KEN PILSHOSPITALITY PHOTOGRAPHY

‘ Simplicity, with an eye for detail ‘

KEN PILS

ABOUT ME

My name is Ken Pils and I work as an architecture and interior

photographer. From my home base in Sweden I travel the

world to capture interesting buildings, rooms and spaces.

Among my clients you will find architect companies, interior

design magazines, tour operators, hotels and resorts.

Shooting hotels and resorts is one of my specialities. Since I

was a child I love hotels and through the years I have spent

many nights in different hotels, guest houses or luxury resorts

around the world. This fascination for hotels has made me to a

passionate hotel photographer.

This brochure is a brief introduction to my services for the

hospitality industry. Please contact me for additional info,

a quote or just to say hello.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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MY WORKMY WORK

PRE-SHOOTING | PREPARATION’S

PRE-SHOOTING | STYLING

One of the key factors in hotel photography is how much time you spend on arrang-

ing the scenery before you actually press the shutter. I spend a lot of the time during

a hotel shooting arranging the furnitures nicely, straightening curtains, replacing

pillows, adjusting the availible lightning and removing or hiding ugly objects (cables,

bins, ashtrays, old brochures etc.).

Hotel photography is all about what to leave in and what to omit. People are not interested in the technical details, they either like

the picture or dislike it. My job as a photographer is to show the best side of the property, much like when a bride is dressed for a

wedding. This is the reason why styling is essential in photographing hotels and resorts.

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MY WORKMY WORK

INTERIORS | LIGHT

The light is one of the most important aspects in shooting interiors. The key consid-

eration is the subtle lighting achieved by interior designers and architects involved.

To capture the impact and the atmosphere created I will mostly work with available

natural light. I truly believe that the images used for marketing a hotel or resort

should not differ too much from what the guests will experience.

HOTEL OBJECTS | CLOSE-UP’S

Close-up’s are very important in hotel

photography. I try to find objects that

are unique for the hotel I am working

at. Usually I will use a telephoto lens in

combination with a large aperture to

get a blurred background. The blurred

background will draw the attention to

the focused design object that I want

to single out.

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MY WORKMY WORK

SHOOTING PLAN | USP’S

My services are always well planned in advance and once arrived at the location I search for angles to make the images look more

interesting. By walking around the property I can discover the unique selling points (USP) which will be added to my shooting

plan. The weather is very important when shooting exteriors and if necessary I will re-schedule according to the forecast.

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MY WORKMY WORK

TECHNIQUE | EQUIPMENT TECHNIQUE | CAMERA POSITION

I have been using Nikon for over ten years now and I must say that I never regretted my choice. I only use professional Nikon

camera bodies and original Nikkor-lenses which guarantees the highest quality. If needed, Nikon Professional Services (NPS),

provides me excellent support on whatever location I am shooting at.

There are some important tricks when shooting interiors. When possible, I try to allow the viewer to see through rooms and

spaces. This makes the images appear more vivid. A steady tripod is of course a must when shooting interiors. Shooting from a

low camera position makes the room look more livable and interesting.

TECHNIQUE | CONVERGING VERTICALS

As a professional architecture- and interior photographer, I believe that getting the

vertical lines straight is very important in my work. During the shoot I will use a tilt-

shift lens to avoid converging verticals. Later on, during the post production editing,

I will correct the lines further.

I also believe that a professional interior photographer should be very careful when

using wide angle lenses. The biggest problem is the heavy distortion when using

lenses below 24 mm, but you are also ‘faking’ that the room actually looks larger

than it is. In very small rooms, it is sometimes necessary to use a wide angle lens in

order for the viewer to get an idea of how the room looks. In difficult situations I

always try to be creative, why not shoot from a bird’s eye view?

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MY WORKMY WORK

MODELS | BRAND GUIDELINES

The brand policy will usually decide if

you should use hotel staff or models on

the shooting. Some brands do not want

models in their pictures and others do.

As a professional hotel photographer I

am used to follow the guidelines of my

client.

Models can add scale to a picture, but

they can also date and age-stamp your

business. If you are using models it is

very important to ensure that the staff

members agrees to the shoot and that

guest’s who are joining in sign a model

release form to allow the hotel to use

the imagery commercially.

If possible, ask the models to use time-

less clothing and accessories.

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MY WORKMY WORK

THE PHOTOGRAPHER | ARTIST

Photography is considered an art form

and a photographer is therefore also

an artist. Each photographer is unique

in his approach to his mission. At the

end of the day it is the photographer

who makes the difference if a photo

shoot will be a success or not.

I always strive to achieve balance and

harmony in ny work. I am very careful

with the details during the shoot. The

image composition is crucial for how

the image is perceived.

When working with models in a scene

I always try to make them feel relaxed

before I press the shutter. I tell them

how to pose, look and interact in order

to produce a picture that feels natural

and authentic.

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MY WORKMY WORK

POST PRODUCTION | IMAGE EDITING

The digital image editing is of course very important for the result. I put a lot of time

and effort into processing every single picture in order to achieve the desired effect.

To shoot in RAW format gives me a great advantage in the digital process. In addi-

tion to correcting lens distorsion, exposure, color balance, contrast and sharpness I

also do advanced retouch. The high resolution images are delivered to you on CD or

by Dropbox in your desired digital format.

Nowadays, most people use the internet before they make a reservation and poor

photography won’t sell your property, in contrast, it may probably harm your busi-

ness. This is the reason why professional images are crucial when it comes to selling

your hotel or resort. So, let’s talk about your next project.

KEN PILS | FOTOGRAFNYGATAN 40SE-582 19 LINKÖPINGSWEDEN

T: +46.70.770 6230M: info@KENPILS.SEwww.KENPILS.SE 2014 © KEN PILS.