Hydrobar Alkaline Water: A Creative Case Study

Overview: Bringing Hydrobar’s Vision to Life

In June 2023, I was contacted by the Baca family, owners of Hydrobar in Albuquerque, NM—a community-driven water store specializing in alkaline water. Hydrobar has built a passionate following by focusing on educating the public about the importance of the water they consume.

They create their alkaline water using Enagic’s water ionization systems, which transform ordinary tap water into pure, healthy, electrolytically reduced, and hydrogen-rich drinking water.

The Baca family has taken this system and built a completely bespoke brand around it. Dedicated to their craft and mission, they wanted to move away from standard, generic imagery typically provided by Enagic. Instead, they sought custom brand photography that matched their unique visual identity and brand story.

Challenge accepted.

Concept Development: Creating Authentic Brand Photography

The primary goal was to photograph Enagic’s full product line and create images that could be used across their website and marketing materials. By replacing stock photography with custom, on-brand visuals, we aimed to create a fully immersive experience that elevated the viewer’s perception of Hydrobar.

As with all my product photography projects, we started with concept development and set design. We decided to incorporate Hydrobar’s signature blue color while keeping the look simple, modern, and clean. I built and hand-painted textured gray blocks to create a versatile backdrop. To add more depth and a slightly industrial feel, I integrated corrugated metal panels into the set design.

This careful attention to set design helped ensure every photo felt unmistakably like Hydrobar.

The Shoot: Capturing Custom Product Photography for Hydrobar

With a shot list of about 25 assets, we completed everything in a single full-day shoot. The studio was fully prepped, as we planned to experiment with water splashes and sprays to bring additional life and energy to the images.

Using about six lights, I crafted the lighting setup to achieve clean, dynamic results. Some products featured chrome and reflective finishes, which presented a few technical challenges. However, by using carefully placed diffusion, flags, and scrims, I was able to control reflections—capturing the final images directly in-camera without the need for heavy post-production.

The result: a cohesive set of custom product photography that feels genuine, professional, and perfectly aligned with Hydrobar’s brand.

Final Thoughts: A True Collaboration with Hydrobar

Working with the Baca family and Hydrobar was an incredibly rewarding project. Their passion for quality water and community education shines through everything they do—and it was important that their brand imagery reflected that authenticity.

This wasn’t just another product shoot; it was a true collaboration. Together, we created a full library of custom photography that will help Hydrobar tell their story more powerfully across their website, social media, and marketing materials.

I’m proud to have been a part of their journey and excited to see how these images help further elevate their growing brand in the alkaline water community.

Let’s Collaborate

If you’re interested in creating a bespoke product photography campaign for your brand, or have questions about this project, I’d love to chat.

📩 Shoot me a message to discuss your vision!

Thanks for looking,

Campbell Bishop

Professional product photographer in Albuquerque. Studio still life photography for catalogs. Lifestyle photography for wellness brands. Hospitality photography for hotels in Albuquerque. Tourism photography for New Mexico destinations. Campaign photography for marketing agencies. Artwork photography for galleries in Albuquerque. E-commerce product photography services Albuquerque. Editorial photography for magazines in New Mexico.Fine art reproduction photography services. Commercial photographer Albuquerque. Product photography Albuquerque NM. Studio photographer Albuquerque. Lifestyle photographer Albuquerque. Hospitality photographer Albuquerque. Tourism photographer Albuquerque NM. Campaign photographer Albuquerque. Artwork photographer Albuquerque. Photography studio in Albuquerque. Professional photographer Albuquerque NM