A hotel photo library should create desire without creating a false product. The strongest images communicate atmosphere, scale, comfort and value before the guest ever enters the room.
The strongest hotel shoots are planned as a visual journey, not as a checklist of rooms.
Walk guest rooms, suites, lobby, restaurant, bar, meeting spaces, pool, wellness, gardens, terraces and exterior. Note window orientation, reflections, awkward backgrounds and the best time for each space.
A city hotel, boutique property and resort should not look like the same product. Decide what makes this hotel recognisable before you decide how to photograph it.
A mirrorless or DSLR camera, quality lens and tripod give more control over lines, light and consistency. Wide-angle lenses are useful when they explain space without materially exaggerating it.
Light, composition and image order determine whether the hotel feels like a product or an experience.
Open curtains, control mixed colour temperatures and use supplementary light only where it helps the room still look believable.
Arrival establishes context. Lobby establishes welcome. Rooms explain sleep, bathroom and view. Breakfast, terrace, pool and wellness explain what happens beyond the bed.
Use furniture, windows and architecture to guide the eye. Remove cables, bins, cleaning equipment, wrinkled linen and anything the guest should not be studying.
Pool, spa, rooftop, gym, restaurant, courtyard, kitchenette or a distinctive view need images strong enough to justify the value they add to the rate.
Editing, night coverage, master files and usage rights determine whether the image library remains useful long after the shoot.
Balance exposure and colour, recover detail and remove distractions, but do not create a room or sky the guest will never see.
Façade lighting, bars, terraces, restaurants, pools and city views can become completely different selling moments after sunset.
RAW files preserve much more image information and give future campaigns room for new crops, exports and re-edits.
Photographer agreements should cover website, OTAs, social, paid advertising and press. Identifiable people need the appropriate releases.