Using Cigar Photography to Keep Track of Your Favorite Cigars
Taking pictures of your favorite cigars is a fast and easy way to document your journey through the cigar world. While a lot of beginners will keep a cigar journal to record key details, like the country of origin, wrapper leaf, and tasting notes, about the cigars they smoke, it’s equally essential to whip out your phone and snap a picture of your cigars. Here’s why.
How to Document Cigars Through Photography
Before you crowd your camera roll with a ton of cigar pics, we’ve got some strategic tips to follow. Including critical details will help reveal the brand, blend, price, and size of the cigar you smoked.
1. Include the Cigar Band in Your Photo
A picture is worth a thousand words. When you grab a pic of a good cigar while the band is still on, you can reference that picture at any retail shop you visit to find it again. There’s nothing worse than remembering how great a cigar was only to chase it like a needle in a haystack when you’re in a retail humidor trying to remember what the band looked like or how to pronounce the name, because you neglected to grab a pic of the cigar band.
2. Keep Track of Hard-to-Pronounce Brand Names
Some cigar brand names are tricky to pronounce, unless you’re a native Spanish speaker. And some brands sound very similar to others. Having a photo of a cigar with its band is an immediate way for a retailer to identify the exact smoke you’re looking for.
3. Document the Cigar’s Size
While it’s important to snap a picture of the cigar with its band on, make sure you get a picture of the entire cigar; that way, you’ll have a record of the size you smoked. Cigars come in many sizes, and a complete image makes it easier to find the exact shape you smoked. It’s even better if you grab a screenshot of what you ordered online. Include the name of the cigar’s size in your picture if it’s on the box or retail display. You can use a reference object to document the cigar’s size, too.
4. Take a Pic of the Price
When the cigar is displayed with the price, include that in your picture. Knowing how much a cigar costs is another way to remember what you smoked and a valuable reference for finding the best deals on the cigars you enjoy.
5. Remember Your Occasional Smokes
Many cigar lovers only smoke on special occasions, making it even harder to remember what they smoked when they’re trying something new. If you had a new cigar over two months ago, it can be tough to jog your memory. But with a picture, you’ve got all the information you need.
6. Capture Performance by Photographing the Developing Ash
Snap a photo of your cigars before you smoke them, as well as while you’re smoking. You can document how a cigar performs by grabbing a quick pic or two as the ash develops. Was the ash firm and long, or did it flake off unevenly? Consistent cigars burn evenly and offer a seamless draw, making them pleasurable to smoke and worth adding to your humidor.
7. Take Pics of the Cigars You Don’t Like as Well
Start a folder on your phone for both good and bad cigars. Knowledgeable retailers will recommend blends you should try based on what you like, and they can steer you clear of cigars that are similar to the ones you don’t enjoy.
Follow Your Favorite Brands on Social Media
Best of all, you can follow your favorite brands on social media. Cigar lovers are a passionate bunch who love to connect with fellow aficionados and their favorite cigarmakers, many of whom take pride in knowing their customers personally.
