Selecting the Right Hotel for a Romantic Couple Boudoir Photo Shoot
Choosing the right hotel for your photo shoot can be a difficult task sometimes. Things you should always keep in mind while selecting a hotel for your photo sessions:
Space. Having an open, adaptable space may help to move around comfortably and do some creative portraits. It is important to have enough space in the room to move your equipment to control your light especially if you are using a bigger size equipment, such as big soft boxes or reflectors.
The color of the walls. Color creates a mood of your photos. Keep in mind your personal photography style while choosing a hotel that has bright colors. However, I would recommend avoiding any color at all. For example, if you have red or green walls, light that hits a wall will bounce back with red or green color. It is always better to have white or mid gray color walls and if you need color you can simply add a gel to your flash.
The color of bed sheets. I personally prefer white color, especially in the rooms with low light. It works as a reflector and makes skin tones look natural.
Windows. Rooms with big windows may help to achieve simple, soft, and airy images. Also, if you are traveling and don’t have all your gear with you, make sure the room has enough natural light. I prefer to start my sessions by using natural light and then slowly adding some studio lights to have a better control and achieve some creative images.
Balcony. I love rooms with balconies because they can be used to add some character to your images.
Mirrors. The mirror is another simple tool to get creative. Photographing reflections producing stunning results, adding some dramatic mood, and making images look abstract.
Last weekend I had a session by the ocean. It was a ‘honeymoon’ theme photo shoot on the beach. However, it was super windy that day and I decided to extend my ‘honeymoon’ love story and start my session in a hotel. I booked a room at Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton. I was very fortunate and the hotel room that I got was very spacious which helped me to have a control over the light and comfortably move my equipment. I was a little bit skeptical about the color of the walls, however, I decided to experiment and use it to create a different mood for my photos. I would say, it worked pretty well. The room had plenty of natural light so I decided to take advantage of it and start my session by using ambient light only. I was lucky and the room that I booked had a balcony with a city and ocean view as well as a couple of big mirrors.
If you are in Willmington, NC I highly recommend this affordable, spacious, and clean hotel to photographers.