WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY

I’ll be honest: I was a bit intimidated by this one. When you walk into Wiggly Bridge, there’s a collage on the wall of some outstanding photos taken when the place first opened. That photographer clearly had time, impeccable staging, and perfect lighting. I, on the other hand, had exactly one hour to shoot this entire article for City Lifestyle. As a commercial photographer in Portsmouth, NH, you quickly learn that you don't always get the "new car smell" conditions; you get the reality of a working business.

We started with portraits and a few restaurant branding images before heading out to the rick house. For those wondering, "rick" is a derivation of "rack" used by the folks who know their bourbon. The air in there is thick with the "angel's share," and the lighting is moody—perfect for narrative architectural photography. I asked if I could get a shot of them opening a cask. They obliged, and it turned out we stumbled upon a "unicorn"—a barrel of such depth and complexity that the owner declared he could bottle it straight and charge a fortune.

Then came the offer: "Would you like a sip?" It was 9:30 in the morning, and I had a meeting at 10, but how do you say no to a unicorn? I took a sip. My head swam, my ears warmed, and everything got a bit tinny. That’s when he told me it was roughly 150 proof. That moment is exactly where my phrase "lightning in the veins" comes from.

This session is a highlight of my architectural photography nh work because it wasn't about perfect staging; it was about capturing the soul of the craft. Even with a slight buzz and a ticking clock, we managed to get shots that felt honest to the Wiggly Bridge brand. It turns out that sometimes, the best editorial food photography happens when you stop worrying about the competition on the wall and just start shooting the spirit in the glass.