Striving for a Difference

Pandemics seem to suck a lot of the energy and enthusiasm out of most folks. But in all honesty, the past year has enriched me with a renewed energy for making a difference in my work. Going from general photography work where a typical client could be a magazine, a retail store or maybe an artist to distilleries, breweries and wineries has been a wonderful transition.
For an entire year, I've been striving to improve my skills in the recording of a variety of bottles from many a brewery, winery etc. It's been a blessed experience and a mountainous challenge. Glass bottles with their great variety, labels that are made of so many different materials all present challenges.

In the local area I've had the pleasure to work with vineyards to document their product for social media and online catalogues, distilleries to show off their fresh new branding design and breweries to provide images of new products for a variety of online and offline presences. I've even received invitations to visit manufacturing facilities in order to document processes and day to day activities. The variety of projects is widely varied. 

What I have recognized in my new attention to the industry, is that across social media channels, many of the images being posted have a fairly similar character. To the point that it kind of all looks like a single person is providing the majority of the imagery. This is the type of work I am doing my darndest to avoid as I find my visual voice in an already saturated marketplace.

I read a book by Seth Godin which speaks of the importance of creating a "purple cow" in order to be noticed when the markets are filled to the brim. When there are more providers of a service or product than the demand is calling for. The idea is that in order to stand apart, such as if you were raising cattles for example, you would need something that immediately grabs attention and is wholly remarkable. Worthy of making a remark about. A cow that is purple, would be such a thing.
My goal, even though I may never achieve it, is to create something that is remarkable. A purple cow so to speak.
I want my drinks photography to have a special character which immediately identifies it as something only I could have created.
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It's a daunting task, but one well worth the time and effort required.
Excuse me while I attend to my purple cow project.
I've much preparation to do.
​Have a great spring.