Like any photography industry, there is no one size fits all method to pricing a hotel photoshoot. Each photographer will have their own way of quoting a client for their hotel photography services. However, there are certain bullet points to consider, which can affect the cost of the entire production.
In this blog post, I’ll talk about a few key points that can influence the final price of a hotel and resort photoshoot for each client.
As a quick note, it’s important to highlight that each photographer works differently based on how they run their business, so it’s important to ask potential photographers any questions you have before booking them.
Hotel Photography Pricing Structure
Day Rate: Photographers can charge a day rate that can last 6-8 hours. This is the time that the photographer is on set, so it might include time where the client is setting up certain rooms. As a result, it’s best to have everything set up as much as possible ahead of time.
I highly recommend that clients book photographer for more than one day for this method if they’re looking to get a full refresh of their images. For example, if you’re looking to get sunset images in different parts of your hotel and the property is too large to capture sunset photos from different locations in time, it’s best to have the photographer and their team not rush through the end of the day.
Per Photo: Photographers charge a certain amount for one photo. This can be helpful if the client just needs a couple of images (ex: 3 images of one deluxe suite to replace older photos). Sometimes a photographer will provide a discount if you buy a bundle of images.
Project Rate: This is the method that I use for my hotel photography services. The project rate provides an overall package that includes the number of photos, an agreed production day, and different style of photos. I also include the cost of the pre-production tour, post-production, and agreed upon license within one package price.
With this method, the client has a full idea of what the full cost of the photoshoot is going to be.
Post-Production & Editing
The project doesn’t stop after the photoshoot. As I just mentioned, post-production is also an important part of the process when it comes to receiving the final deliverables.
Whether photographers edit the photos themselves or outsource the images to another party, you can expect photo editing services such as HDR composite editing, retouching, color-correcting, removing distractions, and even portrait retouching for models in lifestyle photos.
While this fee is included in project rates and possibly for a per photo pricing structure, there might be a separate fee should you choose a day rate pricing structure.
Other Hotel Photography Pricing Factors
Photo Licensing: Photographers will likely inquire about how the delivered photos will be used (website, social media pages, billboard, etc.) and how long clients require the license to last.
Some photographers provide a limited duration of a license (ex: 1 or 2 years) with an option to renew, and others provide an unlimited license for certain marketing channels within their pricing.
Be sure to confirm with your photographer the licensing terms for each photoshoot so there is not any confusion after you have already signed with them.
Travel Expenses: For photographers who fly out to the hotel’s location, the photographer might charge for airfare and accommodation in addition to their photography services. For hotels that provide photographers with accommodation for them and their team, then you might potentially offset some of that cost.
Summary: Pricing Photography for Hotels
I hope the most important takeaway from this blog is to always have open communication to avoid any surprise costs. Understanding that every photographer works differently is essential so that no assumptions are made.
The number of images you need for your hotel, where the photos will be used, and your availability are just a handful of factors that can impact how a hotel photographer will charge for their services.
One of the benefits of working with an experienced hotel photographer is that they can help guide you on what pricing structure will be the most beneficial and help produce the final photos that you can use for your marketing.
If you’re a hotel that is looking to receive new images for your marketing, don’t hesitate to reach out for a free quote.
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Feel free to explore some hotel photography behind-the-scenes blog posts:
