As a marketer, you might be well aware of the fact that visitors search multiple websites and locations for the best suitable hotel, and after a lot of research hopefully they end up booking your hotel as their first choice. 

What do you think is the reason? Maybe interior or excellent ratings. But most importantly the photos.

Photos are the real game-changers !

Before going through any other details the first thing they see is the photos. So, attractive and impactful hotel photography is extremely important!

Moreover, which photography style is suitable for your hotel is the real task for you to think about. So, you have to make some choices about which photographer to hire. in this article I’ll be helping you to decide which photography style is best for your hotel! 

So, without any further delay scroll down to read the article!

Real estate or Architectural photography?

Hotel photography is a blend of real estate and architectural photography. But to decide which photography style is more suitable for your hotel is a challenging task!

Both real estate and architecture are two different types of photography. You might be thinking how they are different as they both are about the interior and exterior of buildings, right? But if you take a closer look you will feel a clear difference! 

Real estate photography is aimed to sell the property. Whereas, architectural photography is more related to selling the experience by showing the aesthetics of the space that urges the buyers to book your hotel!

Let’s discuss both the photography genres in detail as it will help you to make a decision on which style is suitable for your hotel photography!

Architectural photography

Architectural photography is the most demanding genre lately because of the details it provides to the audience. The concept behind this style is an art form because it deals with the photographic illustrations of buildings and rooms in a way to evoke some feeling.

Feeling that viewer would have if they were in that moment.. in that location.

Every single photo taken from this style shows the uniqueness and features of your hotel space in such a way that customers feel themselves physically there! 

Architectural photographers mainly focus on the architectural features of that space so that travelers can observe the amenities of the room and imagine themselves there.

Real estate photography

The main objective of real estate photography is crystal clear- to sell the property! The approach to real estate photography is more practical. There is no artistic touch. A real estate photographer must know how to convince buyers through your photos.. that is it! This is your dream house or apartment! And you need to buy it. 

Also, the lifespan of real estate photos is very short and limited till the time property is on the market. And once it is sold the need for a picture no longer exists. 

Why architectural photography?

Hotel photography is more about selling the experience rather than selling a space! The photos of different locations of your hotel are captured in such a way that creates a desire in viewers to book your hotel. And for that purpose architectural photography is more suitable. 

Architectural photography is done in such a way that it depicts the pleasant atmosphere of your hotel and drives your customer’s attention to every single detail of your hotel room and makes them feel at home!

It is different from real estate photography because the objective is not to sell the hotel rooms. It is about the experience as mentioned above and your photos should make the customers believe that this hotel is their dream hotel and their stay here would be unforgettable!

to better understand main differences between architecture and real estate photography, I am sharing another blog post which I found quite helpful and informative here.

Tips and tricks

It is clear which photography style is more suitable for your hotel right? Now, you have to deliver superlative results through your photos. Following are some tips that will help you in shooting top-notch hotel photos!

#01 Selection of the photographer

It is one of the major steps to select which hotel photographer would be the best to shoot your hotel. So, it is extremely important to know that your photographer not only knows how to take photos but has in-depth knowledge of how to present the hotel visually and to evoke feelings of desire !

You might have a list of corporate approved photographers but I still suggest to go through list and choose the one you think is best even if he/she is not in same city.

Do not assume all photographers in approved corporate lists are equally skilled. Some are really mediocre frankly.

#02 Prepare a shot list

Pre-shoot preparations are key to get high-quality visuals. By making a list of areas of your hotel you want to get covered will help the hotel photographer to stick to the plan and think more efficiently.

After making the list of your requirements you can discuss and make the plan with the photographer. It will make the task easier without any disturbance and irritation.

#03 Shoot preparations

Before executing your shoot plan, you need to make sure that all shooting spaces are clean and tidy and reflect your brand identity. Consider the following points when preparing for the shoot:

• Check all the areas that need maintenance before the shoot. Like lights, switches, or any other wiring issues.

• Try to make sure that the room bed sheets are wrinkle-free because they look so bad in pictures. Also, cross-check the tables, mats, curtains, pillows, glassware, floors, surfaces, and everything that needs to be checked.

• Select props that are suitable and look decent in photos.

• Make sure that the person representing your hotel like the brand manager must be present throughout the shoot to help in different situations.

#04 Interior and exterior of the hotel

Representing the interior of your hotel in a classic way is something you need to think about! Because the interior of the hotel is the most searched space by the visitors. So, try to cover every single detail in photos. Also, cover bathrooms, closets, lobbies, bars, and more.

While shooting the exterior of the hotel, it is important to take care of a few things.

• Shoot in both daylight and night to give different feels to the visitors.

• Also include the surrounding areas and landscape to promote the hotel.

• Remove extra clutter like garbage bins, vehicles from the background.

Conclusion

Architectural and real estate photography both are different styles and have a specific purpose. As a marketeer, you know your needs better but as a photographer and someone has experience in hospitality more than 15 years, my choice would be architecture style photography for hotels to evoke a feeling in the viewers and tell a story about experience they can expect to get.

So make your decision accordingly.

I hope this article will help you to have an understanding of different aspects of photography and which one is best for your hotel