Capturing the Aesthetic Moments that Shaped Cocktail Culture

Jason Bailey is a specialised photographer and motion director. He blends highly technical lighting, set design craft, and vibrant lifestyle contexts to create expressive visual narratives.

His luminous and dynamic images capture the nuance and individuality of his subjects, from iconic spaces and people to legendary global brands and products.

Jason and his team create worlds that stretch the imagination and images that delight the senses. His work has been recognised and awarded internationally, most recently winning 1st prize in product advertising at the 2024 International Photography Awards, and being named Commercial Photographer of the year by the British Photography Awards.

Jason sat down with LBB to reflect on his recent work with Tristan Stephenson transporting readers through nine distinct moments in cocktail history. From the candle lit distilleries to the art-deco glamour of the 80s.

LBB> What was about the initial brief that intrigued you?

Jason> Well, first of all, I love a martini so that was a good start! I've photographed many cocktail campaigns over the years, but a deep dive into the history of the martini isn't a brief that comes along every day. The commission was to photograph nine different cocktails throughout the ages that have shaped how the martini evolved to where it is today. It was all about storytelling through time and place with real-world set design that offered a lovely fantasy escape from traditional commercial work.

LBB> What were your first steps when it came to breaking down the brief and formulating your ideas?

Jason> My team and I did a deep dive into the origins of the vodka martini, ’pouring’ through historical texts and visual references from each era. We traced the evolution from early distillation processes through to cultural moments that shaped cocktail culture. Does anyone remember the Cosmopolitan before ‘Sex and the City’? Iconic. Or James Bond's "shaken not stirred"? The debate continues…

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LBB> And what were the ideas and influences that you wanted to bring together?

Jason> It was important for me to ensure the lighting style and set design accurately matched each era, with a theatrical, camp twist. That meant nine different sets with distinct lighting concepts to communicate a specific time and place.

LBB> What were the interesting or challenging conversations that you had with the art director or client?

Jason> We all come from different walks of life, so when it came to deciding on the look and feel for an era, there was a lot of debate. For instance, one team member's visual cue for cocktail culture in the 70s leaned disco-glam with mirror balls and saturated colors, while others envisioned something more lounge-y and subdued. We had to really do our homework with period photography and design references to ensure it landed authentically.

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LBB> Who were the key members of the team and what did they bring?

Jason> Key team members were: our art director Oliver Blackburn who translated the research into buildable set concepts; stylist Robbie White who sourced all of the wonderful period-accurate props from vintage martini picks to era-specific glassware; post production / retoucher Stephen Kirby at SideFX, helped us grade each image to feel authentically aged; and our wonderful illustrator Andrew Edwards, helped create a detailed pre-viz with sketches to align everyone before before build day.

LBB> Tell us about the location or setting - where did you shoot and why there?

Jason> We built nine sets in my East London studio, spanning from the origins of vodka through mid-century glamour to modern pop culture - and of course, James Bond. Having full control in the studio allowed us to create authentic period-specific environments without compromise.

LBB> How did you approach the mise en scene?

Jason> Oliver and I always start by sitting down for a session, talking it through and sketching ideas on paper. Once we have solid grounding, we bring in our longtime collaborator and fantastic illustrator Andrew Edwards to help bring the vision to life in a presentable way since our sketches are certainly not client-facing.

Once we get sign-off on direction, we bring in the styling team to brainstorm propping, backgrounds, and composition. With budget in place, they initiate orders and pray everything arrives in time for shoot day!

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LBB> Tech specs - what did you shoot on? Any interesting elements in the lighting or lenses that we should know about?

Jason> I shoot still life on a Fuji GFX 100 II. Medium format gives me those extra megapixels in resolution, meaning we can punch in and find alternative crops and details that often surprise us. Sometimes the best shots come from the unexpected, and having that extra resolution helps. We explored all kinds of lens filtration for the shoot leaning into the ‘mists’ for a hazy, old-timey look, through to star filters that give that extra '80s glam and drama to the highlights.

LBB> What were the interesting technical challenges that this project brought up and how did you address them?

Jason> Liquid, glassware, and reflective surfaces are all par for the course when you specialise in liquid and beverage photography. For the '80s set, we went with a mirrored disco vibe with hyper-reflective surfaces that threw us some challenges for sure. But we love a challenge, that's how we grow as artists.

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LBB> How did the day of the shoot go? Any spontaneous opportunities or surprises?

Jason> With four to five set changes in one day, it was an incredibly fast-paced shoot with a lot of action and problem-solving on the fly. The challenge was that each era needed to feel completely distinct, so between sets we weren't just swapping props, we were changing lighting setups, backdrops, and the entire visual language. We had to trial and error concepts in camera to see what worked, responding at lightning pace to client feedback since we didn't have the luxury of time with this brief and shot list. It was exhilarating but intense.

LBB> When considering the final shot, why this particular shot over any of the other takes?

Jason> As a team, we'd agree on what looked best - we knew when we'd landed the vibe. Our post-production team was also integral to the process, helping us grade and shape the final shots to sit naturally in their era.

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LBB> What is it about this project that stays with you? What made it different to anything else you’ve worked on?

Jason> Narrative storytelling through photography and filmmaking are becoming more and more of interest to me, especially at a time when AI is challenging the creative process.

I loved this brief because we were transported through nine distinct moments in cocktail history, each with its own visual personality. From the rustic, candlelit origins of vodka distillation to the art deco glamour of mid-century and the neon-soaked excess of the '80s. We got to be production designers, historians, and photographers all at once.

Breaking out of the mould as a photographer and film maker is something we're always looking for in every brief. And I can't wait for the next one.