Hotel Photography for Your Booming Texas Business
With Texas being named the second largest state in the United States, it is no wonder that more than 200 million travelers visit this beautiful state each year. The great state offers beautiful scenery, exceptional historical sites including The Alamo and Native American historical sites, some of the largest water parks, and diverse foods and cultures – why would people not visit? With so many people traveling, whether passing through or stopping to stay for a while, travel accommodations are needed. As the internet has changed the way travelers book hotels and resorts, investing in a hospitality photographer has never been more important.
What is hospitality photography and why is it so important?
Many people believe they can snap a few pretty pictures of their hotel and post them on the internet and people will come running, however, hospitality is much more extensive than that. A hotel photographer holds many job titles aside from “photographer”. Luxury hotel photographers are responsible for capturing the essence of a property and telling a story through beautiful, yet natural images. Hospitality photography must showcase the unique qualities that make your resort special, emphasize the amenities offered, and entice people to book with you rather than the surrounding competition.
More than half of the information stored within the brain is gathered through images and other visual aids. With the increase in online bookings through an online travel agent or other online booking sites, professional images are more important than ever to include of your property. Your photography should capture the beauty, comfort, and relaxing atmosphere without appearing overdone.
Though it may seem simple enough to capture a photo there is much more that goes into a successful shoot than you might think. Before the shoot can take place, the photographer should have a sit-down meeting with the head of the marketing or management team to discuss the photography needs, strategies, and brand, and determine how new images can attract guests.
What to expect from a Texas luxury hotel photographer?
Hospitality photography differs from all other types of photography as it encompasses multiple forms of photography rather than focusing primarily on one category. A successful resort photographer should be educated in several categories to ensure perfect images including a minimum of architectural photography, lifestyle, and video production training. They must also stay informed on the latest marketing trends and what is selling hotel brands as this is constantly changing.
When researching hotel photographers in Texas, ensure your prospective candidate has experience:
- Photographing multiple areas including guest rooms, public and private spaces, and amenities.
- Photographing food and beverages offered at on-site dining and restaurants that make people want to visit.
- Photographing headshots if you would like to include a headshot of management or other staff members.
- Creating images that capture the attention quickly of those viewing making them want to stay with your resort.
Visual content plays a crucial role in digital marketing as low-quality images leave potential guests wary of booking with your hotel. Investing in a skilled hospitality photographer to produce high-quality images of your space will pay off significantly as more people will book with you. Because people from all around the world utilize the internet to plan travel accommodations, being able to convey the quality of the services offered by your resort through images will help you to attract guests from places you would have never thought.
People love to book hotels and resorts through online sites whether it be directly through the company’s website or an online travel agent. Keeping up with the latest social media trends and maintaining an updated website with virtual tours allows potential visitors to see what they are buying.
How to prepare for a hospitality photoshoot
As with anything, preparation is crucial for ensuring success and the same is said for hospitality photography. While a skilled photographer can provide edits to images to enhance lighting or clarity or remove unwanted objects, preparing the space to be photographed can cut down on editing time allowing your photographer to deliver images more quickly.
To begin, block off certain areas that are marked as “required” on your shoot list – even if it means you must close a facility for 30 minutes to an hour. Ensure all guest rooms being photographed are neat with little to no movement of objects needed. When photographing your five-star on-site restaurant, have the chef prepare the most requested meals and place them at a table that has been set for dining with glasses, plates, and flatware. Similarly, when including images of the gym, pools, or spa areas in your marketing plan, close these areas for a short time allowing your photographer to work uninterrupted.
How can PhotoWeb USA’s photographers bring your space to life?
The skilled photographers at PhotoWeb USA have been changing the photography game since 1998. Our team travels worldwide to assist many high-end customers like Hilton, Waldorf Astoria, and White Lodging in photographing their exquisite, historic hotels and resorts. We offer several services to better assist clients including:
- Architectural hotel photography
- Lifestyle photography
- Video production
- 360-degree virtual tours
- Aerial drone photography services
- Commercial and real estate photography
- Unlimited photo editing
We specialize in hospitality photography; however, we understand this means our photographers must be well-educated in multiple. Through continuing education, our hospitality photographers can stay up to date on the latest trends and provide you with exceptional marketing photos. We look forward to assisting you in your hotel photography needs and answering any questions you may have.