Navigating Changes in the Hotel Photography Business

Welcome Back to the fold Best Western!

Approved hotel photography for Best Western Brownwood

We are so excited that we can photograph Best Western hotels again! A recent change in their brand standards allows the owners to choose their own photographer as long as the photography itself is approved.

As with any industry, the hotel photography business is constantly evolving. It’s important to understand the nuances of each hotel brand’s photography requirements in order to stay ahead of the game. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of knowing whether a brand allows a preferred vendor, requires an approved vendor, or if the hotel is allowed to choose their own photographer.

Preferred Vendor: This means that the brand has a list of suggested photographers, but the hotel can choose their own photographer as long as they meet the brand’s requirements. This is the most common type of arrangement.
Approved Vendor: This means that the brand requires a specific photographer to be used. This is less common, but some brands have exclusive contracts with photographers or agencies.
Hotel’s Choice: This is rarely the case for branded hotels, but it is more common for independent hotels and management companies. The hotel is allowed to choose their own photographer, but they still have to meet the brand’s photography requirements.

Using the wrong hotel photographer can result in complete rejection of all the photos, which can be a costly mistake for both the hotel and the photographer. As professional hotel photographers, we have photographed over 1000 hotels with a 100% approval rate for more than 50 brands.

Hotel Photography for Best Western

One example of changes in the hotel photography business is the case of Best Western hotels. We used to be rewards members and would stay at Best Western hotels, but then Best Western required their hotels to use a contracted photographer. This meant that we were not able to shoot those brands for a few years. However, we are excited to announce that Best Western is now back on the list of hotels we can shoot for.

Staying up-to-date with changes in the hotel photography business is key to success. Understanding the difference between preferred vendors, approved vendors, and hotel choice can help you navigate each brand’s requirements and ensure that your photos are approved. As professional hotel photographers, we take pride in our ability to adapt to these changes and provide our clients with high-quality photos that meet brand standards.