Hotel exterior photography at Raffles The Palm Dubai by Gerry O’Leary
One of the best ways to display the brilliance of a professional photographer is with a ‘Before & After’. This demonstrates that the image is not simply achieved by pointing a great camera in the general direction but happens with careful planning and execution.
In this series I show readers that what might be visible to the naked eye in person doesn’t always directly translate through the lens. You may be lucky when you snap a gorgeous image of the luxury hotel lobby that you just stepped into but remember it’s through a small screen. Great images for hotel websites, brochure, glossy magazines are crafted – they take time to plan and execute, however they also deliver over and over. Every pixel needs to be perfect.
A brand steeped in heritage
When you mention the name Raffles, it transports most people to the colonial-style elegance of a long-standing establishment on Beach Road in Singapore. More recently, people have been experiencing its splendour on the shores of Palm Dubai with Raffles The Palm Dubai bringing its signature luxury to this iconic manmade island.
Here I invite you into the grand lobby of one of Palm Jumeirah’s top resorts to show you how I captured its beauty.
Lobby photography of Raffles The Palm Dubai
Entering the lobby of Raffles The Palm Dubai feels like going through a portal to a different time – perhaps 18th century France. Ornate gilding on the ceiling, plush jewel-toned curtains, towering decorative pillars and Louis XV chairs. From the moment you walk through the entrance, you access a luxurious lifestyle and understand that the level of service here is unmatched elsewhere.
It has all the elements to invite potential clients through the screen. However, there are always challenges in capturing brand-level imagery.
In this image, here are a few:
- The giant windows that allow plenty of sunshine to flood the space. I’m a huge proponent of natural light and have harnessed it in my architectural photography, as well as for hotels and resorts. However, it has to be wielded carefully. As you can see in my ‘before’ image, it can wash out certain features.
- The polished marble floor. It’s beautiful to look at but it is quite reflective and difficult to light.
- Marble tables – cast light around the space from their surfaces.
Lighting the lobby correctly
Although I have spoken about simulating a night effect when shooting a lounge, I wanted to capture the magnificence of the lobby by day – when most people check-in.
As well as chasing the light throughout the day in different images, I had to block it out and use artificial lighting to get the desired effect.
There are some finer details such as moving the furniture (almost imperceptibly), ensuring that the display cabinet was stocked and that there were no people visible in the image – removing distractions and allowing the space to shine in all its glory.
Palm Jumeirah has a multitude of luxury resorts, all unique in their own ways. You can view several more in my luxury hospitality portfolio.
As a luxury hotel photographer based in Dubai, I am available for hospitality photography in the Middle East, India and Seychelles. Get in touch to discuss if you have an upcoming project.
