Tips to Prepare for Professional Hotel Photography – Part Two

July 26, 2017

A picture is worth a thousand words, but are yours worth a thousand guests? Statistics show the number and quality of images directly affect conversion rates on all digital channels. After selecting the right photographer, preparation is the most critical step in a successful hotel photography session.

While guest room images are viewed most by prospective travelers, public areas are important in selling your hotel. Follow these preparation tips to ensure the photographer can capture the best public area images! Take a look at part one of this post for guest room preparation tips.

1. Fitness Center – Stock towel shelves with clean and nicely rolled towels. Remove trash cans, towel baskets, and any other clutter. Make sure all weights and exercise balls are accounted for and in good condition. Equipment and weights may be rearranged to ensure the best composition. Please have a team member available to help move heavy equipment. Fitness centers can be popular places – your photographer may ask that it be closed temporarily during a portion of your session to capture images without guests.

2. Lobby and Entry Space – ATH photographers understand hospitality is a 24/7 business. We are adept at working around an active hotel. It is very helpful to have hotel staff members strategically placed to reduce the flow of guest traffic while the lobby and other public areas are being photographed. Remove newspapers, local area brochures, and any other clutter. Clear collateral from the front desk and lower computer monitors as far as possible. If your brand requires a staff member in front desk shots, ensure you have a willing participant with a fabulous smile scheduled during your session time.

3. The Market – Make sure the market is fully stocked and front-faced. Remove any unnecessary clutter. If your market is busy, store a small inventory of your hottest items so they are available for the session.

4. Rise and Shine – It’s Time for Breakfast! – Photography guidelines for breakfast images are typically different than your routine breakfast set up. Photographing your breakfast space after closing for the day allows adequate time to prepare the best composition, capture the images, and helps reduce guest traffic. We suggest having staff members available to assist late arrivals and guide guests away from the area while images are captured. See specific preparation information for your brand and check your brand breakfast photography guidelines for a complete list of items that should and should not be in the images. Other important steps:

Deep clean the serving area the day prior to your session paying attention to cabinet fronts, backsplashes, and serving equipment.
Do not schedule food deliveries for the day of the session
Ensure you have adequate supplies of perishable items on hand including fresh fruit. Have a runner on call for emergency replenishment.

5. Guest Pools and Jacuzzis – Deep clean your pool area prior to the session. Dry water puddles around the pool or wet the pool deck completely. Ensure you have a good supply of your best pool towels for staging. High occupancy properties may find it necessary to stash a supply of towels just for use during the session. Closing the pool for a few hours during your session will allow adequate preparation time and ensure the area stays picture perfect.

6. Exterior – Dusk, and dawn offer the best light for capturing exterior images – the time depends on the orientation of the building. Most brands require images to be free of cars and guests. We suggest blocking the parking spaces around the main entrance or in view looking toward the main entrance to ensure cars are not visible. Additional tips:

Ensure all exterior accent lights are working properly.
Have an engineering team member on hand during the session to override your exterior light timers or sensors.
Check your monument and building signs to ensure all lights are working properly and they are bright and clean
Remove trash cans and ashtrays from entryways

Select the Right Photographer

All Things Hospitality hotel photographers are experts within the hospitality industry. They know exactly how to capture images that will sell your hotel. Schedule your hotel photography session today.