# Cocktails....



## leeroix (Jul 20, 2013)

Well, Ive been asked to design a menu for the bar I work at. The menu will consist of some specialty drinks. This is a test shot of a drink I made at home (One of my favorites from a local restaurant) Similar shots will be in the menu. Im looking for light modifiers and softboxes to use at other locations. This was on my coffee table, with natural window light camera left and up.  4 shots, focus stacked. -As a mixologist I implore you to try some of these recipes. I will continue to add some of my personal favorites. If you have more questions, please ask. And, by all means, post up some of your favorites. 



Jack SatanII by keips66, on Flickr
-FIXED-
Jack Satan by keips66, on Flickr
some other info: King size ice cube, Hibiscus flowers blended and strained, chile tincture is 151 rum and thai chile peppers (infused), chile rim consists of salt, pasilla chiles, ancho chiles, and allspice. Also, Gum syrup to add texture to the drink.


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## wyogirl (Jul 20, 2013)

I think the cocktail name is very fitting.... that recipe sounds like it will set you on fire.  Thai chilies can be outrageous!


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## weepete (Jul 20, 2013)

Nice! Good product shot and sounds tasty!!


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## mishele (Jul 20, 2013)

Yes, please!!


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## leeroix (Jul 20, 2013)

Its not too spicy... just right. and the hibiscus is perfect. Great on a hot summer evening.


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## pgriz (Jul 21, 2013)

You do delivery?


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## mishele (Jul 21, 2013)

He does but it's slow as hell!!


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## pgriz (Jul 21, 2013)

Ah.  Too bad.  Mi-lady has just left the bath, and she's in the mood...  Guess will have to improvise.  Dang.  where is a hibiscus when you need one?  Nemmind.  Found a substitute.


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## leeroix (Jul 21, 2013)

Haha you guys are just going to have to make one on your own... they are daaaaammmmmm good too! Im working on the next drink. -Stay tuned....


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## Heitz (Jul 21, 2013)

I love the name "Jack Satan"  Is there a "Jill Angel?"


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## leeroix (Jul 22, 2013)

Alright. here is another good summer evening drink... Clean. Refreshing. Yum



HotelII by keips66, on Flickr
-FIXED-
Hotel Nacionale Speciale by keips66, on Flickr
Shake it up. Strain it. Enjoy...
I used a good aged rum.
5 exposures. near sundown. overcast, muggy evening in NorCal.


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

^hmm on my work monitor that looks underexposed.
workin on the next one...


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## runnah (Jul 23, 2013)

Both seem under exposed. The first seems blue, unless you were going for that.


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## DarkShadow (Jul 23, 2013)

I feeling like getting hammered now.


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

yeah well I guess thats why I dont edit on my laptop... while enjoying these... Ill have to tweak some things.


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## runnah (Jul 23, 2013)

leeroix said:


> yeah well I guess thats why I dont edit on my laptop... while enjoying these... Ill have to tweak some things.



Never fails, every time i edit on a laptop i end up doing it again on my work PC.


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## cbarnard7 (Jul 23, 2013)

Heitz said:


> I love the name "Jack Satan" Is there a "Jill Angel?"



That's the name of the girl you're trying to bring home


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## sm4him (Jul 23, 2013)

The second one *does* look a little underexposed on my calibrated monitor.

The first one...well, I can't really see ANYthing wrong with the first one because I'm so completely enraptured by that drink!!  Good night, that LOOKS and sounds sooooo good...


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

^thats what I thought too. Second needs work. First looks ok to me. You should make it  I have some other good ones coming up...


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## runnah (Jul 23, 2013)

leeroix said:


> ^thats what I thought too. Second needs work. First looks ok to me. You should make it  I have some other good ones coming up...



Maybe I am just crazy but I see a blue cast.


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

Ill mess with that one too...


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## runnah (Jul 23, 2013)

There, whew that was bugging me.


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

^now that I see yours compared to mine, I see. However, Im still not sold on the background color. When I have the proper files tomorrow Ill give it a whirl too.


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## leeroix (Jul 23, 2013)

Alright, thanks runnah. I went about the processing differently. It was my first real try at focus stacking and I neglected to adjust in RAW first. I just batched in Photoshop before any adjustments. For these, I made a preset, and adjusted all 4 images for each shot and then stacked. Are these better?



Jack SatanII by keips66, on Flickr



HotelII by keips66, on Flickr
Still on my laptop though... couldn't wait till morning.


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## leeroix (Jul 24, 2013)

Yep. looks better at work too.


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## kathyt (Jul 24, 2013)

pgriz said:


> Ah.  Too bad.  Mi-lady has just left the bath, and she's in the mood...  Guess will have to improvise.  Dang.  where is a hibiscus when you need one?  Nemmind.  Found a substitute.


Pgriz, you crack me up!


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## kathyt (Jul 24, 2013)

The first image is fantastic. The font is perfect for this type of drink, love the DOF, and the vignetting. Very nice. I would keep the look semi-consistent for the menu. The second image font is too girly.


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## leeroix (Jul 24, 2013)

^ Yeah. These particular drinks are only me playing around at my house. They are drinks that are some of my favorites from restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland. I thought you guys would like to know how to make some  The drink menu will have different, more typical - cheaper drinks - because it is a sports bar. (Margarita, Mai Tai, Beer, etc...)


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## leeroix (Jul 29, 2013)

Next:



MaiTai by keips66, on Flickr
The real Mai Tai. Adapted from Trader Vic's in Oakland (the original)
Pretty refreshing...
Natural sunlight. Through my window. 6 stacked shots.


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## squirrels (Jul 29, 2013)

I loved the earlier shots too, especially the second edit on the first? But this one looks and sounds perfect to me.


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## leeroix (Jul 29, 2013)

Thanks! Next one is going to be delicious.... 
Gin.


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## leeroix (Jul 30, 2013)

The Clover Club...



CloverClub by keips66, on Flickr
Pretty darn good. and the egg white makes it frothy... Shake it up, then add ice and shake again. Double strain into a coupe. Enjoy...


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## limr (Jul 31, 2013)

I've been really enjoying this thread (both the pictures and the recipes!) The only thing I don't like about this latest picture is that the line that divides the colors in the background is crooked.


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## leeroix (Jul 31, 2013)

^Well I suppose I could fix in Photoshop... but I'd be more than happy to re-shoot!


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## limr (Jul 31, 2013)

Ooh, cool new avatar, too! 

I think the line stands out to me because I read all the messages straight through and the other pictures were fresh in my mind. The background of all the others were more uniform and bokehlicious and did a great job at highlighting but not distracting from the main subject. This was the only one that seemed to break that pattern, but only because of the angle of the line. I like the two tones because they mirror the drink and the colors work really well with the rest of the photo.


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## leeroix (Jul 31, 2013)

^ok, now that Ive had time to analyze it, I see. Good point. Ill fix it.

Tonights drink will be good too...


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## leeroix (Jul 31, 2013)

Fixed Background 



CloverClub-edit by keips66, on Flickr


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## leeroix (Jul 31, 2013)

...and the Aruba... 



Aruba by keips66, on Flickr
Lovin the egg whites.


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## limr (Aug 1, 2013)

Nice.
I'm a bit wary of the egg white but might have to try that last one.


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## pgriz (Aug 1, 2013)

You know, Lee, on that last one, a little spray of water on the wood would give the impression of a poolside deck - and the strong lighting and shadow contribute to that feeling.  

Overall your images are as delicious as the drinks appear to be.  I'm going to have to limit myself to only one per day.


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## leeroix (Aug 1, 2013)

Great idea! The problem Im having is the location in which I'm taking all of these. Of course, these are all for fun -sort of a warm up- but I have just run out of tables, coasters, and glassware. Now, I have to get more creative. I was a bit weary of drinks with egg in them as well, but it adds a dimension to the drink that is otherwise not there. Only a half ounce of the whites from a FRESH egg is all these call for anyway. Most of _these_ are pre-prohibition era cocktails. Modern ones on the way... If any of you want the exact measurements for these lemme know.
Thinking about some bourbon, or rye next...


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## pgriz (Aug 1, 2013)

leeroix said:


> Great idea! The problem Im having is the location in which I'm taking all of these. Of course, these are all for fun -sort of a warm up- but I have just run out of tables, coasters, and glassware. Now, I have to get more creative. I was a bit weary of drinks with egg in them as well, but it adds a dimension to the drink that is otherwise not there. Only a half ounce of the whites from a FRESH egg is all these call for anyway. Most of _these_ are pre-prohibition era cocktails. Modern ones on the way... If any of you want the exact measurements for these lemme know.
> Thinking about some bourbon, or rye next...



Well, they may be for fun, but they are good enough to put into a shiny-page book, or on a poster.  I'm sure there is a potential market for restaurants and bars in showing their "specialty" drinks, and while I don't want to encourage drinking, these types of drinks really need to be savoured, and the visual presentation is a very important part of that.  Why not try printing some of these on metallic paper in a larger size (say 24-30 inches high) and see if people get excited about them?


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## leeroix (Aug 7, 2013)

More of a manly drink...



Grand Larceny by keips66, on Flickr

Also used is a burned lemon oil. - heat the lemon wrind with a flame, and then squeeze the oil out through the flame, onto the drink rub the rim with the rind. This drink is interesting because it has an IPA floater, which  compliments the sweetness, and adds a slightly bitter bite. This drink is awesome. Make sure you use top quality ingredients. I used Lagunitas IPA and a large ice sphere...
Taken with about 8 shots on my old 1970 somthin' 55 1.2 manuel. wide open. natural window light through the blinds.


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## limr (Aug 7, 2013)

Love the look of that last photo and I love the recipe, too. That burned lemon oil is a great trick. As a former bartender, I find the recipes as exciting as the photos are


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## leeroix (Aug 8, 2013)

next up... something with some good mescal.


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## jwbryson1 (Aug 8, 2013)

leeroix said:


> Alright. here is another good summer evening drink... Clean. Refreshing. Yum
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Leeroix, what are the measurements for each individual item in this drink?

Thanks!


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## Buckster (Aug 8, 2013)

I don't drink any alcoholic beverages at all, so I have no interest in that aspect of these.

Nonetheless, I really love the photos you're producing with this series.  I think they're just perfect for menus and other promotional materials.  Well done!


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## leeroix (Aug 8, 2013)

Its pretty good drink 
1.5oz aged rum (I used Brugal, but use your favorite)
.75oz fresh lime juice
.75oz Pineapple Gum Syrup - ordered from smallhandfoods.com
.5oz apricot brandy


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## leeroix (Aug 8, 2013)

Thanks Buckster! Im running out of ideas for staging. Have to get creative in the next series.


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## pgriz (Aug 8, 2013)

Put it in the hands of a willing subject, lips about to sip from the rim...  you get the idea.


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## jwbryson1 (Aug 8, 2013)

leeroix said:


> (I used Brugal, but use your favorite)



No te gusta Flor de Cana (Venezuela) or Zacapa (Guatemala)?


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## leeroix (Aug 8, 2013)

^Yep. by all means, use those. The particular store I was in did not have Flor de Cana.


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## leeroix (Sep 8, 2013)

Proper model shot in the near future...

This is delicious. It makes the searing pain of my Raiders losing to Indy a little easier...



PortOfSpain by keips66, on Flickr
Enjoy...


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## leeroix (Dec 24, 2013)

Didn't have time to photograph two of my holiday cocktails but they were good. Ill see if I can make some more. Here are some shots for an party I shot up in the fall. Missed the focus stack on the last one... but it was rushed  on location -bummer... still a great drink...



Dia de los muertos numero 3 by keips66, on Flickr



Dia de los muertos numero 3 by keips66, on Flickr



Dia de los muertos numero 3 by keips66, on Flickr


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## leeroix (Jan 29, 2014)

bourbon by keips66, on Flickr
Caged Heat (modified) - Bulleit, Carpano Antica, Lemon, Real Grenadine, Chile Tincture.


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## leeroix (Apr 26, 2014)

Me, enjoying a real Manhattan...


cocktail by keips66, on Flickr
24" soft box to camera left, camera on timer...


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## limr (Apr 26, 2014)

Love the lighting and comp and the pose. My only nitpick would be that the angle kind of makes your right leg - the knee to foot portion - look disproportionately large. Maybe a slightly higher perspective and the focus on the drink rather than your shin?

I also want to know your Manhattan recipe


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## leeroix (Apr 26, 2014)

Yeah I see what you mean. It does bother me, but I almost threw this shot out completely. It was hard to manipulate the camera on the timer, sit down, take a sip and relax, without spilling a drop. With all those movements, I couldn't get the position perfected. So, this is more of a candid, lifestyle shot. The drink: I used Bulleit, Carpano Antica, Bittercube bitters, and an Orange rind. (I ran out of Luxardo Cherries) The essential part of a good Manhattan, is the Carpano Antica, which can be poured over rocks and enjoyed alone... its that good.


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## limr (Apr 26, 2014)

leeroix said:


> Yeah I see what you mean. It does bother me, but I almost threw this shot out completely. It was hard to manipulate the camera on the timer, sit down, take a sip and relax, without spilling a drop. With all those movements, I couldn't get the position perfected. So, this is more of a candid, lifestyle shot.



Well, I think it's pretty damn good in those conditions! But as I said, it was only a nitpick and doesn't ruin the shot for me. I still think it's definitely a keeper.



> The drink: I used Bulleit, Carpano Antica, Bittercube bitters, and an Orange rind. (I ran out of Luxardo Cherries) The essential part of a good Manhattan, is the Carpano Antica, which can be poured over rocks and enjoyed alone... its that good.



You've got the best recipes! I'm not that fond of vermouth, but perhaps I just haven't found the right one. Gonna have to try that Carpano Antica. And I love that you've got it in a proper glass 

You might be interested in this: Bitters
This is a guy local to me (opposite coast, sorry! But they have an internet shop.) that makes his own soda syrups and he's got a fantastic variety of bitters (not his own.)

My boyfriend and I have been making aged Manhattans, experimenting with some tea-infused white dog and different bitters in a 1-liter barrel we bought from a local distillery. So far they've been really interesting, and they get even more so as the barrel is seasoned.


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## leeroix (Apr 26, 2014)

^sounds awesome! That site is cool, I may be ordering some stuff from it


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## limr (Apr 26, 2014)

leeroix said:


> ^sounds awesome! That site is cool, I may be ordering some stuff from it



The soda syrups are good - organic ingredients, no corn syrup (cane sugar instead) and ground spices. I've tried the ginger ale and the cream soda. The ginger ale is very nice, not too sweet. The cream soda doesn't really taste like a traditional cream soda - too much cinnamon in it, I think, but it still tastes really good. It helps to add a drop or two of vanilla if you want it to taste more like cream soda. And we've only started to crack the bitters selection! If you have any trouble ordering or if shipping is exorbitant, let me know and I'll try to find it locally and just mail it to you myself. All the locations on the "Where to find" page are 20-30 minutes from my house.


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## leeroix (May 15, 2014)

Pretty simple drink. You may have already had one.


Moscow Mule by keips66, on Flickr
Its great on a hot day it was 90 in SF yesterday. The copper mug is an essential part of the cocktail as it is such a good thermal conductor. It gets as cold as the cubes themselves and its very refreshing as it hits the lips Its also one of the most stolen bar items. Some are copper plated, the best are pure copper. I prefer the simple pure copper ones like this.


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## leeroix (Oct 25, 2014)

This is good. Actually its fantastic. If you can get Gran Classico, do so. Its great in other drinks as well. The Carpano Antica speaks for itself, and when combined with a good Mezcal, these three are very good.



MezcalNegroni by keips66, on Flickr


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## leeroix (Oct 26, 2014)

BatistePunch by keips66, on Flickr
Also good....
22 shot stack (probably overkill and just being lazy from having too many) ambient light.
55mm 1.2 oldskool...


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