A Storytelling in Photography for Queen’s Gate Hotel London
Conceptual or Concept photography is a special type of photography which in this case, seeks to capture the very essence of the services provided by a hotel. Each picture tells an independent, short story. The aim of this type of photoshoot is to place the viewer inside the photography and to inspire him/her to enjoy the same alluring experiences as those portrayed in the photo. Thus, it evokes emotion in the imagination of the viewer, triggering a feeling of what is implied and making them think of ways they can become the protagonists of that alluring short story.
Even though this concept falls under the category of Hotel Photography, it is by no means strictly limited to that. It can also become part of a larger advertising campaign that is based on a specific marketing strategy.
A photoshoot of the “photo story” type, like the one we had the honour of creating for The Queens Gate Hotel, is not only a simple portrayal of events and locations. It enables the viewer to navigate freely around the establishment and it practically integrates the photo directly into theA� viewer’s imagination leaving a lasting impression.
There’s a difference between photography and visual storytelling. You can easily take a nice photograph, but not all photographs have rich narratives to deliver.
The scenario of the photoshoot:
Photo story is all about a narrative/documentary that does not unfold through words but through photographs. Customers must be triggered to explore ideas, feelings, and experiences on a deeper level. The whole project though must be handled with great care and discretion so that the final result enjoyed in the photos does not have hints of the camera intruding or interfering with the private moments of the couple. For example, the way to handle shooting a couple under the bedcovers differs greatly from the way one would shoot a couple all dressedup in their best attire and enjoying a cocktail in the comfort of their room; in the latter, there is undoubtedly a lot implied about what might happen next as the couple get ready to go out for dinner or for exploring the beauty of London.
Panadvert organized this photoshoot in collaboration with the photographer Christos Drazos and his associates.
The Marketing Plan:
The photoshoot is based on a strategic (marketing) plan that analyses the current client base and at the same time it creates the proper conditions for attracting new clientele or a new target group.
Analysing the targetA� audience:
Before coming up with the photoshoot concept we had to take into consideration and analyse certain demographic factors; such as the age, the ethnic background, the financial and marital status, the social class and the desires of the current customer base so as to come up with the most relevant and efficient photoshoot concept. From this analysis we concluded that the majority of the guests were couples around the age of 35, seeking to enjoy a few days away from the routine and wishing to discover London’s unique beauty.A� This is how our scenario began to shape itself.
In addition, the casting process was completed taking into consideration all the significant factors that were mentioned above. The models cast for the photoshoot were selected carefully so as to serve the style and the age group we had had in mind. They were thoroughly informed and were given the analysis for the final result of the photoshoot that we aimed to reach. This resulted in them achieving several successful first shots efficiently, thus saving a lot of time and energy. The styling team that was responsible for the models’ appearance underwent the same information and analysis procedure.
Having in mind all the aforementioned factors, the direction of the photoshoot was primarily based on spontaneous shots. The background and angles of the shoot were entirely leftto the discretion of photographer Christos Drazos, who was also the director. He was well informed of both the aim and the marketing analysis of the photoshoot.
As you can see for yourself, great emphasis was put on portraying strong emotions that are conveyed from the models connecting them with the camera and then finally reaching the potential customer.
The biggest success of this concept is based on the fact that Mr. Drazos intentionally allowed things to be implied in the photos so that the viewers will utilize their own intuition about what is happening or what might happen next.
Types of Photography:
The specific photoshoot entails several different genres of Photography and each genre has its own technique. Utilizing and handling all these techniques equally skillfully makes Mr. Drazos’ experience and work truly invaluable. It is because of his many years of experience, his artistic talent and his skills that he achieved such a remarkable result in such a short time. For this project, the photographer sought to become a visual storyteller that is partly a cinematographer too.
The genres of photography that were used in this concept are the following:
* Beauty Photography
* Travel Photography
* Social Photography
* Conceptual Photography
* Documentary Photography
* Glamour Photography
* Hotel Photography
* Street Photography
* Portraiture Photography
* Food Photography.
The photoshoot was successfullyA� completed in July 2015 with about 2500 photos taken for the specific project. It is often said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Thus, metaphorically speaking, our photo story was comprised of approximately 2.5 million words, or the number of words amounting to 30 novels
