Lucky, Sparkly, Sippable: BTS of a St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail Photoshoot

What Tito’s Wanted (And What They Didn’t)

The brilliant team at Tito’s Handmade Vodka came to me with a very specific ask:
Create a hero shot for a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail photoshoot that felt elevated, feminine, and fun—but without falling into the typical holiday traps (no leprechauns, no pot of gold, and absolutely no tacky shamrocks).

They asked for sparkle, not shamrocks—and style without the St. Patty’s cheese.

Their vision?
A visual story that felt sparkly, chic, and charmingly rebellious. Something that whispered “Lucky me,” not screamed “green beer and plastic beads.” They said, “Think: Luck, be a lady tonight.”

And listen, your girl lives for a theme with range.

The Trickiest Part of the Brief

How do you scream lucky without looking like a cereal commercial? Here’s how we cracked the code.

 Here’s the deal with St. Patrick’s Day content: it loves to go off the rails.
You’ve got cheesy cereal mascots, Vegas vibes, and yes—Leprechaun, the horror movie.

We wanted none of that.

The real challenge? Striking that delicate balance between on-theme and on-brand. Tito’s is approachable but never sloppy. Stylish but never snobby. The imagery needed to walk that tightrope—glamorous enough to stop the scroll, but grounded enough to say, “Come have a sip.”

Turning Moodboards Into Magic

I chose to go with the symbolic way. Meaning, I used color theory to my advantage. Instead of We ditched the clichés and leaned into symbolism. This was St. Patty’s with a sparkling twist.

• We started with a bold green tiled background that gives us that lush, lucky vibe without a single clover in sight.
  
• Then came the shimmering fabric backdrop, delivering the dazzle of gold coins—minus the gimmicks.
  
• To warm it up, we added a bronze cocktail tray that played beautifully against those cool greens.
  
• We dialed in intentional lighting to spotlight the drink, catch the sparkle, and show off every glorious ripple in that martini.
  
• And yes—we gave those pickles a moment. Textural, tangy, totally eye-catching.
  

Every prop, every surface, every sparkle was placed with care to bring this drink to life.

Meet the Dream Team

Let’s be real: I don’t do this alone. This shoot was a team effort from top to bottom, and it came together because of these absolute rockstars:
Assistant: Joe Reynolds
Beverage Stylist: Kristina Wolter
Digitech: Tomas Segura

Total dream team. Total magic.

Why This Shot Hits Different

Some images just work. Others? They work it.
This shot doesn’t just sit pretty—it sings.

It sparkles with personality. The concept honors the theme without being literal. And the whole vibe? Intentional, irresistible, and 100% on-brand.

And from a strategy perspective? It grabs attention, tells a story, and invites the viewer in for a sip. That’s the kind of commercial food photography I live for—the kind that blends storytelling with scroll-stopping beauty.

Let’s Make Something That Shines

Feeling lucky?
Okay, okay—I’ll cool it with the puns. But seriously, if you’ve got a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail photoshoot (or any campaign that needs sparkle, story, and a whole lotta style), I’d love to bring it to life.

Let’s make something unforgettable. [Get in touch →]