We have all heard the terms before, but how do you decide on the right technology for your hotel photos? Often our cell phones automatically decide which recording method is best suited to the subject and we comply with this recommendation. But when it comes to the style of your visual world for the coming years, you should make your decisions consciously. Therefore, with this article, I would like to give you an overview of the most important recording methods in hotel and interior photography:

Natural hotel images

For lack of a better term, I would like to use natural hotel images to describe photos that were created from a single shot without additional light sources. Image composition, room staging, a click with the camera, done. This is definitely the form of recording with the least effort, but it definitely has its advantages.

Such simple photos are characterized by a high contrast ratio. The view from the window is overexposed. Room parts facing away from the window are significantly darker. The room is presented in roughly the same way that the hotel guest would perceive it with their own eyes. Authenticity and dynamism characterize these images. With the right weather, sun position and interior design, particularly in large rooms with many windows, grandiose, expressive images can be created.

In order to create a strong image with a natural photo, many requirements must be met. Often there is great time pressure with hotel photos, which leaves little room for flexibility. I have already taken shots in the rain, snowstorms or in scaffolded shells, which would not have left an appealing impression with a single image. Especially in small rooms with little window space, the viewer loses a lot of information with this recording method. The view from the hotel room is barely recognizable and a large part of the room quickly appears dark and uninviting.

Hotel photography Natural daylight Technology Room image — Individual photograph of the hotel room

HDR Hotel Images

In contrast to a natural image, consisting of a single photograph, HDR images involve capturing multiple images with varying exposures (underexposed, normally exposed, and overexposed) and merging them into a final image. This comprehensively captures and represents the full dynamic range of contrast within the entire image.

The HDR method addresses the criticism of standard photography. The viewer sees the full scope of the hotel room. All details are reproduced in the photo, regardless of how bright or dark they were originally. This technique is particularly advantageous for very large interiors such as shopping centers, airports, or hotel lobbies, compared to natural and flash photography.

However, the advantage of contrast compression also brings the disadvantage of HDR images. The photo often appears less contrasty and "flatter" than a natural image because there are no truly white or black areas left. With this method, care should also be taken to ensure that colors are not displayed too saturated. Otherwise, the image will appear very unnatural and overdrawn. A sensitive, natural image editing is crucial for this process.

Hotel photography HDR Technology Room image — Hotel room in HDR style

Flash Hotel Images

Images using flash involve the most complex shooting method. In addition to the camera, the photographer needs one or more flashes and light shapers to selectively illuminate specific image elements.

The flash method offers the greatest degree of flexibility. For each room, it can be decided which image elements should be the focus and how strongly they are illuminated. Instead of globally reducing contrast as with HDR, the exposure can be adjusted manually here. For photography in the hospitality industry, especially in hotels, this method is definitely my favorite. The resulting images look very high-quality and reproduce all components of the room very well. You can see how to create different lighting moods with the flash method in the three images of the article “Which Lighting Mood Suits Your Hotel Interior Photos?”

If the lighting concept of the interior designer is paramount, additional light sources can alter the architect's intended result. In this case, a subtle use of the method or a natural single exposure may be more suitable.

Learn more about my hotel photography portfolio

Hotel photography Flash and daylight Technology Room image — Hotel room featuring a blend of artificial and natural light

Conclusion

Like everything in life, these methods each have their advantages and disadvantages. Under ideal conditions, great images can be created with single exposures, HDR offers a relatively simple solution for complex room structures, and for the greatest degree of flexibility, the photographer uses their own flash to create a high-quality image even from a suboptimal situation.

In the case of our example photo in the Junior Suite of the Westin Leipzig, the flash image makes the highest quality overall impression. A high-contrast yet even illumination in the interior, paired with the view from the 25th floor on an actually gray, cloudy morning, makes the image very expressive. The setting sun in the picture was also created using a flash. Many thanks to Mr. Hachmeister and Mrs. Reichstein from the Westin Leipzig for their kind support.