kaleidoscope cocktails by annabelle breakey
Anyone who’s found themselves out for cocktails lately knows that a mixed drink is much more than just a combination of spirits. Mixology has become an experiential art form that provides a little something for each of the senses—from the eye-catching glint of the glassware to the scent of aromatic garnishes and the unmistakable sound of the shaker. Even the bar itself—twinkling with candlelight or dotted with flowers—plays a part in the alluring ritual. Photographer Annabelle Breakey was in search of the sensorial when she created her latest round of testing: a series of photographs she calls “Kaleidoscope Cocktails.”
“Just like a kaleidoscope, these images are packed full of color, reflection, and light,” says Breakey. “Kaleidoscopes have super saturated jewel tones, so I picked four colors—pink, green, yellow, and blue—and dedicated one image to each.” Breakey utilized colored gels and bouquet lights that amplify the reflectivity and set the drinks in a dreamlike environment that exists outside of space and time. “We wanted to make these images surreal, not rooted in any specific place,” she explains. “You might see them and think they’re set in a bar, a luxe living space, or a complete fantasy world—it’s up to the imagination.”
Providing a sense of scale and movement to the scenes are people shown delicately engaging with the libations. In the pink image, someone crouches low to add a cherry garnish to a drink below. In the blue, a figure lies in repose, a vibrant fuchsia elixir balanced in hand. The clothing each model wears does more than cover skin. Carefully chosen garments (and nail polish) create additional layers of texture, line, pattern, color, and shine to the images.
“We just played,” Breakey says of the testing, which she shot with stylists Abby Stolfo and Alysia Andriola. “We didn’t have a script—we just got together and made beautiful images, which really shook the rust off.” The results are signature Breakey, depicting a world where the senses will not be denied.