liquid photography Feb 2014

Everything about shooting liquids appeals to Adrian Mueller, from the concept stage and drawing layouts together with creatives, to testing and rigging - all the way to actually shooting together with the client. It all requires a combination of imagination, careful planning, experience and a sense of wonder.

"The need to be precise and to have excellent lighting skills to get the shot is always replaced by an awe of how beautiful a liquid looks once captured and how unpredictably wonderful it can behave. The exhilaration of how much more exquisite and elegant it appears than initially anticipated is what makes shooting liquids so much fun and so rewarding."

Barry Makariou is one of London's leading still life photographers, specialising in liquid.

Winner of the prestigious One Eyeland Advertising Award and shortlisted for Hasselblad Masters Finalist 2014.

He is as much an image-creator as he is a photographer.

Creating emotion and identity and bringing even the most challenging products to vivid and arresting life, Barry's photographs are steeped in an awareness of form and aesthetics to reveal the essence of his subject matter.

Recent work includes Avios, Durex, Peroni, Shloer and Gillette.

Barry is represented by Sue Allatt Creative.

Ben Leonhardt is a Munich-based photographer working in food, drinks, still life and liquids, with a strong reputation for beer, water and other potables.

Ben is a photographer in the second generation, taking over the studio of his father Ludwig Leonhardt, after working together for over 10 years.

He continuously develops the art of controlling all kinds of liquids to generate stunning images. Profound knowledge and skills in photography, as well as digital imaging completes the process with fabulous results.

Drink and liquid clients include Kulmbacher Brauerei, Mönchshof, Kapuziner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Fürstenberg, Adelholzener, Überkinger, Volvic, McDonald‘s, Börlind and many more.

Visit his website for more of his work, or send him an email with any further questions.

Dennis Pedersen transforms everyday materials into spectacular, dynamic imagery - an art that he has honed for over 20 years.

Dennis' studio is highly sought-after by clients from many sectors, all seeking a highly creative response to the photography of their products. Water, ice, heat, materials in flux: like an alchemist, Dennis employs techniques and effects that bring materials and brands to life.

From his studios in Shoreditch, highly accessible to the creative industries of London, he uses technical prowess as well as ingenuity to achieve the effects for which he is known. Dennis has plentiful darkroom experience and takes a highly trained eye to digital production, always pushing the boundaries of the photographically possible - and his unerring ability to capture the essence of a product.

He will also shoot on location and has developed an extensive portfolio ranging from editorial and advertising to PR and point of sale.

John Early has been obsessed with light and photography since he was a child. After graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography in the late 80s, he journeyed to Los Angeles and assisted several top photographers for several years before opening his own studio.

Today, clients call on John for his unique vision, production capabilities and relentless attention to detail no matter what kind of campaign he is shooting. Using all the latest tools available including CGI, John loves to work with clients to create a clear, precise creative vision for every project.

John's images have been used for nearly two decades in magazines, brochures, billboards, TV and extensively on the Internet. His talents, years of experience and easy-going attitude, combined with his "hands-on" approach to post-production, are some of the reasons clients return year after year.

Jose Vidaurre is a photographer and digital retoucher, specialising in "liquids in motion". In this niche, Jose has been selected three times for Luerzer's Archive "200 Best Worldwide" series, twice as a photographer, and once as a digital artist.

He works at extremely high resolution, usually stitching many captures together for each project.

Jose not only handles photography and digital retouching but has been hired on numerous occassions by advertising agencies to create the visual concepts for important international campaigns.

Mark Mawson held his first camera at the age of eight and has been passionate about photography and lighting ever since. He has over 25 years of working as a photographer in London and has travelled extensively around the world shooting for clients.

His ‘Aqueous’ series of liquids started out as a fun, personal project but has since become world renowned. A video of it was projected onto Buckingham Palace as the backdrop for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert.

Mark enjoys collaborating with clients and creatives to produce stunning images.

With a background in action photography and a passion for working in the studio, Mike Basher bridged the gap between his two loves a decade ago. He is known for his stark, pleasing compositions and clean lighting style, whether shooting indoors or out.

Widely considered entertaining and light-hearted, Mike has built long-standing relationships with many of his clients, who often entrust him to take a concept and run with it.

Clients include Under Armour, The North Face, Giro, Adidas Snowboarding, Union Binding Company, DaKine and Billabong.

Mike is based out of his studio in Baltimore. Visit his website for more information.

Phil Sills works in London shooting liquid and drinks photography. Recent campaigns include Glo Worm, a new mixer-based drink currently launching across the UK in bars and clubs.

Phil’s specialty is focused, detailed studio product photography, whether the subject is solid, liquid, shiny or matt.

“Always approachable, happy to serve.”

The images feautured in this Spotlight represent Ray Massey's areas of expertise, which has enabled creatives to bring some of their most demanding concepts to life without sacrificing organic appeal.

Specialising in liquids and drinks, Ray combines real life special effects with his in-house retouching and composing facility to bring to life within a pre-determined budget.

Working out of his 3500 sq. ft. converted church hall studio in Camden, he has over the last 25 years acquired an excellent production team around him to ensure that even the most difficult brief is executed to the highest of standards.

Rick Souders, owner of Souders Studios, has one of the largest food photography studios in the Rocky Mountains West. Rick is an honours graduate of the Art Center College of Design and is known as the “Mile High Food and Beverage Guy”.

The Souders Studios facilities include a commercial kitchen, two studios, five client lounges and balconies, three prop storage areas including a prop pantry, prop garage and a prop barn. The Souders Studios team has won many prestigious awards around the world.

Souders Studios has many fast food, restaurant chains, national beverage and liquor clients, health food clients, cookbooks and editorial clients. Square Pixels, its sister company, is also an awarding-winning retouching and digital compositing studio.

The team offers several styles of photography and a vast array of equipment. The studio is known internationally for its creativity with food and beverage photography, while the team also specialises in flame and splash photography.

Email Rick for more information.

Thomas Rohde is known for a graphic minimalist style and use of vivid colour. His direct and modern lighting style aims to bring out the best in the liquid and to make it look super fresh and delicious.

Thomas’ ingenuity and problem solving skills result in highly energetic and dynamic imagery. He is available for commissions in his London Southbank studio and on location worldwide.

Clients include Prada, Laurent Perrier, Lancome, Clinique, Calvin Klein, Wallis, Fabris Lane, Ernest Jones, Procter & Gamble, L’Oreal, Amazon UK, Oriflame Sweden and Oral B.

Magazines include Cent Magazine, Plethora Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, Red Magazine, Elle UK, Country & Townhouse, Telegraph SatMag, Stella Magazine and Phoenix.

Till Melchior is a still life photographer based in Hamburg. His passion is to create unique images with distinctive quality.

The range he covers focuses on liquids, jewellery, cosmetics as well as classic still life photography for both national and international advertising and editorial clients.

Till loves working on conceptual processes to give them a spontaneous look. Together with his partners he can offer a wide range of post-production, 3D rendering, production and cost efficent timing.

Till is represented by Stillstars.

London born Martin Wonnacott spends time between his studios in London and New York City. Shooting for clients around the world he can offer either city depending on the convenience for the client.

The world of liquids and sophisticated-looking imagery for advertising are his mainstay. Having shot for every major drinks brand in the word he is well known and highly respected among agencies and their clients.

Recent projects have been major campaigns for Belvedere Vodka, Jägermeister, Patron Tequila, La Prairie and many more.

Martin has recently been directing motion for Svedka Vodka in NYC and will be a major focus for the year ahead.