Preparing Your Hotel or Resort for a Photo Shoot

You’ve spent millions on a renovation or new property and now it’s time to make photographs that will really wow potential guests and get room nights booked.

When I come to visit your property, I want to make sure we have everything and everyone ready to go to make your photos as successful as possible and make your hotel shine. In order for your web pages to have photos that stand out. The more we are ready in advance the more smoothly our time will go. I’m here for you every step of the way!

- Collette

Exterior

Exterior (dusk or dawn)

Block off spaces in front of hotel to minimize cars in the picture <– yes this is required
Fresh landscaping (remember to schedule this in advance)

Common Areas

Front Desk

1 Team Member preferred
Clean all clutter and lower computer monitors & remove the health department sign
No props, breakfast bags, newspapers, etc.
Close all doors

Lobby (usually the middle of the day when it is empty)

Remove all clutter
Clean carpets/floors
Turn on all lights and turn the tv off
Turn on the fireplace (if applicable)

Breakfast (30-45 mins before opening)

Prepped and ready at least 30 minutes prior to opening
Fresh unwrapped fruit
Organize and Clean! Counters, straighten signs, remove clutter, etc.
Remove the health department sign

Ammenities

Fitness Center

Clean floors, equipment, and mirrors
Neatly arrange towels and hide wastebasket
Have colorful yoga balls, mats, and/or medicine balls for a pop of color. (order in advance)

Meeting Rooms (when the sun is not glaring in any windows)

Have staff on hand to turn the table into 3 different setups (classroom, theater, u-shape, banquet, etc.)
Water Pitcher for each table and fresh fruit to match the room
Water Glasses for each seat
Colorful table decorations for each table

Pool (mid-day no shadows)

Clean of leaves and other debris
Fresh flowers and plants – remove any dead/dying plants (schedule landscaping in advance)
Organize towels and remove cleaning supplies
Open all umbrellas and have out all colorful decor. Decor can be moved from one location to another.

Outdoor Seating Area (mid-day no shadows)

Staff member available to light fireplace if applicable
Furniture straightened
Fresh flowers – remove any dead/dying plants (schedule landscaping in advance)
Open all umbrellas and have out all colorful decor. Decor can be moved from one location to another.

Hotel Bar

Cleaned and straightened
Cabinets full of glassware and all liquor bottles on display
Remove all un-approved signage, health dept sign & turn off the tv
Minimalism is key, so ensure drink mixing areas and the entire bar area are clean and free of clutter but still convey the feeling of an interesting space.

Business Center

Remove clutter and props
Hide wires, have a wireless mouse, clean up cords under the desk

24/7 Snack Area

Fully stocked, including fridge and freezer
Front all items w/ labels facing out
Bigger Items in the middle and smaller items on the ends
Remove all price tags and signage

Guest Rooms

Guest Rooms (reserve higher floors to avoid parking lot views if possible)

Prep a list of all room types with room numbers & block off rooms in advance
Have staff available to assist with rooms (GM and/or DOS)
Freshly pressed bed linens
Make sure all shades/light bulbs are working and are the same color
Remove all printed material & props

The following are special considerations for different types of images.

A rule of thumb is that a room or a pool area or any other area of the property should look in the photographs like it does when a guest experiences it in person. Therefore, photographers should not take great liberties moving furniture, changing furniture, or styling areas differently than a property usually style their spaces. If a towel is rolled a certain way on a lounge chair by the pool, it must remain this way in the photographs. (That isn’t to say that photographers will not need to move furniture a few feet this way or that way to suit the way the camera “sees” a space. However, reworking an entire room setup will not reflect the property as it actually is and guests may point this out and feel that they were misled by the photographs.)

Pillows and Beds & Windows: In guest rooms, these items should be styled the same way for each room.

Views Outside Windows: Choose the views that you want. This often requires pre-planning and taking the rooms out of service for the days and times that the photographer needs to shoot.

Should you show a phone or coffee maker? Decisions about what should remain visible in each guest room should be made before the shoot. The fewer appliances or collateral that are shown, the longer the images will be used without looking dated. On the other hand, a bare room may look very stark and less interesting in a photograph.

Restaurants: When setting up for restaurant shots, all tables should be set, usually for dinner service. Again, all linens should be pressed and steamed. Note: restaurants often have to be photographed during off hours; perhaps between lunch and dinner or late at night after dinner service is over.

Food Photography: A food stylist is recommended to make your food look the best it can be. Your chef should prepare the food and work closely with the food stylist for the food shots. Plan on food shots taking 45 minutes to 1 hour each. Each dish should come out when the photographer is ready so the photographer can shoot the food while it looks its best. A dish should never sit out for 30 minutes, or worse, overnight and then be photographed.

Golf Course Photography: Scouting is key! Make sure the photographer is able to photograph signature holes at the right time of day. An hour to an hour and a half per hole is recommended and someone to accompany the photographer who knows the course is imperative. Leave a gap in tee times so you won’t have to stop playing and be conscious of where other golfers are playing. Walkie-talkies will help everyone involved communicate with one another.