Behind the Scenes: My Coca-Cola Shoot

When I set out to photograph Coca-Cola, I thought it would be simple — a bottle, a glass, a quick pour, done. Instead, it turned into one of the stickiest, most chaotic shoots of my degree project.

Coke is such an iconic brand that I wanted to capture not just the product but the energy of cracking one open: the fizz, the bubbles, the sense of refreshment. I collected props, sketched out compositions, and planned to piece things together later in Photoshop, knowing I’d need to shoot in stages.

The reality was much messier. Every pour foamed differently, splashed in unexpected directions, or went flat too quickly. I must have poured it a dozen times, trying to catch the perfect fizz or just the right splash. By the end, the table, floor, and even I were coated in sticky Coke. Lighting was a battle too — shifting angles by the tiniest amounts just to make the glass sparkle and the drink look rich instead of flat.

Once I had enough material, Photoshop became my saviour. I merged the best parts of different pours into one final composition, choosing the right bubbles from one shot, the best pour from another, and tidying up everything else. Colour grading gave it that bold, punchy energy you expect from Coca-Cola, and suddenly the chaos looked polished.

Looking back, what seemed like a simple idea turned out to be one of the most demanding shoots of my project. But it pushed me to problem-solve like an art director and refine every detail until it felt right. In the end, that messy, sticky shoot became one of the images I’m most proud of.