Hotel shoots

Jonfineart

TPF Noob!
Joined
Jun 16, 2006
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi all,

Has anyone experience of shooting in a hotel room, not interiors but models?

When you are booking a room should you inform the hotel that you are using it for a photoshoot, or do you just turn up and shoot?

Also, if I may soak up some of your experience, what pitfalls have you encountered when shooting in a hotel room and how did you overcome them?

The photos style will be atmospheric, moody monos, and as well as me and the model present, there will be a stylist and make-up person/people. The finished work is for exhibition/fine art sales.

Any insights more than welcome.
 
This was shot in a hotel room.

K2730.sized.jpg


Since the room wasn't going to be identifiable in what I shot, I didn't worry about notifying them. Unless you want "hotel" to be what shows up in your images, I would try to minimize how much of the background shows up in your image. A narrow DOF would help a lot there, as will filling the frame with the model. Since you are shooting models, don't shoot with anything less than a 50mm lens, and preferably 80mm+, but you might have some space issues.

The room we got was on the second floor. It had a very large window that overlooked the large 1st floor roof of the lobby, and the roof was covered with snow. The day was bright overcast, and the resulting light that came through the window was amazing. I don't know if you are shooting with strobes or not, but if not, pick a room and time that will have a decent amount of light at the window.
 
Thanks for the reply. The style of the photos I have in mind is a bit more 'hotel' so I think I will clear it with the hotel first before I go ahead and book any rooms.

Definitely going to try and use as much natural light as possible, going to be shooting in the summer and this being the UK, the light doesn't disappear until 9pm-ish. Thankfully, a lot of hotels these days have pictures of the rooms so you can gauge how much space there is and how big the windows are.

Great portrait, by the way, I love close up headshots with just enough blur to give it atmosphere.
 
Jonfineart said:
Hi all,

Has anyone experience of shooting in a hotel room, not interiors but models?

When you are booking a room should you inform the hotel that you are using it for a photoshoot, or do you just turn up and shoot?

Also, if I may soak up some of your experience, what pitfalls have you encountered when shooting in a hotel room and how did you overcome them?

The photos style will be atmospheric, moody monos, and as well as me and the model present, there will be a stylist and make-up person/people. The finished work is for exhibition/fine art sales.

Any insights more than welcome.

It's exactly the same as shooting in any room> definately inform and get permission from the management. I would imagine the Hotel would get suspicious when a parade of people start arriving with odd looking bags. Just imagine if you were shooting a porno movie and the hotel background was in the shots. I'm using an extreme example, but I assume you understand what I'm getting at. I would approach it from a different point of view. Suggest to the hotel that your images may be used in an international travel magazine and the Hotel would get a mention in the mag. Get the Hotel on side, and you may get the room for nothing, plus lunch thrown in. Just a thought. Philip.:lmao:

www.philipweirphotography.com
 
I would avoid telling the hotel. Unless you're using a lighting rig and/or are going to draw a lot of power, I would not let them know. I think most hotels will give you grief. You'll want to clear it early, because at check in the young man at the front desk won't be able to make that decision, and management may be off that day. Some may just say No because it's easier for them. Secondly they'll want an insurance waiver, and if they're smart they'll want a location fee. You'll also need a waiver from them for commercial use, and what I wonder is: will your shots REALLY make it clear that it was one particular hotel?
If these are Rock-N-Roll fashion shots at the Hotel Marmont on the Sunset Strip, you'll need to go the straight route, but if it is just some little place try sneaking it past them. Tell 'em you're honeymooners.
 
Way to drive the point home. :lol:

Philip Weir said:
Just imagine if you were shooting a porno movie and the hotel background was in the shots.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top