Coffee Photography

Two of the things I’m obsessed with are coffee and photography. That combo isn’t actually that rare, in fact, it’s quite common. It is especially so with people who are fans of all things vintage photography including old film cameras. I’m a big fan of that too. I have an entire YouTube channel dedicated to film cameras. I haven’t uploaded on there in a while, 3 years and counting, but it still gets a lot of engagement from the community.

Talking of film cameras, there are a bunch of new film cameras released by companies like Kodak and Ilford to feed, or eat from rather, the resurgence of film photography that is ongoing. Of course most of these cameras were basic plastic moulds and, compared to the glorious engines of the past, absolute garbage. Nevertheless they still saw a fair bit of interest because the youth of today, their main market, are none the wiser.

Anyway, back to coffee, I have always photographed coffee. Whether at home, or at a cafe, I would usually admire the mere look of coffee without drinking it. There’s something about a cup of coffee that’s so photogenic. I don’t know if it’s the shades of brown or the coffee art or even the cup itself - which is usually ceramic. Perhaps it’s the circular nature of the cup which lends itself to perspectives and depth of field, especially when using a camera with a prime lens with a wide aperture.

I don’t know if it’s still the case, but on Instagram and Flickr before it, the most photographed subjects were dogs, cats, flowers and coffee. Dogs and cats you can understand. People love them like they love their children, sometimes more. Flowers are by nature beautiful and showy. They’re natural photography subjects. Even before photography was a think, flowers were painted and sketched regularly. The popularity of coffee photography, on the other hand, is not quite as easy to explain. All I can say is that I fee the weird need to photograph mine and somehow preserve this visual pleasure for posterity.

If I’m being analytical, and in hindsight, usually my coffee shots have an element to them. Either the coffee colour (or cream colour) matches the table on which it’s sitting, or there’s a pattern on the surface that is replicated in the drink, or a pattern is randomly apparent on the surface of the drink, or something. I’m sure, however, that this is the same scenario for everyone else too, not just me haha. They just don’t feel the need to photography it like I do, or perhaps they don’t see the patterns like I do. After all, I see patterns everywhere too. I’d walk past a petrol station and see a pattern in how the cars are queued up, or how the lady serving herself is wearing the same colour as the pump. I don’t always photography those scenarios for obvious reason, but I do see them :)

Peace & Love,

Adé