah.
These calendars are on sale at the distillery for $12 with all proceeds going to Nearest Green Foundation.
Enjoy these images featured in the calendar.
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