Lavender Gin Fizz Cocktail + How to Style Cocktails

This is a two fold post today, you’re going to get a lavender gin fizz cocktail recipe AND I’m going to talk a bit about how to simply and quickly style cocktails, whether it’s for photos or serving, and how to edit those photos.

These cocktails were inspired by my friend Maggie, of the Green Beauty Guide. She came over one early summer afternoon with two delicious and homemade floral syrups. We experimented with different variations and this lavender gin fizz was the runaway winner of the day. And, as a bonus, we spent time styling and photographing the cocktails, which left me with photos — and a recipe — that are too good not to share.

How to Style Cocktail Photos

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I got into cocktails over the past year and a half, and I’ve shared many of my concoctions on here and on stories. In photographing all of these cocktails, I’ve learned a thing or two. Here

• All you need is simple glassware. These are plain coupe glasses, actually handed down to us from a friend who was moving. You can get a set of them for under $30. For photographing cocktails, you want to show off the drink, so I opted for this coupe glass instead of a stemless glass to give it some height and to show off the delicate. But, again, it’s simple. You don’t need fancy, expensive glassware. Glass is glass.
• Opt for cocktails that have variation. Not all cocktails will have layers, I get it. However, getting that moment when liquids mix is so good. And, if the layers stay, even better.
• Garnish with something that’s relevant. For this lavender gin fizz, lavender made sense. Sure, we didn’t use any fresh lavender in here. But, I still had it in my garden, so why not use it? A couple sprigs gracefully placed and we were good to go.
• Go easy on the background. It doesn’t need too much context or detail. A beautiful cocktail, a subtle garnish, and an extra garnish or two haphazardly fallen on the table. That’s it.

How to Do a Quick Edit in Lightroom

Presets. That’s my secret, y’all. Yes, a straighten and crop will do wonder, but with presets, your photos will look consistent from photo-to-photo with nothing but the press of a button.

You can easily buy presets off Etsy. They usually only cost a few dollars and take just a few minutes to install. However, if you’re comfortable in Lightroom or even willing to play around a bit, you can easily create your own preset. The one I used on these photos is my own, I titled it “Garden Party Chic” because it’s the preset I always use with outdoor photos around the neighborhood and a friend and I have a decade-plus long joke about justifying ridiculous dress purchases that might be “great for a garden party.”

I simply apply the preset, then adjust as needed based on the photo itself. For these, I bumped up the whites to get a lighter, airier look.

Okay, with all that out of the way, let’s get to the recipe.

If you’ve never made lavender simple syrup before, don’t worry. I’ve shared a recipe before, which you can make with honey or sugar. If you choose to do sugar, all you need to do is equal parts sugar and water.