Hotel Photography Question.

jbr13

A friend and I have been approached about doing photos for a local hotel. We are working up the details of what we will offer.

Multi views of front during day and night.
Four different rooms
Lobby/Front desk area
Fitness room
Conference room

Figure about 5-7 hours for shooting these.

We are planning on charging a set amount for the shoot and 10 images. After that they could purchase more images at an additional cost.

I would like to get others advice on what amount we should charge. I don't want to over charge or under cut for this type of work.

Thanks for the help!

J

ziggy53

What is your level of experience and expertise in shooting interiors and building exteriors?

Are you the director of photography and the lighting director?

What are the expectations of the hotel regarding quality and content? (Make sure they show you samples of what they expect.)

How much experienced help will you have at your disposal?

What is your equipment budget or do you own sufficient equipment?

Lots more questions all of which should impact the price quote. The more you elaborate on the above the better we can assess the fee.

jbr13

The two of use have limited experierience. We have shot interiors, and exteriors but not for hotels to use on websites. We have shot other businesses for there use. THis is pretty much our first attemp at this specific venture.

Equipment is D90, 18-105, 28-70, we have lighting for behind and under furniture. Lookin at renting a 14-24 lens for this to do better.

They really don't have any expectations as stated. They are a small local hotel.


Thanks

ziggy53 wrote:

What is your level of experience and expertise in shooting interiors and building exteriors?

Are you the director of photography and the lighting director?

What are the expectations of the hotel regarding quality and content? (Make sure they show you samples of what they expect.)

How much experienced help will you have at your disposal?

What is your equipment budget or do you own sufficient equipment?

Lots more questions all of which should impact the price quote. The more you elaborate on the above the better we can assess the fee.

Cygnus Studios

jbr13 wrote:

Figure about 5-7 hours for shooting these.

That is quite a bit of time involved. As Ziggy mentioned there are many factors involved. I was recently offered a similar deal at $150 per image (15 images), plus $100 for my time. For a small hotel, this seemed fair to me.

jbr13

Cygnus Studios wrote:

That is quite a bit of time involved. As Ziggy mentioned there are many factors involved. I was recently offered a similar deal at $150 per image (15 images), plus $100 for my time. For a small hotel, this seemed fair to me.

Thank you! I am planning 5-7 hours do to a couple factors. One, we are planning day and twilight photos of the outside. Two, I think we are going to shoot this place in two parts. Very near future, before they start booking people into rooms. Then come back in a few weeks for conference room and fitness center, since they won't have the tables and equipment for a few weeks.

Sam

I only have two comments, first, if your going to rent a lens, consider a tilt shift. Second you say they don't have any expectations. All clients have expectations, try to find out what they are.

Sam

Cygnus Studios

Sam wrote:

I only have two comments, first, if your going to rent a lens, consider a tilt shift.

One suggestion. Rent this lens a few days prior to the shoot so that you can get used to it. They are great tools once you get used to them.

Sam wrote:

All clients have expectations, try to find out what they are.

Absolutely. Even though we live in a world where most people will "accept" things that they do for themselves, they expect something for which they are paying.
Keep in mind that while the owners may have low expectations, these images will be seen by many people whose expectations may be higher. Spend some time looking at hotel images to see what you like and what you think should have been done.
You want your images to make the room appear better than the average room. Think creative when setting up your shots. Sit in the chairs to see the room as the guests see it.

When you are shooting rooms, be sure to take into consideration the natural light available. Don't forget the views from room.

Blaker

jbr13 wrote:

Thank you! I am planning 5-7 hours do to a couple factors. One, we are planning day and twilight photos of the outside. Two, I think we are going to shoot this place in two parts. Very near future, before they start booking people into rooms. Then come back in a few weeks for conference room and fitness center, since they won't have the tables and equipment for a few weeks.

One caveat-
However many hours you THINK you will spend on this, I can guarantee you will spend MORE!!
Also you need to factor in all of the post-processing hours.
I would quote them a total fee, taking all of that into consideration, not an hourly fee.
This brochure will be brining them lots of business (hopefully!) so don't undercut yourselves on price.
There are websites which can help you with pricing- some you have to join, some are free-
a popular one is Fotoquote, but you have to buy the program. You can also check out ASMP and EP- there is lots on info on their websites- also check out other photogs sites to see what they charge for similar work.

jbr13

Sorry for the miss understanding, I didn't type it in clear on expectations. I am sure they have expectation, I ment they had not stated any yet. They have been asking us how to go about things, and what we think should be shot. I have looked at several sites for hotel type photography, and found great shoots and concepts for lay out. Haven't seen much pricing on any sites though.

Talking more to them now, we have a good idea of what all they want shot and suggested a few other images they may want. I have considered the processing time and will be including that as well.

Thanks for the assistance.

Blaker wrote:

One caveat-
However many hours you THINK you will spend on this, I can guarantee you will spend MORE!!
Also you need to factor in all of the post-processing hours.
I would quote them a total fee, taking all of that into consideration, not an hourly fee.
This brochure will be brining them lots of business (hopefully!) so don't undercut yourselves on price.
There are websites which can help you with pricing- some you have to join, some are free-
a popular one is Fotoquote, but you have to buy the program. You can also check out ASMP and EP- there is lots on info on their websites- also check out other photogs sites to see what they charge for similar work.

mercphoto

jbr13 wrote:

Sorry for the miss understanding, I didn't type it in clear on expectations. I am sure they have expectation, I ment they had not stated any yet.

I'm unsure how you can quote a price if you don't know what they want to get, and of what quality they want.

ziggy53

Jason,

I would request a couple of hours on a day before the actual shoot to do some "snaps" of the locations. It is much easier to identify areas that will need additional time and lighting, when viewing the starting point in a photo.

I do think 5-7 hours is way too little time for the number of shots planned, unless you have a lot of very qualified help in setup. It is amazing what time consumers these projects can be.

I also recommend considerable bracketing of the scenes.

The comment from Blaker about the time allotted for post processing is also pertinent. This project could easily involve a weeks worth of effort from planning to gathering and transporting equipment to setup to shot sessions to post and then presentation. The client may request detail image inserts in addition to the overall shots. The client may desire props and moves not apparent during planning. The client may ..., well, desire pretty much anything.

In addition to your proposal you will need an actual contract. The contract will stipulate the actual goals of the project and how the goals will be measured and met. The contract will also set costs and the timetable for payment(s). Be as specific as you can so that both your and the client's ideas are covered and in agreement. You may want to involve a contract attorney.

You should also consider liability and insurance for the shoot. Rental equipment will probably have insurance for the equipment as part of the agreement, but make sure you know about coverage. Your personal equipment should also be insured and you should make sure that you and your friend and any help have coverage relating to accidents as well.

ian408

When you are meeting with your client, try and determine what's important to them and also what is unique about the facility. If the rooms are small, you may want to look for ways to make them appear larger. When you're shooting things like the fitness center, you might want to consider using models.

Does your client want "guests" in the shots? If so, you'll need to figure out how the guests will be dressed so that they meet the client's expectation of their target market (if they're looking to attract young & upwardly mobile clientele, then you need to make sure your models represent that). You will want to figure out how you will direct them too.

Keep in mind that "guests" may be employees of the hotel to help with cost. If you are going to go this route (models of any sort), you will need model release forms. If you are shooting real guests, you must make sure you get releases from them.

Ziggy's suggestion of multiple different exposures (HDR) is a very good idea. It's become more acceptable in architectural photography as it really helps to highlight the darker spaces.

jbr13

Ziggy and Ian, Thank you very much for the great inputs. I have thought of 75% of the items you have listed and we have snapshots of everything that will need shot. We also have hit on things like flowers in rooms, fruit bowls, a employee model for fitness room and front desk closeup, and plan on shooting BKT and showing them HDRs. They do have unique things in the hotel like a great chandalier, a large tub in Exec Suite, and a very nice bar area. Thank you guys very much again, and it is nice to know we already hit so many of the item you all brought up.

ian408 wrote:

When you are meeting with your client, try and determine what's important to them and also what is unique about the facility. If the rooms are small, you may want to look for ways to make them appear larger. When you're shooting things like the fitness center, you might want to consider using models.

Does your client want "guests" in the shots? If so, you'll need to figure out how the guests will be dressed so that they meet the client's expectation of their target market (if they're looking to attract young & upwardly mobile clientele, then you need to make sure your models represent that). You will want to figure out how you will direct them too.

Keep in mind that "guests" may be employees of the hotel to help with cost. If you are going to go this route (models of any sort), you will need model release forms. If you are shooting real guests, you must make sure you get releases from them.

Ziggy's suggestion of multiple different exposures (HDR) is a very good idea. It's become more acceptable in architectural photography as it really helps to highlight the darker spaces.

ziggy53

jbr13 wrote:

Ziggy and Ian, Thank you very much for the great inputs. I have thought of 75% of the items you have listed and we have snapshots of everything that will need shot. We also have hit on things like flowers in rooms, fruit bowls, a employee model for fitness room and front desk closeup, and plan on shooting BKT and showing them HDRs. They do have unique things in the hotel like a great chandalier, a large tub in Exec Suite, and a very nice bar area. Thank you guys very much again, and it is nice to know we already hit so many of the item you all brought up.

You have no idea how relieved I am that you were responsible enough to do these things. Keep planning and planning ahead and you'll do fine. It's when you relax that the unknown comes to haunt.

ian408

ziggy53 wrote:

You have no idea how relieved I am that you were responsible enough to do these things. Keep planning and planning ahead and you'll do fine. It's when you relax that the unknown comes to haunt.

Let us know how it turns out

jbr13

Thanks all for the tips and advice. We got the job last night and start shooting this Thur.

I did a few test shots to show the owner, and he was very, very happy with them.

Here are some quick samples

Angelo

Congrats on the job...

Here are a few styling tricks to really make this a "pro" job and not just a series of snapshots. your client will be befuddled but ultimately impressed that you thought of all these things:





1) turn on exterior lights
2) turn on all room lights - (so all windows are lit) or all off, either way you're looking for balance and consistency
3) make sure all curtains are set the same in each window
4) hang flags on poles
5) place potted palms, flanking the entrance
6) lose that tacky vinyl banner
7) set your white balance - the place looks like it's on fire from all that incandescent orange glow
8) shoot straight-on and high. use a ladder or platform. no reason to aim up at ceiling lights
9) use a strobe to liven up the brick. you have to compete with the harsh brightness of the interior.





good Lord, could this lobby be any uglier?

OK, minimize the negative. no need to show off the vastness of all that plain white wallboard. and dear God tone down those lights

1) come in tight on the front desk. ugly as it is it's the only thing worth looking at (rather than a column in the middle of the room)
2) drag that palm over to the left edge of the desk to soften that hard wall edge
3) just one floral arrangement
4) place classic, timeless objects on the back shelves... like books and a mantle clock. anything that looks like it came from grandma's attic - stash it underneath
5) seriously? tone those glaring overheads way down. use your tripod and get a time exposure. you don't want all those hot spots. careful, the more you dim the lights the lower the kelvin. you might do better to turn them all off and shoot with strobes.
6) again, shoot from a higher position - no reason to show ugly ceiling tiles.


Hope this is helpful!

jbr13

Angelo, Thank you for the advice. I will note these things when we shoot those shots again. These were test shots to see what was what. The outside lights of the hotel were way to bright and blew the picture, the flags and real sign are on order, and we couldn't shoot straight on do to cars and things in the parking lot.
Thanks again and I will take my note with me!

J

mercphoto

jbr13 wrote:

Angelo, Thank you for the advice. I will note these things when we shoot those shots again. These were test shots to see what was what. The outside lights of the hotel were way to bright and blew the picture, the flags and real sign are on order, and we couldn't shoot straight on do to cars and things in the parking lot.
Thanks again and I will take my note with me!

For the exterior you'll probably need to take two shots. One exposed for those bright windows, the other exposed for the dark brick. And then do a careful merge. Or, if you've done any HDR before this might be a really good candidate for that. For the inside of that lobby I agree with Angelo, especially how bright it is. You might be able to adjust the highlights slider on that shot you have and get some detail back in those bright walls.

jbr13

mercphoto wrote:

For the exterior you'll probably need to take two shots. One exposed for those bright windows, the other exposed for the dark brick. And then do a careful merge. Or, if you've done any HDR before this might be a really good candidate for that. For the inside of that lobby I agree with Angelo, especially how bright it is. You might be able to adjust the highlights slider on that shot you have and get some detail back in those bright walls.

The exterior shot posted is an HDR. Three exposures did great, but I am going to have to play with my starting point to not get the lobby so hot.

THanks

J