Michelle Chaplow Hotel Photographer
Michelle Chaplow is a luxury hotel photographer who has spent the last two decades photographing a huge variety of travel destinations, and some of the world’s finest luxury and historic hotels. In 2010 she founded Hotel Essence Photography, whose mission is to capture the spirit, the very essence of a property.
Michelle has photographed everything from exteriors of UNESCO-recognised buildings to Michelin-star restaurant kitchens. Born and educated in Britain, she attended Manchester University, and relocated to Spain in 1992.
Michelle’s photographs have been published by such prestigious institutions and publications as the Library of Congress, The Telegraph, The Times, and Conde Nast Traveller. While undertaking photography assignments around the world, she averaged 100-150 hotel nights per year, in more than 60 countries. Hotel Essence Photography has been commissioned and published by highly prestigious hotel groups such as Mandarin Oriental, Paradores de España, Kempinski, Oberoi, The Most Famous Hotels in the World® and numerous independently-owned hotels.
She has won a number of awards for her architectural photography, and has also been recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Commerce for promoting Spain. As a keynote speaker, Michelle has delivered speeches on the Importance of Photography for Luxury Hotels at a number of events, including TEDx Marbella, and the annual conferences of both Historic Hotels of America, and the Preferred Hotel Group.
Michelle prefers to work with natural lighting for her photography. She has perfected several innovative cutting-edge photography and lighting techniques for capturing signature hotel shots. Michelle loves the finer things in life, including traveling on assignment to exotic locations and artisan chocolates.
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
Luxury Hotels
Professional hotel photographer Michelle Chaplow and her crew specialise in photographing luxury hotel properties and resorts worldwide. We cover architectural photography, exteriors, interiors, environmental portraits of hotel staff, local experiences and excursions, geo-identifiers (the small things that remind guests exactly where they are in the world). With lighting specialists, art directors, stylists, digital editors and journalists, to achieve exactly the right look, feel and message about a property, the Essence team offers a unique service carrying out luxury hotel photography commissions around the globe.
WE ARE FASCINATED BY
Historic Hotels
As a hotel photographer, Michelle Chaplow travels on assignments all around the globe with her crew to photograph some of the world’s most beautiful hotels.
She has been fortunate enough to photograph everything from brand new multi-million-dollar projects to heritage hotels, full of character, founded in a bygone age and yet still highly valued in today’s world. “I have a very special place in my heart for historic hotels”, says Michelle. History is created with the passage of time, it´s intangible, unlike luxury, it is something that money can´t buy.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN
Destinations
One element of hotel photography which is very important, but is too often missed, is the hotel’s location. An essential part of photographing any establishment is to bring out the best not only in the hotel itself, but also focusing on, and documenting photographically, its location – the guest’s destination.
WHO ARE WE
The Team
The Team behind Hotel Essence Photography
Photographer
Michelle Chaplow
Professional photographer, Director and Founder of Hotel Essence photography
Michelle has 20 years experience in the field of luxury hotel and travel photography. She is passionate about all aspects of photography and especially the Hotel Essence project.
Assistant Photographer
Joaquin Alarcon
Joaquin has more than 15 years experience in working alongside Michelle on various locations around the world and in her studio. He loves working with models, is passionate about architecture and enjoys travel. A great team player. Joaquin studied Fine Art and Photography at Seville University.
Hair and Makeup artist
Dennie Passion
Dennie’s impressive portfolio includes ten years in fashion advertising and television contributing to markets in Miami, Sydney, Paris and London. Her Editorial credits include Vogue, Details, The Face, Elle, Harpers and Queen, Vanity Fair and Marie Claire. Dennie was a design artist and consultant to Trucco cosmetics and Rimmel London. Her most recent celebrity clients have been Mr Tony Blair, Jamie Oliver and Miss Dita Von Tesse.
Art Director
Cheryl Gatward
Cheryl has worked for many international clients – including the British Government, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Centre for Development of Enterprise. Cheryl is a perfectionist and her eye for detail and constant creative energy bring a unique look to every project she is involved with. From Art direction, production, co-ordination of props to storyboard creator, Cheryl carefully guards and enhances the clients image.
In her work as an art director Cheryl has had plenty of experience when it comes to digital work flow from camera ready images – downloading, key wording and cataloging to print – and also organising the photo shoot schedules. Cheryl and Michelle have collaborated for over 15 years on photographic projects.
WHAT WE’RE GOOD AT
Hotel Photography
The mission of Hotel Photography is to go beyond capturing the bedrooms and communal zones of the property. The aim is to capture the very essence of the hotel. The things you remember when you return home, the details that make you feel happy at the time and which create a connection: scented flowers by the bath, pillow gifts, cultural influences, historical references, tea on the terrace, a smiling face to greet you each morning. The essence of a hotel is in the detail. It’s the detail that portrays the feeling, the soul, the heart and the very essence of the hotel. The things that will make your hotel stand out from the rest.
OUR WORK
Portfolio
This portfolio section offers real examples of images that have worked for specific hotel establishments and resorts. In a hotel´s image portfolio, every feature and aspect should be included: architectural shots, guest rooms, communal spaces, sunsets, sunrises, daylight shots, food photography, experiences, gardens and grounds, night shots, not to mention the details that capture exactly what is so special about the property – the hotel, spa, grounds, setting – and why a particular hotel offers an experience like no other. Please browse this portfolio section – here you will find not only images, but accompanying text, providing background information about each image and how it was shot.
In the hospitality industry of today, where Social Media means that more visuals of your property are seen on more devices by more people across more media platforms than ever before, images that simply depict a hotel’s amenities and architecture are not enough. The connected global traveller wants more – images that portray the intrinsic qualities of a hotel, showing what it actually feels like to be a guest.
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
The Process & Ideas
STEP 1
Brainstorming & Ideas
We will help you create your story board. We have years of experience in obtaining good results to suit your hotel marketing budget.
STEP 2
Outline Shot list
We know that creating a shot list can be very difficult for a hotel team, we will listen you your requests and guide you through it.
STEP 3
Formal Shooting Schedule
Our team are well aware of time constraints for various areas of the hotel and the shoot will be as unobtrusive as possible.
STEP 4
Post Production
We take the highest care of your images and have an expert post production team, who will calibrate for web, magazines and ad campaigns. Only the highest quality will do, so that your hotel, will stand out from the rest.
OUR BLOG
Hotel Essence Photography Blog
This blog has been created to blog about travel, photography and hotels. Three great subjects that so many love, the world of travel, photography and hotel life. Tales of world travel from a Michelle Chaplow, founder of Hotel Essence Photography a professional travel photographer with 20 years experience in the field. A blog with a passion for travel, photography and hotels of both the luxurious an quirky kind.
CONTACT
Email us
Have a Hotel Photography project in Mind? We would be happy to hear from you. michelle ‘at’ hotelphotographer.com