Have you ever wondered how they capture those incredible beer photos you see in magazines? The images are so amazing that even if you weren’t thirsty for beer before you saw it, you certainly are after. The bottles always look so frosty and refreshing you can’t help but want one for yourself.
Well since in no time Cinco De Mayo will be here, it’s the perfect time to share simple tips for capturing the best beer photo, specifically of the most popular beer of the holiday, Corona Extra.
In fact, 1 in 2 people of legal drinking age drank a Corona around Cinco last year and it’s the most hashtagged beer on Instagram – meaning, lots of you are drinking and snapping shots, but are you doing it right?
No one knows beer photography better than Corona’s very own Limeologist, Barry Conner.
With 43-years of experience and 3,000 commercial shoots propping beer, liquor and other liquid products, Barry shared his best photography tips and innovations for capturing the perfect shot of the iconic clear-glass Corona Extra.
Beer Photo Tips from Barry Conner, Corona Limeologist:
- Lighting: The Corona Extra iconic clear bottle allows 82% light in, so find a spot with a complementary ray of light to highlight the cerveza. Be sure to light the beer, no the bottle in the shot. OR create an optical grade glass bottle that allows 96% of light come through, so that you can clearly see the beer, just like Barry has done specifically for Corona.
- Find the Perfect Lime: The perfect lime is dark green in color, small in shape, and smooth to the touch. Ask a grocery store produce worker for 230s or 250s, referring to the number of limes in a case. Place the lime on the cutting board, use a straight edge knife and gently cut the fruit in half from pole to pole. The mouth of a Corona bottle measures ¾” Across; so does the width of a perfect slice.
- Ensure Maximum Freshness: Don’t open the bottle until the second you are ready to take the photo. Beer is more appetizing when it’s full with a fresh head of foam at the top. Or if you’re Barry Conner, just use your specially designed heading ingredient to maintain the perfect beer head, which keeps the beer looking like you just opened the bottle
- Finish with a perfect presentation. The lime wedge should sit snug yet comfortably atop the Corona Extra bottle, angled to showcase the light green inside the fruit. Let the label face your viewers to remind them of good times ahead, and snap the photo.
You might not be able to invent a silk frosting ingredient to ensure the beer looks naturally cold all the time, or a virtually indestructible Corona can for photo and video shoots like Barry has, but your photos will definitely make a mark with these tips.
Cinco de Mayo is coming up, so feel free to capture your celebrations and share your Cinco Lime Drop photos to Facebook on 5/5 at 5:55 p.m. using #LimeDrop to celebrate Corona Extra’s first ever Cinco de Mayo Lime Drop.
And you know that we encourage you to enjoy your Corona Responsibly.
