Hotel photography: shot list, pricing and tips for small hotels

What hotel photography costs

Hotel photographers price in one of three ways: a day rate plus a fee per final image, one project price for the whole scope, or a price per selected image. Chris Leary, an architectural and hotel photographer, puts most hotel projects between $3,000 and $10,000 or more, with small properties and short shoots below that and multi-day shoots above it.

Some photographers publish fixed packages by the number of room types. James DeCamp Photography in Columbus, Ohio lists these rates:

Every one of those packages includes the exterior, lobby and front desk, standard and accessible bathrooms, breakfast area, pool, fitness center, meeting room, business center, other public areas and details. Properties more than 30 miles from Columbus also pay an overnight stay for the photographer and an assistant. Travel is a real line item for a hotel outside a big city, so ask for it in the quote.

For comparison with home listings, see real estate photography cost and commercial real estate photography.

The hotel photography shot list booking sites ask for

Build the shot list from the booking sites, because that is where most guests see the photos. Agoda's Partner Hub gives the most specific list:

Booking.com allows up to 299 photos per property and uses the main photo as the one guests see in search, so pick that one first. Chris Leary's advice runs the other way on volume: 25 to 50 strong images is often enough, and a tight edit beats hundreds of near-duplicates.

Hotel room photography ideas worth adding to the list, from Agoda's suggestions: the bed, the view, the balcony or terrace, the seating area, coffee and tea, the minibar, and in the bathroom the tub, robe, hair dryer and toiletries. Guests also share distinctive lobbies, local décor and food and drinks, so one or two of each helps on social media.

Hotel room photography tips

• Make the bed with fresh, wrinkle-free linen. Lodging Magazine's guide to hiring a hospitality photographer notes that beds take the most time to shoot and the camera shows every wrinkle; have housekeeping on hand during the shoot.
• Shoot every room clean, bright and clutter-free. Agoda's list: smooth the sheets, clean the mirrors, clear surfaces and empty the bins.
• Open the curtains and turn on the lights. Agoda suggests early morning or late afternoon light for rooms, and golden hour for the outside.
• Cover the layout. Photograph each room type from the corners so a guest can tell where the bed, desk and window are, then add one or two details.
• Move furniture if a room doesn't read. Lodging Magazine describes a suite that photographed better once the sitting area was moved.
• Shoot room types the same way. Same height, same time of day, same lights on, so guests can compare a standard room and a suite fairly.

If you are shooting the rooms yourself, our guide to hotel, venue and restaurant photos with a phone covers platform sizes, light and angles step by step.

What to agree with a hotel photographer

Most disputes come from things nobody wrote down. Before you book, get these in the quote:

1. Usage rights. Chris Leary points out that you usually pay for the right to use the images, not to own them. Lodging Magazine suggests asking whether the photos can be used in advertising or only on the web and in brochures, and for how long.
2. Number of final images and how many rooms and spaces that covers.
3. Editing. Color correction, exposure blending for the windows, and removing small distractions should be included; ask what counts as extra retouching.
4. Turnaround for the edited images.
5. Travel and overnight costs, if the photographer isn't local.
6. A shot list and schedule agreed in advance, so the shoot works around guests, check-out times and the light.

Who owns the photos matters later when you reuse them on new channels; our page on who owns listing photos explains how photographers' copyright usually works.

When a phone is enough

A hired photographer is worth it for a launch, a renovation or brand campaign, where the photos will run for years. For a small hotel, B&B or guesthouse that needs one new room type online, a refresh after new furniture, or a seasonal photo of the terrace, a careful phone shoot in daylight covers it, as long as you follow the shot list above.

The October app is one way to do that: it guides you through each room on an iPhone 12 or newer, showing where to stand and keeping the phone level, and an image model then makes finished photos from your capture, usually within a few hours. A place is up to 6 rooms, for example one room type with its bathroom or a set of public areas. Photos cost $49 a place, $99 with a walkthrough video, and the first place is free. Check each photo before you upload it. See pricing and October for hotels.

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