My favourite kind of shoots are the ones where my interests line up. Sometimes the stars align and you get blessed by the photo gods with a dream gig like documenting the art of making mezcal in Oaxaca… oh and the client asks you to shoot the whole thing on film.
I am new to mezcal, considering it’s been around for over a hundred years now. My first experiences drinking it were in Canada, and the mezcal that makes its way up here is not necessarily the best… I still was fond of the smokiness, especially in a cocktail and it soon became a favourite spirit to consume. Once I learned a little bit more about it, I started to dream up going to Oaxaca to see how it’s made and get to connect with the spirit. Luckily for me, a friend of mine in LA called me up to join in on a shoot, documenting the process.
Esfuerzo Mezcal is the artisanal product of Margarito Garcia Cruz, and his son Temo. It’s a family owned and operated palenque about an hour outside of Oaxaca Centro. A beautiful area, with rolling hills and mountains of agave. Here are some of my favourite shots from the shoot and the video that was created alongside.
