If you follow along on the Stir and Strain Instagram, then you may have learned that we rolled out our first set of presets for Lightroom Mobile on Friday. This set of presets is based on 6 classic cocktail recipes. But with so many presets out there already, you might be asking yourself… why? Why more presets?
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- Manhattan Before
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- Manhattan After
Well, here’s my reasoning. A lot of presets I find out there are mainly for lifestyle and fashion photographers (there are definitely ones for the food industry as well but I don’t personally see those as much); these are not those. These are made to work with cocktails and beverage photography. I’ve heard from many followers that they aren’t ready to invest in a DSLR camera and just want great photos from their phone. Guess what? You can totally have that. Presets make efficient use of your time editing on your phone too and take out a lot of the guesswork of how to make your photos pop.
Many of the lifestyle presets out there are blowing out everything and it’s all in soft focus (Because FYI, they’re not really 22. Well, some are…). The sharp clarity and range of colors and tones that comes with cocktails gets lost here. The glint of light on the edge of the glass, the sharp edges of a crystal clear ice cube, the velvety texture of a Luxardo cherry in syrup… these presets cater to this style of photography.
I’ve been creating my own presets to use on my phone and on my desktop so I would be more efficient with my editing. And when I’m editing it on my phone, it also means it’s less steps before I snap a photo and it lands on the internet. I love for my workflow to be as streamlined as possible and presets help a lot with that.
I’ve been testing these out with followers all weekend and a few questions and comments came up I wanted to mention.
- First, you do not need to be any level of pro photographer to use these. These are meant for everyone regardless of how much time you’ve spent with a camera, or even just your smart phone.
- Lightroom mobile is FREE, and once you download it, there are some very helpful guides to get started with. There are also some quick and easy YouTube videos as well on the general functions of the app.
- We will be releasing other themed presets over the next few months with other types of cocktails in mind (we have a REAL FUN one coming up!).
- Presets are not a one size fits all type of thing. Please read the descriptions to see what preset will work with the photos you are trying to edit. Once a preset is applied, you can always make adjustments in exposure, contrast, etc…
- And, if you need help downloading and installing your presets, we’ve got a handy guide for that HERE!
Thanks for reading, and for checking out this new fun project we’ve been planning for awhile. And if you have some feedback on the presets, shoot us an email! We’d love to hear from you!
You can find all the presets here on the Gum Road shopping site.
We’ve teamed up with Truvia® to find out “What motivates you to be sweet and kind.†Truvia and 
So, today I’m going to use this post as a teachable moment. I’m going to teach you all how to put together a simple cocktail kit to give to a friend, partner or yourself. This could be a thank you gift, a hostess gift, something to give for the holidays, or an extra special treat you can tuck away for yourself when you need a little self-care.
Truvia Natural Sweetener packets now come with uplifting sweet phrases on each pack, the perfect little bit of sweetness to add to someone’s day. They are also a great size and amount to sweeten a cocktail with. Adding these single serve packets keeps everything neat and organized.
Small box, tin, or basket
First, find a container that will fit everything. A small box or tin works great. You can keep this simple by visiting a craft store or kitchen supply store to find small bottles and bar tools. Also, Amazon has lots of options. Label all the bottles so your recipient knows what’s inside and measure out the amount you’ll need for your recipes. You can choose to create 2 or more servings depending on the size bottles you get. Then create a recipe card with how much to measure from each bottle. You can optionally personalize the items too. Rocks glasses with initials are not hard to come by, and they show the person you went out of your way to find something unique. Finally, tuck the Truvia Natural Sweetener packets in the glass so they can see the sweet phrases on them. Package up everything and deliver to that special someone!
I hope I’ve inspired you to show a little sweetness to someone in your life!
Forever on the lookout for ways to decorate my home bar and bar cart, I came across these new cocktail prints from Art & Hue recently and had to share.
I, like many of us (as the Mad Men phenomenon has us believe), am enamored with that mid-60’s Golden Age of flying. The luxury, the glamor, the booze! These colorful prints from Art & Hue highlight bits of architecture from modernist airports (like LAX’s iconic shapes), as well as pop art styled air hostesses and in-flight services.
These prints got the spirit of that era down. And the best part? You can order custom color combos to match your home bar’s decor. Me? I think I’m a big fan of the cobalt and blush.
Maybe it’s my background in the fine arts, or my love of good design that drew me to these hand blown glasses from 
They’re super delicate and very elegant, but that doesn’t have to stop you from making a cocktail with a creature from the black lagoon inside. If you’re looking to get more creative with your cocktail glassware these just might inspire your inner artist.
Our house is a house that loves games. Whether it’s a board game with just my husband and me, or a few rounds of poker with friends, or even puzzle time with the wee one, we always make time for fun (and usually with a cocktail in hand).
I came across these 
