Moonshine
Ahem…
Now that I’ve got your attention, I’d like to announce that Moonshine by John Schlimm is available for purchase today (Sept. 25, 2018 for you time travelers out there)! This is the fifth project I’ve worked on with John. Over the years, I’ve photographed his vegan cookbooks (The Tipsy Vegan, Grilling Vegan Style and The Cheesy Vegan), provided photos for a project with The National Onion Association (who knew?) and now this book, which delves into the history of moonshine and provides quite a few delicious recipes if you’re feeling a little dry after all of that reading.
Though Moonshine isn’t a cookbook and has plenty of historical photos to illustrate the text, we approached the new, recipe-driven photos in the same way we would any other cookbook, starting with the overall tone of the book. It was meant to be rustic and homey, something that wouldn’t take itself too seriously. Think rough wood or stone surfaces, maybe a little messy, but always approachable.
Also? Mason jars abound, y’all.
What better way to start an infusion, after all? These infusions feature everything from fruit (pictured above) and veggies to spices and even candy! I’ve always admired John’s creativity when it comes to recipe development, and these cocktails are no exception.
I love the citrusy splash of the Moonshine Monkey:
The Moonshine Rita is a tasty variation of the old favorite:
And for something a little different, there’s a Smokey Mountain S’more cocktail, which we tweaked just a bit to add delicious (and photogenic) garnish to the rim.
I really do love sunny beverages, like the Stockcar:
But my favorite photo of the bunch is an outtake of the Moonshine Mojito. I knew it was a long shot before I even sent it, given John’s preference for showing the finished recipe rather than an in-process photo, but I couldn’t resist when I saw the bubbles from the club soda buoying the mint leaves to the surface.
As always, I had a great time photographing recipes for John’s latest! Cookbook photography might be my favorite thing to do within the realm of food photography because I love having a larger project to contemplate and I get to work with a talented team of creatives to bring forth the art director’s vision. And, of course, it’s still such a thrill to crack open that printed book, so many months after the final photo has been delivered.
