A good photographic portfolio helps your Hotel to get more clients

If your goal is to get more clients, it’s essential to have eye-catching interior photographs on your website, magazines, social networks and OTA (Booking, TripAdvisor, Airbnb, Expedia and others).

Photography is the first visual and emotional experience we have when we look for a hotel on the web or an interior designer who will furnish our home. The emotion is what makes us "choose" to buy a property or to book just that hotel whose images make us dream.

A good interior picture doesn’t happen by chance, when you are looking at a photo in a magazine everything looks perfect, the composition, the light, the colors of the furniture and any details. The spaces are usually been styled and photographed by professionals.

I’ve been taking interior photographs and virtual tours for many years inside Hotels, Resorts and private residences, and I consider part of my job to advise my client (owner, Hotel Manager, Interior Designer and Real Estate Agent) how to prepare the space for the photo shooting. I usually give my professional opinion while setting up and I suggest some small styling touches, but the most should be done before the photographer arrival.

Before planning a photo shoot

When you contact an interior photographer to plan a photo shoot of your business (Hotel, Resort, Restaurant, Villa, etc.), give the photographer more info and details as possible about your place and what you expect from him.

Personally I make a site visit and have a look at the old pictures into the web site and social networks of my clients.

It’s especially important for the photographer to know the orientation of the building, the time of day and direction that the light enters the rooms to avoid the strong sun shining into the room directly or, sometimes to use it and realize creative photos. As with the low light of the sunset or sunrise it’s possible to create a strong visual impact images for the beach resorts.

As interior photographer I consider having an interview with you (owner, manager or interior designer) a priority to understand your tastes and your needs and what kind of appearance and emotion you want to communicate with the pictures to your potential customers.

To create a customized project I need to know which rooms and areas you would like to photograph and where you are going to publish the pictures (web site, social networks, magazines, etc.). For example if you want to publish on magazines, some impactful vertical and square images should be created. Or if you want to publish them on Social Networks as Instagram or Facebook, some lifestyle photographs could be attractive for clients.

How to prepare the interior and exterior of your Hotel/Resort, Apartment or Villa for a photo shooting

In case of a big Hotel or Resort, one person of your staff should be available during the photo shooting for the last minute setting up and cleaning.

Tell you staff to clean the interior spaces and surfaces before the photographer arrival. It is important that sheets and bedspreads are perfectly ironed, wrinkles are horrible to correct in post production.

The pool area and garden should be cleaned just before the photo shooting from branches and leaves. Set up the pool beds with nice rolled towels. Towel’s color should fit with the beds and the surroundings.

Especially for Villas and Apartments to add some props bring a room to life and make a huge impact on the photograph. Just prepare some items like pillows, blankets, dresses, hats, tray with breakfast, some magazines and books, fresh flowers and plants, fruits, etc. and we decide together if and where to arrange them around.

Hotel’s rooms can also be styled with some props like breakfast, a bottle of champagne with two glasses, flowers, an open magazine, etc. but in most of cases less is better.

Also, the furnishing of the room’s walls should not be underestimated to obtain the desired atmosphere and an original and attractive style. Read the last chapter of this article for some tips.

Best time and light for a photo shooting

When planning a photo shoot check the weather forecast a few days in advance and the day before. I think the best time to realize a photo shooting is during the low season and the shut-off hours, for example of the SPA and the Restaurant, early morning is very nice for the pool, early afternoon for the Reception, etc. It depends also when the light is the best for each location. The nocturnal picture of the exteriors and interiors with a view outside should be taken a few minutes before the sky gets completely dark with all the lights on. The effect is amazing!

The question my clients usually ask is: how long it takes? Every location is different and it depends how many areas I have to shoot, if the areas are ready or we have to do the final styling, if models or staff should be in the pictures, if you want just still pictures or a virtual tour as well. It takes from few hours in a small Hotel to 2-4 days in a big Resorts. I let you know in detail after talking with you.

Lifestyle photograph for your Hotel/Resort

A number of lifestyle photographs should be included in every Hotel/Villa portfolio. This kind of photos tells about the experiences your guests have in the Resort/Villa in different situations that appear natural and real.

The lifestyle photographs create an emotional connection with the potential guests and they make them empathize with the place, for example they can picture themselves relaxing in your Hotel SPA or enjoying the pool or eating in your restaurant.

There is a lot of preparation for this type of photos and the shots take longer. I recommend working with professional models, at ease in front of the camera. Models should represent the target guests of your hotel / restaurant, with a particular attention to the age range and to the different ethnicities, but also wardrobe and make-up must be in line with the target. For example, if your hotel hosts primarily business customers, the clothing should also reflect that type of clientele. It is important to photograph real and spontaneous situations, not posing.

Staff scenes cannot be missed. They give a touch of warmth and welcome, better using the real team members, more authentic and genuine. They should wear their clean and wrinkle-free uniform and have a subtle make-up.

Tighter composition on the people which capture the emotion or expression are especially used for social media.

Give your interiors an exclusive and original atmosphere

Have you ever thought of giving a touch of originality to the rooms of your hotel, Resort or Villa, or maybe to replace old photos and prints from the walls with something unique that enhances your style?

Let’s have a meeting or a video conference and talk about your ideas and tastes. I give you my suggestion and I propose a customized project for you, which could be a series of fine-art prints on paper or canvas and works of art (photo-paintings) regarding your surroundings, details or any subject you love.

I will take care of all the phases, from the choice of the subject to the frame and the final set-up in according to your decor style.

Have a look and get inspiration from my fine-art section and the following slideshow where you see my fine-art photos on the wall of some interiors.

Summary

Styling is key to great interior photographs. It should be minimal, carefully considered and never crowded. Don’t forget the room’s walls and accessories. Give your Hotel/Villa a unique touch and atmosphere.

The interior photographer should create impactful images to enhance the mood of the place without changing the reality, working on the composition with light, shapes and colours.

It’s definitely worth investing in a professional photoshoot that gives prestige to your Hotel/Villa and certainly helps to increase your turnover.

A manager/photographer preliminary meeting avoids losing time later and guarantees a successful outcome!

by Rosalia, Luxury Interior and Fine art photographer, https://rosaliavirtualinteriors.com/

Contact me for any info and to create your portfolio

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