Photographing Your Hotel: A Guide to Capturing Stunning Hotel Imagery
Professional Photography is Non-Negotiable
In today’s digital landscape, a hotel’s visual identity is more than aesthetics. Your hotel’s photography can be the determining factor in guests’ booking decisions. Whether you’re a professional photographer, property owner, or hotel manager, this guide will walk you through how to showcase your hotel’s unique story through high-quality photos.
Pre-Shoot Preparation
Before you yell, “Lights, Camera, Action,” you’ll need to define your visual narrative. Are you a luxury hotel or a family-friendly one? Every shot should reinforce your core message. Once you define your visual narrative, it’s time to:
Create a Shot List: Don’t leave anything to chance! Here are some essential shots we recommend:
Exterior and Entrance
Lobby/Reception
All Rooms (Bed, Bath, Workspace, and Unique Features)
Amenities
Lifestyle Shots/Experiences (i.e., People eating dinner, enjoying
Essential Gear:
Camera: A full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera is ideal for premium image quality and low-light conditions.
Lenses: Use a wide-angle lens, like a 16-35mm, to capture spacious rooms. But keep the angle low. Keep the camera low. High-angle shots will make the hotel bed look distorted. For fine details and food shoots, use a 50mm prime lens.
Tripod: Essential for consistency and sharpness.
Lighting: It’s unlikely you’ll have consistent natural light in each room. So use a light kit and softbox to fill shadows.
Techniques for Breaktaking Shots
Lighting is Everything! Of course, you should shoot toward the window where the light is pouring in, but you will still be left with a shadow. The good news is that this is avoidable! Balance the natural lighting with a fill light or flash on your camera. If you don’t have a flash or fill light on hand, try shooting the room from the window. Then, you don’t have to worry about an over-exposed window.
Cheat Code: Take a picture of the room with the window overexposed for maximum room lighting, and another with the window in focus. Then, put them together in Photoshop for the perfectly balanced photo!
The Bed! Don’t start shooting until you look over the bed linen. Make sure the sheets are wrinkle-free and pillows FLUFFED. Sometimes, you may have to straighten the sheets or pillows yourself, but that’s how you’ll get the perfect shot.
Post-Production: No photo is complete without Lightroom to ensure consistent lighting across all images. Use Photoshop to remove blemishes (scuff marks, that one wrinkle on sheets you may have missed, etc).
With the warmth of natural light, a bit of added fill light, and a touch of editing, your photos will be ready to take flight.
Ready to Photograph Your Hotel? We can audit your current photo gallery and let you know what you need to shoot next. If you’re ready to schedule a photoshoot, click here to view our work and schedule your photoshoot today.
