Winery photography tips that actually help your marketing

Stock photos won’t cut it—especially in wine country. Whether you’re running paid ads, updating your website, or promoting your wine club, strong photography makes all your marketing more effective.

And while we always think having a stash of professionally-shot winery photos is a good investment, we know it’s not always in the budget. The good news? With some planning, you can capture a lot with your phone.

These winery photography tips will help you build a photo library that works hard for your brand—whether you’re posting to Instagram or launching a new website.

1. Take photos with your marketing strategy in mind

It’s tempting to just snap pretty views—but your winery needs photos that show what you do and why people should care. Think beyond vibes. You’re telling a story that makes people want to visit, join your club, or buy your wine.

Photos to include:

• Wide shots of your vineyard and property for hero banners and ads
• Team members in action: production, shipping, and tasting room
• Customers enjoying wine (get permission for identifiable faces!)
• Wine bottles in real-life settings: tables, picnic baskets, food pairings

Pro tip: Candid shots work well—just keep lighting and background in mind. A genuine moment with bad lighting won’t land.

2. Shoot in both vertical and horizontal formats

Most people default to vertical shots, but horizontal images are crucial for websites, email headers, and digital ads. Your winery marketing photos need to be flexible.

What to capture:

• Horizontal shots for banners and web sliders
• Vertical shots for stories, reels, and Pinterest
• Square crops for thumbnails and directories

Pro tip: When in doubt, shoot wide. It gives you more cropping options later.

3. Capture seasonal winery photos while you can

Your vineyard changes with the seasons—your photography should reflect that. Don’t wait until harvest is over to realize you missed your shot (literally).

Build your seasonal photo library with:

• Harvest photos of grapes, bins, and workers in action
• Spring growth and fall color transitions
• Winter vines and cozy tasting room decor

Pro tip: Use calendar reminders or recurring tasks to schedule quarterly photo shoots in advance.

4. Show the real people behind your winery

Photos of your team help humanize your brand and build trust. People want to know who they’re supporting when they visit or buy from you.

Don’t forget to include:

• The winemaker doing their thing
• Staff greeting guests or pouring wine
• Owners or founders in authentic, relaxed settings

Pro tip: Skip stiff headshots—opt for warm, friendly portraits of your team in their element.

5. Don’t overlook the small details

Close-ups and detail shots help you fill gaps in marketing materials without repeating the same vineyard view over and over. They’re versatile and visually interesting.

Examples of great detail shots:

• Wine glasses with light catching the color
• Merch and accessories (coasters, hats, wine keys)
• Wine labels in context: being poured, on a table, held in hand

Pro tip: These detail images are perfect for web backgrounds, social templates, and email headers.

6. Avoid amateur mistakes that hurt your brand

Even if your photos aren’t terrible, certain things signal a lack of polish. These are small details, but they matter—and your audience can tell, even if they can’t articulate why.

Things to watch for:

• Back labels showing through lighter wine bottles
• Harsh shadows or glare on glass
• Dim, grainy photos from poor lighting
• Distracting cluttered backgrounds
• Old, overused photos that no longer represent your brand

Pro tip: If you’re planning to sell wine online or submit to publications, studio bottle shots with a white background are a must. They’re easier to cut out and more likely to convert.

7. Hire a professional photographer when it counts

You can get a lot done on your phone—but let’s not pretend a pro photo and an iPhone shot look the same. Good winery photographers understand lighting, storytelling, and how to shoot wine-specific assets like bottle labels and drone vineyard views.

When to consider going pro:

• Launching or redesigning your website
• Seasonal campaigns or wine club pushes
• Bottle shots and lifestyle imagery for your store
• Aerial vineyard or property shots

Pro tip: Ask for both high-resolution and web-optimized versions of each image. Saves time later.

8. Treat your winery photos like real marketing assets

You took the time to create great content—don’t lose it to clutter. Good photo organization makes your team faster and your campaigns easier to execute.

Tips for staying organized:

• Use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox with clear folders
• Sort by year, season, and photo type
• Rename files for SEO (e.g., crimson-vineyard-tasting-room.jpg)
• Share a central folder with your marketing team or agency

Read: What Makes Great Wine Photography Great?

What good winery photography really does

The goal isn’t to win a photo contest—it’s to make your winery easier to market. Great photos support everything: ads, emails, your website, social media, and even wine club retention.

Start with what you have. Be intentional. Fill in the gaps. And when the time comes, work with someone who knows how to shoot wineries well.

In a crowded wine market, good photography isn’t optional. It’s your visual handshake—and first impressions matter.

Need help building a brand that looks as good as your wine tastes?

We work with wineries of all sizes, and we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Some of our clients handle their social media in-house and just need help with managing their website. Others lean on us for everything from campaign strategy to bottle shot photography. We’ll help you figure out what you can manage yourself, what makes sense to outsource, and how to prioritize based on your goals and budget.

Read more about our partnership approach to winery marketing.