This past year, US-based liquor importer, Back Bar was looking to promote the Mezcal they source from producers in Oaxaca, Mexico. They were planning a trip to visit the distilleries in the Mexican region and wanted to bring along a photographer to create a series of images that tell the story of Mezcal. That's where Austin-based photographer Max Kelly came in. With a background in artisanal food & drink photography and a passion for the process, he was perfect for the job.

We recently caught up with Max and got the chance to chat about the project.

What was the goal of this series?

The way Mezcal is made is unlike any other liquor. It’s a craft spirit in the truest sense of the word. The agave is planted, harvested, fermented and distilled by the same family, all within a few miles of their home.

The idea behind the series was to create a library of images that tell the story of Mezcal; the distillation techniques that have been perfected over generations, the beautiful landscapes in which the agaves are grown and harvested, and the finished spirit being shared and enjoyed.





What was involved in planning the shoot?

Given the nature of the subject and the region, we had to be very flexible and light on our feet. Access to the remote villages in which the Mezcaleros lived was not always a given. Roads out of town are frequently closed due to protests, and in the mountains, the route may be blocked for any number of reasons that no one could foresee.

We had the help of Oaxacan local and owner of Mezcalogia bar, Asis Cortes, who was instrumental in setting up the visits to the different distilleries (known as palenques). Since Mezcal is produced in multiple stages, and we had no way of knowing what stage of the process would be occurring at each palenque, it wasn’t possible to stick to a rigid shot list.

Prior to the trip, we had a conference call in which we discussed the themes that we wanted to focus on in the photographs (i.e. the importance of family and continued traditions). I had a great deal of creative freedom, partly out of necessity and partly because we agreed that the images should feel natural and genuine.

What was the actual shoot like? What was your process for capturing natural imagery of the Mezcaleros?

We shot for five days, visiting two to three palenques per day. Much of the day was spent behind the windshield, traveling between distant villages on unpaved roads. We rarely spent more than an hour with any one Mezcalero.

When we arrived at the palenques, I focused on picking out its unique characteristics. Each Mezcalero has their own technique and style that was important to bring into the photographs. I usually started out shooting candids and action shots of the Mezcaleros at work, as a way of getting them accustomed to the camera before asking them to sit for a more formal portrait.

Did you face any challenges with this project? If so, how did you overcome them?

Not knowing what part of the process would be occurring at each palenque before we arrived posed a challenge. I wanted to be sure that we captured all stages of the Mezcal process, but each Mezcalero had their own timetable and routine that we had to be respectful of.

By the beginning of the last day of shooting, we had not seen the grinding of the agave - a captivating process in which a horse pulls a huge millstone over a pile of roasted agave. I felt strongly about getting a shot of this, so I pushed to tweak our schedule in order to do so. We wound up being able to revisit one of the palenques that happened to be grinding that day, and I got a great shot of the process from up in the rafters. I’m really glad that it worked out, as I feel that photo tells a big part of the story about the traditional methods used to make Mezcal.

Any adventures or memorable moments that you'd like to share?

One of the other unexpected highlights of the trip was experiencing the food culture of Oaxaca. Outside of the city, many of the restaurants are operated by families out of their homes. You would stop along the side of the road, sit at a table in the shade and drink a cerveza while the mother cooked and the children served the food. Each meal we had was better than the last, no small feat considering everything was made over a wood fire and without running water.

Any future plans for this project?

This trip had been my first time to Oaxaca, and I definitely intend on returning to explore more of the city and its surrounding municipalities. The different villages outside of town each have their own crafts for which they’re known, like black pottery and hand woven rugs. I’d love to photograph some of these artisans for a personal project that expands upon the role of traditional workmanship in the region.

See more of Max at maxkellyphotography.com and check out our other great photographers on our Find Photographers page.