I will attempt to put together an exercise with this article so to find the world’s best hotel photographers. Listed below are very important points which should lead you, in the end, to find the best hotel photographers.
Hotel photography is a sub-niche of photography as well as interiors, architecture, and real estate photography. With this, the photographer is showing spaces, designs, and structural concepts. Some use natural light with automated software and some (like me) make use of natural and artificial light to blend them together manually with an extraordinary professional outcome. So here is the first clue. Does this photographer use automated software in post-production? Photos from automated processes usually look muddy and lack contrast, volume, and detail. If so, this is a big no-no for hotel photography which must be done with real lighting knowledge and post-production.
I became a hotel photographer because I studied hotel management. This is what makes my work so unique from others hotel photographers. One thing is knowing to light up a space, another is to do that in addition to knowing the insides and outs of the hospitality industry. This can only be achieved if you’ve worked in the industry or if you have studied it. This is a very important point to keep in mind when searching for the best hotel photographers.
I have to state this so as to keep it on top of my mind and from this thinking move on to describing what exactly is a hotel photographer. Hotel photographers are usually hired by a hotel or hotel brand to photograph different spaces of a hotel such as lobbies, pools, bars, restaurants, beaches, meeting rooms, and the different types of rooms the hotel offers. This is all part of what a hotel photographer should photograph. So coordination and scheduling are also very important points that a hotel photographer should have. So keep in mind this also for your search.
Next, I will be the photographer’s website. If that photographer directs you to his Instagram or Facebook and does not have a website, that is another point to think about. If there is a website, look and see if it is organized. Is there only hotel pictures there? If the website has too many different types of photography, that certainly is a problem because it shows that it is not a specialized hotel photographer. Another point to keep in mind.
When contacting the photographer, how long does he/she take to answer? Does he/she have a professional-looking signature at the bottom of the email with all important information such as full name, phone, and website? Is there a logo? This is another thing to keep in mind for your search.
Also, see if this photographer has a professional email. If there is a Gmail at the end of its email, think twice about his/her professionalism.
Finally, try to find out what people think of this photographer. You can have the best photographer, but if the photographer is constantly problematic, that is another point to consider. People want to work with nice, educated, and punctual photographers.
In short, the best way to find the world’s best hotel photographers is to search not only by location but also with all of the hints and points stated above. If the photographer checks all of the above, you are good to go, even if the photographer is from out of town. Buying an airfare for a photographer that will deliver spectacular imagery that will be used for years to come does make sense.
Thiago da Cunha
Hotel Photographer
info@thiagodacunhaphotography.com
Finest resort bird’s eye view of one of the many pool areas with palm trees .
A top down aerial shot of two people relaxing and swimming on a Live Aqua Resort pool.
Sunset shot of the main pool with wet bar and restaurant at the Live Aqua Punta Cana Resort.
