Pacifica’s Marina del Rey Hotel | Los Angeles Hotel Photographer
The Marina del Rey Hotel is a beautiful 4-star hotel and is a part of Pacifica’s line up of amazing boutique hotels along the California coast here in Los Angeles.
In addition to the lovely hotel rooms, the hotel boasts a variety of amenities including a beautiful sunset view of the sailboats on the terrace, an outdoor pool, and an onsite bar.
Back in January 2023, I worked directly with the marketing manager of the Marina del Rey Hotel to produce a variety of interior, outdoor, and lifestyle photos for the team’s digital marketing and advertising. I also collaborated with Los Angeles actress and model DeAnza Banuelos as a creative director to produce the client’s intended vision.
Preparing For The Hotel Photoshoot
For this hotel photoshoot, I met with the marketing manager in person to look over the hotel room, outdoor spaces, and restaurant that I would be photographing. The marketing manager was also kind enough to provide me with a reference photo from one of their previous photoshoots, which gave me a starting point on the direction of the photoshoot.
I communicated with the team and spoke with DeAnza to go over wardrobe options that she would be able to bring to the photoshoot. In the end, we ended up going with two different outfits: a white shirt with matching pants, and a long blue evening dress.
In addition to discussing wardrobe details, I had to plan my time for the 4-5 hours I would be on location. The photoshoot would take place around noon when the sun would be at its harshest, so I decided to start with the interiors first and then have DeAnza come later on in the evening.
Photoshoot Day At The Marina Del Rey Hotel
On the day of the photoshoot, I started off by capturing some wide-angle shots of the hotel lobby. It was pretty fortunate that there were barely any guests walking through this part of the hotel at the time of taking these photos.
Afterwards, I moved into the hotel room that the marketing manager wanted me to capture. Even though the room itself wasn’t cramped, I wanted to use a wide angle lens to make the room look spacious. But it was also essential that I didn’t distort to give the viewer a false impression of what the hotel room actually looks like should they see it in person.
I complemented these hotel photos with lifestyle photography once DeAnza arrived later in the evening. Using natural light, I was able to capture some authentic and candid photos of the model.
We worked until sunset, which allowed us to capture some beautiful golden hour images overlooking the sailboats from the terrace of the hotel room. In order to provide the client with a variety of different photos, I scheduled the session to take place from noon to late evening.
PHOTOSHOOT RESULTS
The client was happy to receive new hotel branding images that they are able to feature on their digital marketing platforms (website, social media pages, third party sites, etc.)
Brand-consistent visual assets are a great way to promote your hotel and potentially draw in new guests. When it comes to businesses like hotels, having a strong online presence can be a useful way to communicate your value to travelers looking for a place to stay.
Bring a tripod: If you’re going to be taking any photos of the hotel rooms, then you’ll likely want to capture the same image at different exposures. This is especially helpful when you need to take photos of a room with a window and you need the final image to be as evenly exposed inside as it is outside.
Create A Shot List: In order to use your time most effectively, you’ll want to create a shot list so that you’re not spending time thinking about what to shoot next or where to go on the day of the actual shoot. While you don’t want to be too attached to a schedule, having a basic guide to follow on shoot day can help make the photoshoot go a lot smoother.
Selecting Hours: I always aim for at least a 4-hour shoot for hotel photoshoots because I want to capture the property at different times of the day.
Work with Talent: Lifestyle photography is a great way to showcase the hotel property beyond just standard images of a hotel room and lobby. Having a model interact and engage with the location the way a guest would can help create more interesting photos and create a distinct brand image for the hotel.
“Brian was such a pleasure to work with. He is professional, comes prepared, and the best part – takes beautiful photos! He takes direction well but also has an amazing creative eye and catches beauty in every shot. He is humble and overall a great photographer to work with.”
Kiki Popa | Marketing Manager
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Marina del Rey Hotel photoshoot provided a great branding opportunity to showcase the different amenities of the hotel through various styles of photography. From interior shots of the rooms to taking photos of their outdoor pool and directing a model with lifestyle photography, my goal was to provide the client with a variety of different images that can be used across digital marketing, branding, and advertising campaigns.
If you’re a hotel or lifestyle brand looking to get new images for your digital marketing, don’t hesitate to reach out and get a quote for your next creative shoot.
