Window on Texas: Photo Tips

Video Guide: Window on Texas

Texas Highways Photo Editor J. Griffis "Griff" Smith takes a moment to share insightful photo tips with our readers. Smith also is open to hear your comments or questions. Click on a link or image below to view the video tips and watch your skills grow.

This month

Liquid Light

While touring the Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, visitors walk through the barrel barn where the distillery ages its bourbon before bottling.

The conditions in the barrel barn are favorable for the production of bourbon, but not as conducive to photographing the bottled product. In the dim lighting, the liquid may wind up looking flat or the bottle might look dark.

On assignment for an upcoming Texas Highways article about bourbon tours, Photo Editor Griff Smith employed special techniques to make the liquid stand out and imbue the bottle with a distinctive glow.

In his photo tips video, Griff shows how he used a white card and lighting to help a bottle of bourbon shine among the aging barrels. “Otherwise, it would look dark and lifeless,” Griff said.

Garrison Brothers Distillery is at 1827 Hye Albert Road in Hye.

Look for our story on bourbon tours in July’s TH Taste.

Additional photo tip videos below, including these topics:

More Photo Tips:

Liquid Light	Moving Target
Architecture of a Photo	Mixed Light
Portraits	Confection Perfection
Surface Preparation	Tripods
Live Performances	Sunsets
White Balance	Macro
Reflector	Composition #2
Off-Camera Flash	Composition #1
Light Painting	Dramatic Light