Spotlight: Alec Brown for Kingsbarns Distillery

Edinburgh-based photographer Alec Brown recently wrapped up a photoshoot for Kingsbarns Distillery, a Scottish whisky distillery in the East Neuk of Fife. Alec was tasked with capturing images for the client’s latest release, Kingsbarns Coaltown, while also tying the product’s story to the local history of the town of Coaltown of Wemyss. Alec’s stills are now live on the client’s website, in print, and across social media platforms.

It all started on a cold, wet night back in February. I was at the driving range for a golf evening with the brand manager when they casually mentioned an upcoming new release and the need for photography. From there, the project just took off.

Having prior experience working with the brand on a similar successful project, along with being relatively local to the distillery, helped me land this job. The client was looking for a mix of product and lifestyle imagery, both indoors and outdoors. Even though I’m not primarily a food and beverage photographer, my style of product and lifestyle photography, as well as my adaptable approach, were key factors in their decision.

Preplanning

Alec worked together with the client to ensure everything was ready before the cameras started rolling.

I met with the client in person for pre-production meetings where we collaborated on an initial shot list. Before the shoot, we also had a creative call to make sure all the production elements were in place, including the final call sheet, locations, and permits.

The Photoshoot

The shoot took place at both the distillery and the founding owner’s homestead. Since the weather conditions were ideal for an early May shoot in Scotland, there were plenty of opportunities to work both indoors and out.

We started at the Kingsbarns Distillery itself, including the malt house, the general grounds, and the tasting room. The second location was the Coaltown of Wemyss and Wemyss Castle, the founding family’s homestead. Thanks to the excellent coordination by the Kingsbarns team, all locations were easily accessible. The entire production, covering both photo and video, ran for 10 hours from 8 am to 6 pm across all sites.

The energy on set was phenomenal, boosted by the first taste of “summer weather” in Scotland that year and the fantastic team at Kingsbarns! The crew included Jack Armstrong handling videography, James Evans as brand manager and creative director, Leigh Purves in charge of digital marketing, Peter Holroyd, the distillery manager, and myself.

Limited talent was required for the shoot, with the distillery manager Peter stepping in to represent Kingsbarns on camera.

Challenges

Alec had to manage his time carefully, as the distillery remained operational and open to visitors during the shoot.

This required careful planning to work around busy areas, like the tasting room, and utilize them when they became available throughout the day. Thankfully, this was pulled off efficiently and had minimal impact on the shoot.

The most unexpected challenge came in the form of light aircraft engine noise overhead during outdoor filming. Being one of the first “good weather” days of the summer, the local airfield, a few miles from Kingsbarns Distillery, seemed set on causing the maximum background noise possible. Otherwise, thanks to a detailed creative brief and pre-production, the shoot went smoothly.

Additional Publication

Alec’s finals from the Kingsbarns Coaltown release were later published in Whisky Magazine.

He left us with a lighthearted piece of advice,

Always sample the product at the end of the shoot!

See more of Alec’s work on his website.

Credits
Videographer: Jack Armstrong
Brand Manager/Creative Director: James Evans
Digital Marketing Executive: Leigh Purves
Brand Manager: Kirsty MacKinnon
Distillery Manager: Peter Holroyd

Further Reading
Read more Photographer Spotlight articles about our other photographers.

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