World Class Finals · Rotterdam · 2026
The world's best bartenders deserve world class photography.
Rachel Ross · 51 North Photography · Rotterdam
Rachel Ross is a Rotterdam based photographer specialising in bar and beverage photography, with a deep understanding of the craft and visual identity that define elevated drinking culture.
She works with bars and beverage brands to create imagery that is both technically precise and deeply atmospheric. Her work translates the essence of cocktail culture into content that performs — across press, social, and global brand campaigns.
Already Part of the Story
She has already shot World Class.
Rachel has been inside the World Class competition before, shooting entry photography that captures the precision, creativity, and personal vision each competitor brings to the glass. She understands how the competition works, what the imagery needs to communicate, and how to move within the environment without ever getting in the way.
Entries
Global Bar Portfolio
From Rotterdam to the world's most celebrated cocktail bars.
The bartenders competing at World Class come from the same world Rachel has been photographing for years. These are not just clients. They are the bars and names that define what the top of the industry looks like.
The Home Advantage
Rotterdam isn't just the venue. It's her city.
Bringing in a photographer who doesn't know a city is a risk. You lose time. You miss the light. You don't know where the best moments happen. Rachel has been photographing Rotterdam and Amsterdam for years, which means she arrives with an instinct for this city that no amount of preparation can replace.
And Tess Posthumus, one of the most respected figures in the Dutch cocktail scene, is already in her portfolio. The connections and the trust are already here.
"Her work translates the essence of cocktail culture into content that performs — technically precise, deeply atmospheric, and true to the craft on display."
The Approach
Authentic. Atmospheric. Intentional.
A bartending competition is not a photo opportunity. It's a charged, high-pressure environment where the best in the world are putting everything on the line. Rachel's approach is to make people feel completely at ease in front of the camera, which means what she captures is real rather than rehearsed.
Every image is edited with intention: rich in colour, rooted in craft, and worthy of the stage these bartenders have earned. The result is imagery that doesn't just document World Class. It becomes part of how the world understands what World Class means.
What Clients Say
The reaction speaks for itself.
The images from the Startenders Awards are absolutely perfect. It is remarkable how much she was able to capture. She has reached a new level and that needs to be said.
Event Organiser · Startenders AwardsI heard from a friend how good the new photos were and then saw them for myself. Genuinely incredible. This is ridiculous how much she was able to capture. So happy with everything she delivered.
Hospitality ClientThey are so, so good. Absolutely outstanding. She makes the whole process feel effortless and the results are beyond what I expected.
Brand ClientWhat You Get
Everything World Class needs, from day one to final delivery.
Complete photographic coverage across the Finals: competitors, atmosphere, brand moments, and the human stories between the rounds. Nothing staged. Everything real.
A curated selection ready for social media and press use within 24 to 48 hours of the event, with the full edited gallery delivered promptly. No chasing required.
From brief to final files, the process is clean and straightforward. Rachel keeps things simple so you can focus on running the competition, not managing a photographer.
Let's Work Together
The Finals are in Rotterdam. So is Rachel.
To discuss the project, the scope, and how to make the World Class Finals look exactly as extraordinary as it is, get in touch.
