4 Best practices for hotels. Prepare for a photoshoot

Prepare for a photoshoot
4 BEST PRACTICES FOR HOTELS

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

IT STARTS WITH A PLAN

Photographs have a huge impact on the hotel’s online success. A polished and neat image is very effective in drawing the attention of the potential guests and attracting them to the hotel’s website. Yet, what goes on behind the camera is not as simple and sleek. Every photoshoot requires a thoughtful preparation to make it run as smooth and as quickly as possible. Here you can find a list of the steps you must follow to get ready for the photo shoot in order to make it a boom.

Select the areas

DISPLAY YOUR VERY BEST

First of all, you could start making a list of the areas that you’d like to be photographed. This is the so-called “shot list” and it is going to be one of the first things that the photographer will need on site.

Prepare the areas

GETTING READY

Once you’ve selected the areas you can start preparing them for the photoshoot. This is usually done the day before the photo shooting or early in the morning before it starts. In order for the areas to look neat and polished here are a few suggestions that can be followed:

CLEAR
All non-branded logos, seasonal decorations, magazines and newspapers.

Remove excessive collateral and switch off TVs and screens.
CLEAN
All tables, floors and surfaces. Iron pillows, sheets and curtains for a wrinkle-free impression. Make sure towels are clean and perfectly folded.
AUTHENTICATE
Ensure your images correspond with the guest experience. Keep floral arrangements to a minimum, open the shutters and setup your F&B facilities as guests wold find them.

Internal communications

ALIGN WITH BOTH GUESTS AND YOUR TEAM

Certain areas, such as the gym, pool or spa may need to be closed to the public in order to be properly photographed. It is therefore important to inform guests in advance that a photoshoot will be taking place.

Placing appropriate signage clearly stating what areas will be closed and during what hours could thus be very useful to this purpose. If guests don’t respect the signage and wish to enter the shoot location then you could politely inform them that the area is reserved for the models and the crew only. Otherwise, the photo shooting could take place during shut-off hours.

Team members should be informed too and they could be present on set or photographed unless they do not wish so.

Timing & light

THEIR INFLUENCE ON QUALITY

Light is one of the most important things to consider when taking a photo. This is why it is essential to choose the right timing for each location. The exterior shoots should preferably be taken early in the morning or late in the afternoon when shadows are longer and the light is softer to enhance the architecture of the building. Other great timings are dusk or dawn which give the opportunity to capture dramatic sky colours.

The nocturnal picture of the exteriors should be taken a few minutes before the sky gets completely dark and all the lights must be light. As for the interior photographs, they should be taken during the day to have as much natural light as possible. Natural light will make the images look more fresh, soft and white.

Another thing to consider for exterior shots and lighting, in general, is the weather conditions. Make sure to check the weather forecast a few days in advance and have a backup plan in place or the possibility to reschedule the photo shoot.