Beverage photo guide

How to photograph drinks

Readable labels, controlled glass, cold condensation and the pour shot, for cans, bottles and glassware, and how our studio shoots beverages with AI.

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Glass bottle of citrus soda with condensation on a terrazzo counter beside a cut orange, made with AI

Written by Aarushi Jain Co-founder & COO of Kaptured.AI

Updated

A drink photo has to make someone thirsty and still let them read the label. That balance decides most beverage images: the bottle must be cold, fresh and inviting, and the brand name must stay sharp at thumbnail size.

Three things trip shoots up. Glass and cans reflect everything around them, condensation dries or runs before the shutter fires, and a clean pour takes rigs and many attempts. Each flavour in a range has to repeat the result exactly.

What a drink photo has to get right

  • A readable label

    The label is half the product. Light, focus and angle should keep the brand and flavour crisp, even where the label wraps around the curve.

  • Controlled glass

    Bottles and cans pick up the studio. Clean edge highlights describe the shape; stray reflections make it look cheap.

  • Cold condensation

    Beads of water on the glass say "just out of the fridge". They should look natural, not sprayed on, and not cover the label.

  • The pour

    A pour or a splash is often the image that defines the brand. It must look fresh and stay clear of the label.

Close-up of condensation running down the bottle's shoulder, made with AI
Detail shot, sample made with AI: close-up of condensation running down the bottle's shoulder.

What a beverage shoot takes without AI

  1. Cross-polarised light

    Filters on the lights and lens cut glare from glass and foil labels, re-set for every bottle shape.

  2. Glycerine spray

    A glycerine mix sprayed on the glass fakes condensation that lasts under hot lights. Getting even droplets takes practice and many resets.

  3. Pour rigs

    Mechanical rigs pour on cue for hero shots, with fast flash and many takes to catch a clean shape.

  4. Composites

    Hero images often blend a clean bottle, the best splash and the best condensation from separate frames.

How we shoot drinks with AI

The soda poured into a glass over ice, made with AI
In use, sample made with AI: the soda poured into a glass over ice.

  • From a photo of the bottle

    Send photos of each bottle or can. We shoot them with AI with the label, glass and liquid colour as they are.

  • Condensation and ice

    We add cold condensation, frost and ice that look natural and keep the label clear.

  • Pours and splashes

    Pour and splash shots are made around your bottle with AI, with no rig and no cleaning up between takes.

  • Scenes for every occasion

    Picnics, bars, dinner tables and summer terraces: each flavour can appear in the scenes your customers drink it in.

Our lifestyle and location service covers drink scenes, and ad and social creatives the pour and splash images for campaigns.

Sized right for every marketplace you sell on

  • Amazon

    Main image on pure white (RGB 255, 255, 255), with the product filling about 85% of the frame and no props, text or extra items.

    Source: Amazon Seller Central, product image requirements. Checked 3 Oct 2026.

  • Amazon

    Keep the full label visible on the main image; alcohol brands should check the rules for each country they sell in.

    Our advice

  • Instacart and grocery apps

    A simple, front-facing bottle with a sharp label is what shoppers scan for.

    Our advice

  • Your own store

    Lead with a lifestyle or pour image and keep packshots for the product grid.

    Our advice

The soda bottle on white, beaded with condensation, made with AI
White-background shot, sample made with AI: the soda bottle on white, beaded with condensation.

FAQs

Drink photos where the label stays sharp and the bottle looks ice cold

Can pours and splashes look real?
Yes. Pours, splashes and bubbles are made around your real bottle and checked so the liquid colour matches your drink.
Will the label distort around the bottle?
No. The label follows the bottle's curve as it does in life, and every image is checked for spelling, logo and colour.
Do you shoot alcohol brands?
Yes. How the image is made doesn't change advertising rules, so we follow the age and regional rules your channels set.

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