How to prepare a hotel for a photo shoot. Part 1

You have chosen a photographer for your hotel and you know what places in the hotel you want to photograph. But how do you ensure the perfect result? A lot of things can be edited in photoshop, but even that has limited options and if you want the photo to look realistic, then it takes a little preparation. Yes most things can be edited on the spot, but it wastes precious time.

Inspiration is the key.

Don't be afraid to tell the photographer what you like, what works for you and what you found as inspiration and would like to implement.

For more precise communication it's better to post photos as inspiration, this way you have a concrete conversation thanks to the photos. What works best for us is an established board on pinterest where we save suggestions and then consult it together with the client.

Hotel Imperial, Praha

What do I like about the competition?

Don't even bother looking at the competition. You have a favourite hotel that you follow or hate. Because you can show the photographer what you like but also what you don't like. The photographer will have a better idea of your taste. And tailor the shoot for you. Also remember to choose a photographer based on their style - don't expect a photographer who shoots real estate photography to do the same job as a photographer who specializes in architecture and hotels.

Day vs. night shoots. What are the differences in preparation?

There are no big differences between day and night shoots for you as a client. The important thing is to decide ahead of time whether to shoot day, night or both. If you're not sure if day or night photos would suit your hotel better, don't be afraid to ask. But think about the lighting in the room, if there is only one dim light in the room, night photos won't look very good. But conversely if there are lamps and the designer has played with the lighting, why not give it a try. But for night photography, the colour temperature of the bulbs plays a big part - if there are several different coloured light sources in the room, the photo won't turn out well.

Grand Hyatt Doha, Qatar

Architecture photography versus lifestyle photography.

In lifestyle photography we are very limited by the weather. It's better to do a scout day here. When we look at locations and determine the time of the shoot. Also, model and appropriate clothing must be available. It always pays to have a makeup artist and hairstylist available. Compared to architectural photography, lifestyle photos don't get as many taken in a day. However, it all depends on preparedness.

Show the hotel from the outside too.

Day or night photos. Often both are photographed. As with the interior, check the lighting and cleaning outside the hotel. If you're on a busy street, it's better to shoot early in the morning when there are fewer tourists and also fewer cars in front of the hotel. If you can, try to make the area in front of the hotel car-free for the photo shoot. If this is not possible, expect that there will be cars in the photo.

Hotel Kings Court, Praha

When to shoot with a model.

Hotel photos with a model have their place. They're great for social media, marketing materials, additional photos for the website, as introductory photos or as inspiration for what you can do and experience. A photo shoot with a model requires more preparation. First finding the model, makeup, styling, scheduling the location and time of the shoot. But this extra work is worth it.

Hotel Volarik, Mikulov

Be there for the photo shoot.

If possible, be at the shoot, at least at the beginning. Even if you hire a professional hotel photographer, show them what is important to you, what needs to be seen. See right away what can be photographed and what technology no longer allows. You will avoid the unpleasant surprise that the photographer has chosen different angles than you had imagined.

And of course, more people see more and you can point out the little things that bother you.

As you can see it's not much, it's more the little things that speed up the shoot and allow the photographer and his team to focus on other, important things. If you are not sure what to prepare and how to prepare don't hesitate to contact the photographer and he will definitely advise you. We wish you a beautiful and hassle-free photo shoot.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.