A (Short!) Guide To Hotel Photography
Over the years I have photographed dozens of hotels, restaurants, serviced apartments, even cruise ships, and have, (I think!) worked out the best ways to prepare for a days photography (or three!). There are some simple rules. To be ready, you must be tidy and clean. You must be organised.
Make sure you make a list of shots that you want, and make sure that all the staff know what is going on. I have lost count of the number of times that the chef says that he or she had no idea that we were shooting a selection of mains, starters and puds. Get the staff prepared and ready for action. Know which rooms will be ready, checked out of and cleaned. Sounds obvious doesn’t it? it is often not the case!
Try to ensure that we have easy access to a bright window in the restaurant (reserved!) so that we can shoot some glorious food shots if necessary. I don’t have too much equipment, but we need a little space to get back from the table to see the food. Try and get the beds made as well as possible, with as few creases in the sheets as possible. I can remove some blemishes and creases in Photoshop, but it adds time to the job if I have to.
Light any fires that may be required in the reception areas, and maybe put a few flowers around the place. It is good to have someone around that I can ask for basic props, things like coffee cups, magazines, reading books etc. Try and decide how you want the images to look. Do you need ‘booking engine’ shots? or more atmospheric ‘lifestyle’ images that will look great in your marketing? Or both? Think about what you may need for Instagram and Facebook.
And finally… It is good FUN! we can get a lot done in a day (maybe 4-5 rooms with bathrooms, some reception and restaurant areas, some food and maybe some staff. Also the spa or pool if you have one and an exterior). However, it may be a two dayer, or more, if you want to go to town. I am happy to give discounts on more than a day, and it helps to stay on site if possible, perhaps so that I can get shot with the property at night? On another note, I can shoot beautiful drone images too, see below for this fab view of The Old Hall Hotel in Cambridgeshire from above! contact me for more help and information, and hopefully see you soon. Mark
Thanks to The Old Hall, Cambs, P&O Cruises, Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Greene King Inns, Swinton Park Hotel, Castello Di Vicarello in Italy, and the Grove in Watford for the images above.