3

0 PREFACE 4

1 PRE-PRODUCTION 7

2 GENERAL 10

3 COMPOSITION 13

4 SHOT LIST 101

5 RESORT 120

6 CASTING & STYLING 130

7 VIDEO 140

8 PRODUCTION 140

9 POST-PRODUCTION & DELIVERY 147

Novotel Phu Quoc, Vietnam

 PREFACE

Photography is the main window into the Accor

universe. It conveys both an emotional story and
selling points to the consumer that sets us above
the competition. This guideline is intended for
Hotel Teams and Photographers to ensure that
we speak in a consistent and confident voice
that clearly establishes us apart from the rest.
 PRE
PRODUCTION

Prior to any shoot, be sure to check the list of

recommendations from this section to ensure
the optimal shooting conditions are met.
 1.

PRE
PRODUCTION

• Liaise with local marketing contact to organise the shoot

• Tell hotel staff to make sure guests are aware of

the shoot and ensure they do not disrupt their experience

• Plan 2 to 3 days for a complete photoshoot

• Prepare a shot list of locations. For details,

see specific brand guidelines.

• Try to have several photo options to choose

from for each item on the shot list

Fairmont, Maldives
 • Each hotel should provide a minimum number
of photos depending on their size: 40 photos
for Medium hotels, 50 photos for Large hotels
and 60 photos for XL hotels and resorts. The
minimum validity period for general photos
should be at least 3 years, and at least
5 for architectural and room photos.

• An art director from the photographer’s team

should ideally be on set and consulted for
model, fashion and accessories approval

• Pre-select an optimal season and weather

when choosing a shooting date

• Ensure all areas and surfaces are

thoroughly cleaned in advance

• Replace bulbs and ensure each space uses

the same bulb to maintain a consistent lighting
tone. Have spares readily available.

Pullman Yueyang, China

 GENERAL

The following slides illustrate general

rules to favour, and mistakes to avoid
in order to enhance the premiumness
and luxuriousness of our hotels.
 2.

GENERAL

• Highlight any spectacular features of the hotel

• Try to convey its unique personality through

interior design, material palette and scenery

• Emphasise the feeling of space. Refer to

brand-specific guidelines for exceptions.
•

Suggest comfort, elegance, and luxury

• Keep the retouching and

colours optimal but realistic

Fairmont Wuhan, China

Pullman Yueyang, China
COMPOSITION

The following rules will bring consistency

across all imagery. They are here to help
create a story and an atmosphere.
 2.

COMPOSITION

• Avoid unflattering perspectives

that can distort the frame

• Use central perspective and parallel lines

• Try to shoot most images using natural daylight

• Make sure there is no unnecessary

clutter in the composition and that
the subject is clearly prominent

• Try to include entire objects in the frame

Fairmont Baku, Azerbaijan

Gyeongwonjae, South Korea
 SHOOT
LIST

The following slides list all the key offerings

of our hotels that the photographer should
aim to capture. They should establish
the hotel’s unique character, while
consistently applying the style guide.
 4.1 FACADE & ENTRANCE 15

4.2 LOBBY, RECEPTION 22

4.3 GUEST ROOMS 27

4.4 BATHROOMS 33

4.5 MEETING SPACES 37

4.6 EVENTS & WEDDINGS 43

4.7 RESTAURANT 47

4.8 BAR 52

4.9 FOOD 57

4.10 BEVERAGE 61

4.11 FITNESS 64

4.12 SPA 67

4.13 INDOOR POOL 72

4.14 OUTDOOR POOL 76

4.15 OUTDOOR 80

4.16 BY NIGHT 84

4.17 LOCAL EXPERIENCES 88

4.18 DISTINCTIVE FEATURES 92

4.19 COLLEAGUE & GUEST INTERACTIONS 97

Fairmont Sirru Fen Fushi, Maldives

 4.1

FACADE &
ENTRANCE

• For day shots, ensure the sky is clear and sunny as

well as making sure the season is appropriate to the
location. For night shots, select dusk or golden hour

• Prioritise shooting time during the day,

including a few sunset options as well

• Convey an atmosphere that mirrors the

location's context: busy city centers, pristine
sunny beaches, romantic historical centers

• Ensure the facade is well lit at night, especially for

historical buildings with refined architecture

• Flags should be deep-cleaned and the front

sidewalk should be swept prior to the shoot

• Include shots with and without staff in order to have options

• Brand and signage should be in clear view and not distorted

Sofitel London St James, UK

 2

4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SEASON
Pick a clear day and the most appealing
season to the guests given the location.
Here, winter and snow are a good choice

2
SKY
Clouds can be removed during retouching 4

3
3
HOTEL BRANDING
Another photo of the hotel could also be shot,
framed closer in order to see the hotel branding

4 SNOW
Consider adding snow on the roof of the
building in post-production in order to
enhance the feeling of a winter wonderland

5 COLOUR BALANCE
The image tones are a bit too
blue and desaturated. Add warmth
and vibrancy in retouching

Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

 4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 DRONE SHOT
If the hotel is a tall skyscraper, try using
a drone to shoot it entirely and
5
frontally at top-level height

2 SHOT OPTION
Also capture a specific shot at entrance level
to offer the option to choose

3 ATMOSPHERE
Retouch the environment in case it disturbs
the atmosphere you want to convey. Here
the buildings are too colourful and could be
desaturated in post-production to stand out less

4 REMOVE DETAIL
3
Retouch the antenna out to avoid visually
distracting from the building 3

5 EMPHASISE LOGO
Take another picture with better logo visibility
and compose it together in retouch with the
main image to make the logo stand out
2

Sofitel Mexico
 1

4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 CONSISTENT LIGHTING
Make sure the facade is completely
and symmetrically lit at night,
especially for historic buildings

2 SYMMETRY 1

Flags made to float in the wind and should be

made symmetric in retouch. Ensure that they are not
folded and the hotel branding is clearly visible

3 REFLECTIONS
2 2
Glass reflections can be removed in
retouching for better indoor visibility

4
LUXURIOUS & INVITING
Plants should look more prominent and
luxurious for the entrance to look inviting.
The red carpet should also be expanded
and the logo printed on it more visible

5
CLEANER SCENERY 3 4 4

The floor should be retouched to

remove dust and marks
5

M Gallery Budapest, Hungary

 4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 COMPOSITION CLARITY
The building seen between the 2 towers
can be removed in retouch to bring
more prominence to the hotel

2 IMPROVE TREES
Retouch the palm trees to make them
look fuller and more luxurious

3 FEATURE OUTDOOR FACILITIES

If using a wider angle, it can help to set the
scene and demonstrate the hotel’s lifestyle
offering. Less is more, make sure there is not
too much furniture close to each other to
1
convey refinement and exclusivity

4 OPEN UMBRELLAS
Make sure all visible umbrellas are
open as if ready to welcome guests. 5
2

Reduce the number of them as it is currently 2

too crowded and feels less exclusive

4
4

5 HOTEL SIGNAGE LOGO

Enhance the hotel logo visibility in
3
retouching as it is currently too discreet

Rixos Dubai, UAE

 1
4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LOWER BUILDINGS
Favour centralised, eye-level perspective, and
if not possible, a ¾ angle may be fine as well

2
HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNAGE
2
Try to use facade lighting and/or retouching
to make the hotel logo stand out and readible

3 LUSH VEGETATION 3

Have the trees trimmed to look

more elegant and clean

4 AVOID DARK INTERIOR

4 4
Turn the indoor lights on and accentuate them
4
in retouch so that it does not look dark

5 SECONDARY IMAGE
This composition, non-centred and more
focused on architectural details, can be used
as a secondary option to choose from when
the context does not allow a wider shot, or to
showcase a hotel's well-known restaurant or bar
5

Sofitel London St James, UK

 4.1 HOW TO IMPROVE
1

1 ADD SKY DETAILS 5

Try to capture the shot earlier to have

more colour information in the sky.
Use retouching if not possible

2 BETTER VEGETATION
Make the vegetation more luxurious in retouch

3 REMOVE CARS
Avoid having cars in the front making
it look busy, especially if it is not a
luxurious signature car from the hotel

4 UNNECESSARY DETAILS
Remove the bin in retouching 2 2

3
4 3

5 REFINE SIGNAGE
2
The luminosity and the strong glow make
the logo blurry. Retouch it to obtain 2
a clearer and sharper definition

Pullman Suzhou Zhonghui, China

 4.2

RECEPTION
& LOBBY

• The main priority is to highlight the scale

and luxury of the space with abundant
light to convey a warm atmosphere

• Shoot at eye level

• Avoid guests sitting or waiting at the reception

desk or in the lobby. Avoid staging staff, show them
in action looking professional and welcoming

• Capture secondary photos of individual

areas such as libraries, sitting spaces or
outstanding interior design features

• The space should not be cluttered with small

objects or ornaments — less is more.
Make sure everything is pristine, clean and tidy

• Avoid cropping important furniture

Fairmont Wuhan, China

 4.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 WARM FEELING
The lobby should be brightly lit to convey
a warm atmosphere. So the lights
should be turned on or a warm glow
can be created in retouch
1

2
HIGHLIGHT INTERIOR DETAILS 2

Carefully frame interesting design elements.

3
The bottom cushion could be cropped out

3 KEEP THE SCENE NEAT AND TIDY

The lounge space and seating area
should help convey elegance, the cushions
should be arranged more neatly 2
 4.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 HIGHLIGHT
OUTSTANDING FEATURES
Enhanced the lighting of the ceiling in
post-production by adding a glow to
the light and make it more dramatic
2

2 MAGICAL OUTDOOR
The exterior should have brighter, 3

bluer and more saturated colours

3
AVOID TOO MANY OBJECTS
Remove any unnecessary objects on the counter

Royal Palm Beachcomber, Mauritius

 4.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 NATURAL LIGHT
Open the curtains to show the view
and add more light. If the view is not
nice enough, retouch the colours and
luminosity to add warmth and make
sure the curtains are arranged better so
that the pleats are regular and tidy
2

2
WARMER ATMOSPHERE
Add more glow and luminosity in retouching 4

3 UNWANTED DETAILS
3
Remove lamp cable in retouching. Crop the
vase out of the image or include it entirely

4 CLEAN THE SCENE

Retouch the slightly damaged surface of
the cushion to make it look smoother

Grand Mercure São Paulo, Brazil

 4.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SKY 2

The sky is too hazy and dull. Bring

back bluer tones and details in retouch
to add warmth and vibrancy

2 VEGETATION
The plant can be made to look fuller
and greener in retouching

3 TOO DARK
The surface looks dirty and the daylight
angle means the contrast is too strong
3
and the darker tones are too dark. Try
to bring back some colour information
and some details in retouching

Pullman Paris Centre - Bercy, France

 4.3

GUEST ROOMS
• Make sure to capture at least one shot of every single room
type and suite, and check the brand guidelines to make sure
there are no specific recommendations in regards to bedding

• Choose rooms with the largest space and best views

• Favour central perspective and parallel

lines to create order and clarity

• Try to use natural light when available and

keep the luminosity very bright

• Choose angles that highlight the space's large scale

• Avoid models and human presence, such as personal items

(clothes, shoes, bags, jewels), to present private spaces.
Please refer to specific brand guidelines for more details

• Beds must be made with pressed linens. Pillows must be

flat or standing upright. Align pillows and duvet cover

• Detailed shots of the room should not include props such

as iPads, laptop, magazines and brochures on the bed

Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Mexico

 4.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 UNNECESSARY OBJECTS
Remove plastic objects, loose papers, promotional 5

objects, bowls of fruit, food trays, phones, plugs and

ashtrays. Refer to specific brand guidelines for more info

2 NO GUEST’S PERSONAL ITEMS

Remove anything that suggests someone is already
using the room such as clothes, luggage and computer,
books, jewels, toiletries or cosmetics. Unless advised
otherwise in the specific brand guidelines
3

3
RETOUCH DETAILS OUT
1
Unnecessary details such as plugs, switches or cables
should be removed in retouching. The shine on the metal
looks fake and there are creases on the wall print
4

4
TIDY LINENS
Decoration pillows should be avoided or at
least be consistent in colour and materials 3

with the rest of the bed sheets. Pillows should 2

be flat, upright and the linens pressed

5 COLOUR WARMTH
The colour tones can be made warmer in retouching 3

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 4.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 WARM ATMOSPHERE 6

Emphasise lighting in retouching

2 UNNECESSARY 2

Remove the ceiling fan in retouching

3 IMPROVE VIEW
Retouch the view to look more vibrant and sunny
4

4 OPEN CURTAINS
Make sure curtains are fully open
and do not obstruct the view 1

5 CLEAN CARPET
This carpet needs to be steam-cleaned
to look smoother and less messy

6 HIGHLIGHT LARGE SPACES

In the case of larger rooms, find an angle that
emphasises its spacious nature. You can take 2
separate pictures to focus on the bed in the first 5

and to show the entire space in a second one

Fairmont Sirru Fen Fushi, Maldives

 1
4.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SMALLER ROOMS
At least one shot of every single room
type and suite should be taken. If some
rooms are small, focus on the bedding
area and use central perspective and
2
parallel lines to create order and clarity

2 CURTAINS
Always keep curtains fully open
and let natural light in except for
when the view is not great

3 LAMP
4
Retouch the lamp to add warm 5

glow and luminosity

4 UNNECESSARY DETAIL
Remove plugs and switches in retouching

5 IMPROVE BOUQUET
Make the flowers larger and more luxurious
either on camera or in retouching

Mercure Nantong, China

 1
4.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SHOOT DETAILS
In the case of larger suites, several
3
photo options can be taken to highlight
the view or some salon areas

2 OPEN CURTAINS
The view behind is stunning and
should not be obstructed

3 ADD VIBRANCY
The view is beautiful but the colours 4

should be more saturated in retouching

5

4 STYLING
The champagne flutes should be
fuller and look clean/untouched

5 BETTER FRUIT
The selection of fruit does not look
fresh or impressive. Select more
colourful and luxurious ones

Raffles Meradhoo, Maldives

 4.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 NATURAL LIGHT
Open curtains to see the view and
allow more natural light in

2
2 MORE LUMINOSITY
The overall image is too dark and
should be retouched to look lighter
1

3 ORNAMENTS STYLING 3

The carafes look tucked in a corner and 4

busy/unclear. Try placing them further away
from the bed on a clear background

4
NO ORNAMENTAL PILLOWS 5

Keep linens clean and minimal and avoid

ornamental pillows. Unless it is advised the
opposite in the brand-specific guidelines
4

5
TIDY THE ROOM
Avoid featuring a throw or something that could
be a guest’s personal item. Unless otherwise
advised in the brand-specific guidelines

Raffles Istanbul, Turkey

 4.4

BATHROOMS

• Try to highlight unusual features: large

bath, beautiful view, scale, materials

• Do not show water running

• Ensure towels and bathrobes are

new, fluffy, and well arranged

• Make sure it feels very clean and

tidy, ready for a guest

• Remove guest's personal items (clothes,

luggage, computer, book, jewellery, cosmetics)

• Ensure toilet lid and shower door are closed

• Remove unnecessary ornaments

• See brand guidelines for specific requirements

Pullman Huizhou Kaisa, China

 4.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 EMPHASISE LIGHT
Since there are no visible window, there should
be enough luminosity in the room and the lamp
should be glowing more, using retouching 3 3

2 HUMAN PRESENCE
Unless someone occupied the room, there
is no reason why the shower should be
on. Keep it turned off to suggest there
are no current guests in the room

3 REMOVE UNNECESSARY ITEMS

Try to not include the toothbrushes, trays and
soaps. Favour objects that are made out of
glass rather than plastic or cardboard

Rixos Aktau, Kazakhstan

 4.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
IMPROVE VIEW
The large window view is an outstanding
feature of the bathroom. Emphasise it by
retouching the outdoor to be more vibrant 4

1
2 REMOVE TABLE
This detail obstructs the view and is too
far away to be included in the image. 2

Remove it while shooting or in retouching

3 REMOVE UNATTRACTIVE ITEMS

Electronic devices and plastic do not feel
luxurious enough and age very quickly.
Retouch them out of the image

4
KEEP TOILETRY TIDY
All items like dressing gowns and towels
should be tidily laid out, cleaned, ironed
and folded. Here the dressing gown styling
does not look considered and it should be
removed in retouching or while shooting

Raffles Shenzhen, China

 1

4.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 MAGNIFY UNIQUE FEATURES

In the case of truly incredible setups such as this 3
one, try to highlight their unique character. Here
the angle should be frontal to crop out the top 3

right structure and increase the feeling of space

2 RETOUCH SKY
The weather seems too grey, add vibrancy in
retouching to convey the outstanding outdoor setup
2

Fairmont Sirru Fen Fushi, Maldives

 4.5

MEETING
SPACES

• Capture at least one shot of every

meeting and event space

• Choose the meeting room with the best view

• Event rooms should be set up

according to their main business need
(conferences, trade shows, weddings)

• Try showcasing various setup scenarios

Favour central perspective and neat

• symmetrically placed chairs and props

• Try to show the views if applicable

• Avoid showing people

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines

to check for specific requirements

Pullman Huizhou Kaisa, China

 4.5 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 CLOSE CURTAINS
Unless the curtain is meant to hide
something unattractive, ensure
they are closed to look tidier

2 KEEP ELECTRONICS
TURNED OFF
Avoid showing screen devices in use

3 LUMINOSITY
Retouch the luminosity as the
picture is a bit too dark 3

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 4.5 HOW TO IMPROVE

2
1 BLUE SKY
Retouch the sky in post-production
to make it blue and vibrant

2 FLOWER STYLING
Flower arrangement and style of the
3
vase could be more sophisticated 3

3 UNNECESSARY ITEMS
The red napkins and the way they are folded
don't feel luxurious enough. The glass cups
in front of the water pitchers should be
removed as they as obstructing the view

Novotel Yangon Max, Myanmar

 4.5 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
ADD WARMTH
1
Emphasise the amount of light coming
from the various lamps in retouching

2 OPEN CURTAINS
5
This will highlight the view and the
greenery outside as well as increasing
the amount of natural light in the room

3 NO SUPERFLUOUS STYLING 2

The flowers and cushions do not look luxurious.

Either put a more impressive flower bouquet or
remove them. The cushions are unnecessary

4 DO NOT CROP TABLE 3

The large scale of the table is a

primary feature of the room and it should 3

not be cropped unless the table is small

and we want to suggest that it is bigger

5 SYMMETRY
The lamps, ceiling light and table
should be perfectly centred 4

Raffles Bali, Indonesia

 4.5 HOW TO IMPROVE
1

2
1
TURN LIGHTS ON
The lighting feature does not look good
with the lights turned off, so either
turn it on or remove it in retouch 2

2
OPEN CURTAINS 3

Fully open the 2 sets of curtains to tidy

the composition and show the view.
It will also let in more natural light 3

3 STYLING
If using a tablecloth, it should be white,
ironed and flat. The flower arrangement
should also be more sophisticated

4 CENTRAL PERSPECTIVE
Unless for shooting details, favour
central perspective to suggest
4
tidiness and highlight scale

Fairmont Makati, Philippines

 4.5 HOW TO IMPROVE 1

1 REMOVE UNATTRACTIVE LIGHTS

The ceiling lights do not look luxurious
and can be removed in retouching

2 IMPROVE VIEW
The view from the room is a great design
feature and so the outdoor view should be 3

made clearer and more vibrant in retouching

3 AVOID PLASTIC BOTTLES

Favour showing glass bottles without labels
to feel more luxurious and in line with
Accor's zero single use plastic policy. If using
refreshment stations, make sure they are
filled, clean and not made out of plastic

Novotel Chonburi, Thailand

 4.6

EVENTS &
WEDDINGS

• Keep the styling minimal

• Stage the room in neutral and lighter tones

• Use frontal perspective

• Capture the ring ceremony area

• Capture version with and without

actors according to the need

• Try to capture the couple in priority, only add

kids or other people if they add to the meaning
of the moment reprensented in the photo

• Try not to show the actors faces

• Capture some floral arrangements

• The room needs to be very tidy

Pullman Changbaishan, China

 4.6 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ADD MORE GLOW

The ceiling lights can be brighter and
more magical. Add luminosity in retouch

2 IMPROVE PLANTS
The plant can be made more luxurious
with more vibrant colours
2

3 STYLE THE TABLECLOTH

Try to make sure tableclothes are
ironed and look seamless

3
4 LIGHT THE CANDLES
The table looks dark and the unlit
candle is cluttering it. Either remove 5
it or have it lit and glowing

5 GENERAL LIGHT
The lighting and colour balance of the
picture are too dark and sepia. Retouch
the image to set a brighter scene and
make the bouquets stand out more

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 4.6 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 VIBRANCY
Retouch the sky to make the colours 2

more vibrant and less cloudy

2 FLOWER STYLING
The flowers are not evenly covering the
structure, especially on the left corner. Add more
coverage when styling or add them in retouch
3

3 UNATTRACTIVE STRUCTURE
4 4
The parts of the ceremony structure that
are not decorated can be retouched out

4 SYMMETRY
5
The pink cloth should be arranged
to look symmetrical and the angle of
composition should be changed so that both
lights in the background are visible
6 3

5 TIMING
The light is a bit intense and the shadows harsh.
Choose a different moment of the day for better light

6
CLEAN FLOOR
Make sure the floor is clean and even
 4.6 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
1

1 ATTITUDE
The scene looks staged and forced. Avoid
showing too many people and make sure the
guests featured appear as natural as possible
2

2 FRAMING
Remove the chairs to frame the 2

picture closer to the table

Raffles, Singapore
 4.7

RESTAURANT
• Highlight the luxury and opulence

• Emphasise unique architectural features

• Shoot both general pictures

and close-up pictures

• Try to convey intimate moments

Use frontal or 3/4 perspective

• Only include people if they are not

the main subject of the image

• Keep the styling refined and minimal

• Deep-clean all spaces prior to the photoshoot

• Ensure cutlery and tableware

are pristine and refined

• Show staff when they are in action, not staged

• Please refer to brand specific guidelines as

well as the Food & Beverage photo guidelines
 4.7 HOW TO IMPROVE

2 2

1 DULL SKY
The sky should be retouched to be more 3
vibrant and the colour balance should be
warmer to translate the late afternoon
tones of the low light in the picture

2 CLUTTERED
The palm trees all have some structural wooden
beams supporting the trunks. These look busy
and messy and should be retouched out

3 TABLES
There are too many tables aligned
here. Remove some to make the
restaurant feel more exclusive

Mövenpick Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam

 4.7 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LIGHTING
Make sure all the chandeliers, lamps
and ceiling lighting are lit and
brighten the room atmosphere 1

2 CURTAINS
Keep the curtains fully open to bring
natural light and highlight the view
from the restaurant. Retouch the view if 2

the weather is not vibrant enough 3

3 OVERSTYLING
There are too many flower vases on the table, 4

the smaller ones can be retouched out

4 SYMMETRY
4
The whole composition is off-center, the
main table should be centre-aligned with the
chandelier and large vase, the cropped chair
and table on the bottom left should be removed

MGallery Bangkok, Thailand

 4.7 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ATTENTION TO DETAIL 2

The rug is interfering with the scene, it

should have been removed for the picture
1

2 STYLING
The scene looks staged as there is
nothing in the glasses nor on the table.
Make it believable by adding a bottle
of wine or champagne for example

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 4.7 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ROOF
The thatch roof looks gray and sad. Try to
warm it in post-production or reframe the
picture to avoid this part being too prominent

2 LIGHT
The chefs are in the shadow and backlit. Don't
forget to use a light reflector while shooting
or adjust it in post-production when needed

Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi

 4.8

BAR

• Highlight the luxurious interior design

• Emphasise unique architectural features

• Cover both generous and intimate pictures

• Try to convey specific moments such

as cocktail hours, after-sport juices
and smoothies, afternoon teas

• Favour shooting bars in darker conditions

• Use frontal or 3/4 perspective

• Only include people as a secondary focus

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines as

well as the Food & Beverage photo guidelines

• Deep-clean all spaces prior to the photoshoot

• Only include staff in action and not blurry

 1
4.8 HOW TO IMPROVE
1

1 HUMAN PRESENCE
There does not need to be any member
of staff to show the bar facility. If using
staff members, only include one, kept
in focus, looking charismatic and in
the middle of preparing a cocktail
1

2 CLEARER VIEW
Remove some of the greenery on the right
as well as the cropped deckchair and
umbrella to feature more of the view.
The sea and sky should be more vibrant

3 UNATTRACTIVE OBJECTS 3
5
There are unnecessary and unattractive objects on
the till. Remove them while shooting or in retouching

4
SWIPE THE SAND
There are too many traces in the sand, making it look
messy. Swipe the floor to keep the surface even

5 STYLING
Make sure the bottle labels are not visible, the bottles
look new and full and all glassware is clean and tidy 4
4

Fairmont Gaakoshinbi, Maldives

 4.8 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE FANS
The 2 ceiling fans are blurry and look 1

unattractive. Remove them in retouching

or, if they look good, turn them off
to capture them without a blur

2 UNATTRACTIVE LIGHTS
Compared to the rest of the space, the
ceiling lights do not look consistent in
style and should be retouched out 4

3 CLEAR THE COUNTER

The bar counter could feature 1 or 2 less
items to look cleaner and more elegant

4 ENHANCE VIEW
The beautiful sky and sea, captured before
sunset, should be enhanced by making
them more vibrant in retouching

Raffles Meradhoo, Maldives

 4.8 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 TONES
The picture looks too saturated. Separate
the tones to make it less red overall

1
2 BOTTLES
Make sure all the bottle are full
and we don't see the labels

3 ATTITUTE
If the staff do not use the cocktail
accessories, it is better to remove them

Raffles Istanbul, Turkey

 4.8 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ADD MORE GLOW

The ceiling lights can be brighter and
more magical. Add luminosity in retouch

2 ATTITUDE
She doesn't seem connected with
her partner. Make sure she interacts with him

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 4.9

FOOD
• Use a food stylist to ensure high visual standards

• Focus on a main dish for clarity,

unless you are showing a buffet

• Make buffets look spectacular and plentiful

• Make the dish look elegant & considered

• Show fresh products

• Try to convey the local cuisine

• Use nice homeware and cutlery

• Try to cover all meals

• Show dish untouched, ready to be consumed

• Deep clean all surfaces and dishes

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines

to check for specific recipes

Fairmont Barcelona, Spain

 1
4.9 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 OVERSTYLING
The dish is beautifully styled and colourful
so it does not need anything else to
take attention away from it. Remove the
1
second plate and the trivet below the
main plate as well as the rolled napkin

2 UNNECESSARY CROP
The plate can be shown in its entirety
and should not be cropped

Raffles Siem Reap, Cambodia

 4.9 HOW TO IMPROVE

2
1 DIFFERENT TABLEWARE
The need for varying tabletop colors, textures
and materials is key, but make sure it is done in
a mindful way to avoid looking too messy. Work
with the food stylist to bring unity and harmony

1
2 TABLE TEXTURE
The table tiling is quite busy with details
and makes the image look a bit cluttered —
especially paired with many different dishes.
Pick a surface that is simpler, like a plain colour
cloth or a smooth wooden or mineral surface

Raffles, Singapore
 4.9 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 STAFF IS UNNECESSARY
The staff member does not add anything
to the image. He should not be seen
from behind and should be engaged
in his work, or removed completely 3

2 SHOW THE FOOD 2

While it might be sanitary or helpful to keep

the food warm, the lids on the various pans
should be off so that more food is visible

3 REMOVE SIGN
The framed sign does not look attractive, it
makes the buffet look like a fast food chain and
hides the drinks. Remove it and replace it with
food to make the buffet look more opulent

Pullman Paris Centre - Bercy, France

 4.10

BEVERAGE

• Use a food stylist to ensure high

visual standards or cocktail staff

• Show luxurious and spectacular cocktails

• Focus on 1 or 2 drinks at a time

• Show healthy alternatives like smoothies or juices

• Use depth of field to isolate drink from the

background but keep some visible details

• Keep the drink itself in focus

• Show the beverage as ready to be consumed

• Thoroughly clean all surfaces and glasses

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines

to check for specific recipes

Sofitel Guaruja, Brazil

 4.10 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LOSS OF DETAILS
While it is ok to use a small amount of depth of
field to bring focus on the drink, this background
looks way too dark and blurry. Keep it
brighter and less blurry on camera. Enhance
the brightness in retouching if necessary
3
2

2 NO FOREGROUND
Try to frame the composition in a way which
avoids very blurry items in the foreground. It
looks a bit messy and feels like the picture was
captured from somebody spying

3 ADD CUP
The items are slightly confusing as
there is a teapot and a jug of milk as
well as a tea brewing spoon. but no
cup to drink from. Add a cup filled with
tea that the guest could drink from

The Sebel Yarrawonga, Australia

 4.10 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 BACKGROUND
Add some texture and warmer tones to
make the background less abstract

Sofitel Washington, USA

 4.11

FITNESS
• Treat the facility as a lifestyle feature

• The gym needs to look fully equipped with modern gear

• Be clear about the offering

• Avoid having too much furniture or

equipiment that feel less exclusive

• Cover every facility available

• Deep clean all spaces prior to the shoot.

Prepare folded towels

• Highlight wellbeing rather than performance

• Models might be included to demonstrate activities

but avoid taking close-up shots of models or posing
in blurry and uncomfortable efforts

• Model styling should be simple and elegant and

a special care should be taken to avoid tattoos,
spots, jewellery and underwear marks

Mövenpick Cam Lam, Vietnam

 4.11 HOW TO IMPROVE 1

1 REMOVE CEILING LIGHT

That detail is unnecessary and unattractive
so it can be retouched out

2
2 BETTER SKY
The sky is a bit too cloudy and pale. Retouch
the clouds out and make the sky more vibrant

3 SEA COLOUR
Retouch the sea colour to be
a more vibrant blue 3
5

4 COLOUR BALANCE
The image is a bit too cold and unsaturated.
Correct the colour balance to add some warmth

5 STYLING 4

The room feels a bit empty and sterile.

Add a colourful detail such as a plant to
bring a bit of life to the composition

Pullman Sochi, Russia

 1 1
4.11 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 COLOUR BALANCE
The ceiling lights and their reflections on 2
the equipment are too yellow and should be
2
retouched to feel less like indoor artificial light

3
2 UNATTRACTIVE DETAILS
The spring on the door as well as the wall- 1

mounted screen look unattractive 5

and should be retouched out

3 SCALE
The room does not feel big enough. Try to pick
an angle that magnifies the size of the room

4 STYLING
3
Consider adding a water station, fruit
or a plant to bring life to the room

5 EQUIPMENT PROXIMITY
4
The treadmills should be set further apart
to feel more exclusive and less busy, as
well as to cater for social distanding

Mercure Braga, Portugal

 4.12

SPA

• Treatment rooms should be set up as if ready

for a guest to enter, with the spa amenities
in nice containers displayed elegantly

• Choose the best and largest treatment room

• Choose a spa therapist to do a massage

• Close-up may be needed, ensure

hands and manicure are perfect

• Make sure the individual receiving the

treatment has clean and tidy hair, is
manicured and dressed appropriately

• Model styling should be simple and elegant

and a special care should be taken to avoid
tattoos, spots, jewellery and underwear marks

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines

Rixos Muglia, Turkey

 4.12 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LIGHT
The ceiling light can be retouched 3

out and the wall lighting can be

brighter and with more glow

2 CANDLE 2

The candle should be lit and glowing.

Make sure not to use electronic candles

3 KEEP CURTAIN CLOSED

In the case of spa rooms like this one, the
4
curtains should remain closed for privacy

4 TOO MANY ORNAMENTS

The towels can remain there, but the other
floral arrangements can be removed leaving
only the treatment containers on a tray

Pullman Luang Prabang, Laos

 4.12 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE BEAM
The wooden beam obstructs the composition
and should be removed in retouching

2 IMPROVE FLOWER 3

The flower arrangement seems bare 4

and should be more luxurious

3 REMOVE KETTLES
The water kettles are on full display and do not
look attractive. Remove them before shooting

4 PLASTIC BOTTLES
Remove any plastic bottles as they
do not look luxurious and conflict with
Accor's sustainability program

Fairmont Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

 4.12 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE CEILING
The piece of ceiling obstructs the view and
does not contribute to the composition. Change
the angle and/or remove it in retouching

2 CHANGE FRAMING
The tree obstructs the view of the
sea and the image should be shot
from a higher angle to fix that
2

3 SHEETS
The massage table sheets can
4
look flatter and tidier

4 CONTAINERS
5
The oil bottles should be more refined and
not have clear plastic components or labels

5
UNATTRACTIVE DETAILS
The tray and tables are left in the dark
3
and make the scene untidy, remove
them from the composition

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 4.12 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
EXPRESSIONS
Both the guest and staff's expressions look forced.
Ask them to look more relaxed and natural 2

2
STYLING
Ensure neither the guest or staff are
wearing jewellery or obvious make-up.
The nails should have a natural manicure
3
(no colour) and the staff's uniform
should be newer and less creased

3 TOO REVEALING
The model is revealing too much of her body,
which can be badly perceived by certain cultures

Mercure Kooddoo, Maldives

 4.13

INDOOR
POOL

• Highlight spectacular design features

and architectural details

• Prepare folded towels, plump all

pillows and align all lounge chairs

• Make sure swimming pool water

is crystal clear

• Avoid having too much furniture that

might look cluttered and less exclusive

• Try to avoid human presence

(check brand-specific photo guidelines)

• Remove swimming toys or accessories

Raffles Istanbul, Turkey

 1

4.13 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ADD VIBRANCY
The sky seen through the windows is quite
dull, add vibrancy to make it bluer 2

2
CLOSE WINDOW
The open window makes it less tidy and
suggests people outside can look in 4

3
3
4

3 LIGHT CANDLES
Either remove the candles or have them lit.
Remove the little bouquets near the candles

4
REMOVE THE RAILING
It looks strange as there is none on the
other 2 pillars. Either remove them or add
some on all pillars for visual consistency

Mövenpick El Quseir, Egypt

 1
4.13 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 TURN ALL LIGHTS ON

There seems to be an interesting lighting
system, make a feature of it to bring 2
glow and reflections in the pool water

2 OVERCAST
The light through the windows feels
overcast. Add vibrancy to it and bring
more warmth to the overall image

3 POOL COULD BE LIT

Turn on the lights within the pool to
reveal the clear water and add magic

4 TOO PALE
3
The overall image colour balance is
too pale and desaturated. Add more
warmth and vibrancy in retouch

Fairmont Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 4.13 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 TOO DARK
The ceiling is too prominent in the composition.
Crop most of it and make it lighter

2 TOO BLEACHED
The natural light is too bright, try to bring back
some image information within the light
3

3 POOL SHOULD BE LIT

Turning on the pool lights will make it more
luxurious and help reveal details of the space
 4.14

OUTDOOR
POOL

Highlight the spectacular and

• luxurious quality of the design

• Emphasise privacy and exclusivity

Make sure swimming pool water is crystal clear

•

Remove any leaves that might float in the water

• Shoot under ideal weather

• Avoid human presence unless indicated

in the brand-specific guidelines

Fairmont Gaakoshinbi, Maldives

 4.14 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE WILTED BRANCHES

5
While the rest of the vegetation is green
enough, the branches in the background
look like dead wood and should be
retouched out, or replaced with lush foliage

1
2 ADD VIBRANCY
The sky is not blue enough and vibrancy
3
should be added in retouching

3 EXCLUSIVITY
There are many umbrellas and deckchairs
close to one another. Remove
a few to bring space and exclusivity

4 TURN THE POOL LIGHTS ON

This will help reveal the clarity of the
water and look more magical

5 REMOVE CABLES 4

Unattractive cables on the umbrella

post should be retouched out

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 4.14 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 VIBRANCY
The sky indicates great weather, however
the tones can be more vibrant. Retouch
the colours of the sky to add vibrancy

2 2

2 CURTAINS
Make sure all curtains are open to see the
interior. If the interior is too dark or hard to 2
read, enhance the details in retouching

3 GRASS
The grass is slightly patchy and dry
in areas. Retouch it to look more
even and a vibrant green

4 ILLUMINATE THE POOL

Turn on the pool lights to add a magical glow
and reveal the depth of the pool. Ideally,
4
try to capture the pool under non-windy
conditions to have a perfectly still surface

Sofitel Essaouira, Morocco

 4.14 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 DRONE COMPOSITION
If you shot the pool with a drone, it
3
is better to do with a birds-eye view

2 SATURATION
The image looks too washed out
Bring more contrast to the palm
trees to create more vibrancy

3
PROXIMITY
The deckchairs can be spaced
out to feel more exclusive

Delano Miami, USA

 4.15

OUTDOOR

• Show natural beauty

• Enhance scale when possible

• Create intimate spaces to suggest

luxury through privacy

• Outdoor furniture should look refined and

avoid plastic in favour of natural materials

• Use natural light

• Pick daytime or golden hour

• Convey aspirational moments

• Pick a season when nature is luxurious

• Make sure the vegetation is lush and green

 4.15 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LESS FOCUS ON THE LAWN

The lawn looks too empty and central.
Frame the picture so that it is less
central and more focus is on the
vegetation and the view of the ocean
2

2 IMPROVE PALM TREES

Make the trees fuller and more luxurious
1
in retouching

2
3 SKY
The sky is very hazy and visually merges into the
ocean. It could have been shot at another time
of day to clearly separate them

Raffles Hainan, China

 4.15 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ALIGNMENT
The angle can be corrected so that 1

the chandelier is centred with the

arches and the mosaic behind

2 SYMMETRY
Both plants do not look similar. Use
retouching to make them both lusher
and of equal size and visibility

3 LIGHTEN WATER
The water basin is too dark. Add light
3
and try to make it more noticeable

4 TOO STAGED
Remove the loose petals that look too staged

Angsana Marrakesh, Morocco

 1
4.15 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 MORE VIBRANCY 2

The sky is too overcast and needs

5
to feel more ideal. Use retouching
3
to make it a more vibrant blue

2 UNATTRACTIVE DETAILS
The leaves are too sparse to bring
anything to the picture. Either add more
of them to feel more lush or remove
them in retouching completely
4

4
3 OPEN BLINDS
The closed blinds look uninviting and
as if the hotel was off-season

4 VEGETATION
The trees can appear fuller and
greener. Add foliage in retouching

5
5 CLEAN
The concrete stool looks dirty and should be
scrubbed to remove the dirt on its sides

Mövenpick Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

 4.16

BY NIGHT

• Try to shoot at dusk in order to still

capture natural light and colour information

• Make sure every source of artificial

light is turned on

• Avoid exaggerated or unrealistic colour tones

• Try to convey the unique atmosphere

of the location and how specific it
can be at night: peaceful natural spot
or bustling city life for example

Raffles Meradhoo, Maldives

 1 1 1

4.16 HOW TO IMPROVE

4
2 2

1 UNATTRACTIVE DETAILS
The fences/bars at the top do not add anything
to the image and look unattractive

2 MORE GLOW
All the various lamps can be retouched to glow
more and add warmth to the image colour balance

3 CLEAN AND MORE LIGHT

The small basin looks empty and dirty. Add light
and modify the colours to remove the brown tint
3

4 SYMMETRY
Make the foliage more prominent and duplicate it
on the right-hand side in order to bring symmetry
 1
4.16 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 COLOUR BALANCE
Try to balance the colour to avoid the tonal
constrast between the cold blue tones and
the orange tones of the artificial lights

2 TURN LIGHT ON
This window does not feature a light. Turn it
on or add it in retouch to bring consistency
3

3 GREEN WATER
Retouch the colour of the water
to be bluer in tone

Raffles Siem Reap, Cambodia

 4.16 HOW TO IMPROVE
1

1 TIDY THE SKY

Some areas appear dark because of
clouds or contrast. Retouch the sky to
feel more luminous and consistent

2 IMPROVE TREES 2

Some of the palm trees could be

retouched to look fuller

3 INCLUDE LESS PEOPLE

Having a small human presence as silhouette
is fine, but there is no need for 3 of them + the
person on the canoe. The pose of the person on
4
the left feels like he is spying on the 2 others.
Remove him or include him in the group
3

4 REMOVE FLOATING LINE

The floating line of buoys is visually
distracting and conflicts with the feeling
of freedom associated with boating

Pullman Phu Quoc, Vietnam

 4.17

LOCAL
EXPERIENCES

• Try to convey the atmosphere and

typical features of the locations
situated around the hotel

• Show interesting details of local architecture

• If the location is more nature-based, capture

a few wider shots to show the hotel in context
or even just some landscapes. Try to avoid
touristic clichés and postcard images

• Highlight historical landmarks

• When showing social life or street scenes,

try to avoid dirty areas or messy situations

Ibis Jaipur, India

 1
4.17 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 BLUE SKY
2
The sky looks sad and gray. Retouch it
to make it blue and more appealing

2
SATURATION
The image is washed out. Increase the
contrasts and add some vibrancy
 4.17 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
TONES
The picture looks too flat. Create more depth
to isolate the scene from the background.
Separate the tones to make it less green overall

Raffles Siem Reap, Cambodia

 4.17 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 IMPROVE SKY
The sky looks polluted and overcast.
Retouch it to be bluer and more vibrant

2 COLOUR BALANCE
The tones of the image are too pink.
Balance the colours to make it more realistic

3 CROWD
Do not blur people but try to capture them 3

from the back in order not to recognize them

Raffles Makkah, Saudi Arabia

 4.18

DISTINCTIVE
FEATURES

• Try to capture large scale impressive

details: chandeliers, installations, water
features, arches, patterns or sculptures

• Highlight noble materials that elevate

the space and feel luxurious

• Show fine craftsmanship details

• Try to pick details that emphasise the

local tradition and are identifiable
as specific to the location

• Use daytime and natural light as a priority

• Clearly isolate the detail to avoid confusion

• Highlight stairs
 4.18 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE
The sofa is unnecessary and takes
away from the rest of the composition.
Crop it out or retouch it out
3

2 RETOUCH
The hidden bit of furniture clutters the
composition and conflicts with the
spiral staircase, which is the detail
being featured. Retouch it out

1
3 CROP 2

Remove the cropped carpet which is

conflicting with the composition

4 COLOUR BALANCE 3
Separate the tones to make it less blue overall

Mondrian Doha, Qatar

 4.18 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 MORE VEGETATION
The vase is the primary feature but the
plant looks a bit wilted and would benefit
from adding more foliage in retouching

2
TOO DARK
The vase area of the image is a bit
too dark and the luminosity should
be increased in retouching

3
COMPOSITION
The corridor is a secondary detail
of the image and should be given
less space in the composition
 1
2
4.18 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 LIGHT ON
Turn the light on to showcase the chandelier
and add some warm glow to the image

2 TOO BRIGHT 3

The views from the window are too bright

and bleached. Retouch them in order
to capture more details of the view

3 TOO DARK
Retouch the column area to bring more light
and highlight the beautiful moulding details

MGallery Budapest ,Hungary

 3

4.18 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 TOO BLEACHED
The light is too strong and many image
details are lost in the highlights. Try
to balance that in retouching

2 REMOVE CHAIRS
They are unnecessary and contribute
to cluttering the composition

3 FRAMING
The composition is cluttered and features too 4

many chandeliers, affecting the legibility. Try a

tighter crop to bring order to the composition

4 REMOVE MODEL 2

The presence of the model makes the

composition feel staged and unnatural

Raffles Royal Monceau, France

 4.19

COLLEAGUE
& GUEST
INTERACTIONS

• Capture staff while they are working

• Show staff as skilled and competent

• Only use actors or models to play guests

• Include diversity and try to mix couples

ethnicities according to actual guest mix

Chadstone Melbourne, Australia

 4.19 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
GENDER DYNAMIC
There can be cultural issues for certain markets
when showing a man touching a
woman. Avoid such physical contacts
to be captured on camera

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 4.19 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SUBMISSIVE STAFF 2

The staff member is bowing and appears

overtly submissive. Instead he could be 3

standing normally holding the tray

2 TRAY CONTENT
It is not clear what the waiter is bringing to
the client. Try to pick an item that is more
identifiable such as a coffe cup and add a
jug of milk to show the attention to detail

3 CLIENT ATTITUDE
The client looks like he is waiting or being
interrupted. Instead he could be busy
reading or talking on the phone instead
of staring at the drink being delivered

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 1

4.19 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 EXAGGERATED ATTITUDE
Both the client and staff attitude looks posed
and unrealistic. They can be smiling and
look happy without exaggeration instead

2
2 TEAPOTS
The styling and elements on the table are
confusing. The waitress appears to serve tea
while there is already a teapot on the table.
The teapot she is holding is hidden behind
2
the cake stand and should be more visible

3 LUXURIOUS SETTINGS 3

There is no visible information about the

room. It should convey the idea of luxury and
elegance by being shot with a wider angle and
feature interesting interior details. The view from
the window for example should not be white
but show an interesting view and weather

Raffles Singapore
RESORT
SPECIFIC

This section details how stories

should be told to address the
specific features of our resorts.
 5.1 SKY VIEW 103

5.2 ENVIRONMENT 107

5.3 ACTIVITIES 111

5.4 KID'S CLUB 116

Banyan Tree Cancun, Mexico

 5.1

SKY VIEW

• Pick a clear sky during the optimal

season, minor clouds are fine but
avoid overcast or pale skies

• Keep some natural tones and avoid

unrealistic or oversaturated colours

• Keep details such as gradients

or discreet clouds

• Retouch birds or planes out

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 5.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 MORE VIBRANT SKY

The sky looks a bit too pale and the blue
tones vibrancy could be lifted in retouching 2

2 ENHANCE GRADIENT
The golden hour colours make the moment
captured magical but the contrast with the
orange tones and their vibrancy could be
increased in retouching

3 OBSTRUCTING CHAIR
The deckchair in the foreground is
cropped and obstructs the view a bit.
Either remove it or shoot from a further
angle to include it entirely and smaller

Rixos Dubai, UAE

 5.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 UNREALISTIC
The sky is quite beautiful and a definite
feature of the image but the retouching
here is too extreme and could be
toned down to feel more realistic

Rixos Abu Dhabi, UAE

 5.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 NO SUN
Avoid shooting the sun directly to ensure
you still get a few details in the rest of the
image. It also conveys the feeling of a tourist 1

image rather than a professional work

2 CLEAR FLARE
Remove the red flare in retouching 3

3
COMPOSITION
Try to find a different angle where there are
not that many elements such as the kisoks
in the foreground. Since the light from the
sky is so direct, it is difficult to perceive any
details and their silhouette is not interesting

Rixos Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

 5.2

ENVIRONMENT
• Highlight the specific and spectacular
qualities of a location: pristine beaches,
large mountains, lush vegetation

• Select ideal season and weather for

the location: bright sun for beaches,
snow in the mountains for example

• Show more wilderness than man-made

environment. The location needs to
look exclusive and well preserved

• Emphasise the scale and privacy

to make it feel exclusive

• Retouch wilted vegetation.

The nature needs to feel lush

• Shoot during daytime or at golden hour

• Avoid showing people or traces of

human presence such as cars, signage,
footprints or fences for example

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 5.2 HOW TO IMPROVE 1

1
PALE SKY
The sky looks too pale and overcast. Retouch
it to bring brighter and bluer tones

2 CLEAN THE SNOW

The snow path has got too many marks and
trails which look unattractive. Smooth it out 3
2

in retouching

3 CHANGE CROP
The large amount of snow at the bottom takes
up too much space in the composition. Consider
framing the image to crop some of that area
and perhaps give more space to the sky
 5.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 SKY
The sky gradient becomes too pale when closer
to the horizon. Add vibrancy in retouching
to make sure most of the screen is blue
2

2 VEGETATION
Some of the flowers look wilted and brown.
Retouch them to look fresh and colourful

3
3 CLEAN
The side of the little bridge looks
dirty. Retouch it to look clean and
to make the texture more even
2
4
3

4 WATER
Retouch the water colour to look less green
2

Mövenpick Amman, Jordan

 5.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 IMPROVE TREE
This tree looks dry and sick. Add foliage to
align its appearance with the other trees nearby

2 GRASS
While the scene displays a dry landscape which
should not look unrealistically luxurious, some
areas look too sparse and dry. They would
benefit from adding a fuller grass in retouching

3 LIGHT TREATMENT
The image is divided between a very
brightly-lit top area and the bottom that
is in the shadow of the trees. The car
2
would stand out more if it was shot in the
lighter area and cast its own shadow
 5.3

ACTIVITIES

• Only use people if necessary and make

sure they are shot from far

• People should be engaged in the

activity rather than posing

• Try to show the beauty of natural surroundings

• Shoot at daytime

• Emphasise wellbeing

• Highlight activities and sceneries

that are unique to the hotel

• Cover every activity that is on offer in each hotel

Mövenpick Male, Maldives

 5.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 STYLING
Add a golf caddy with a bag and
other clubs in it, so that the guest looks
equipped as if they are actually playing

2
2 REMOVE
The fencing does not look nice and breaks 2

the feeling of scale and freedom of the

golf pitch. Remove it in retouching

3 CLEAN GRASS
The grass looks patchy in places and should be
retouched so that the green looks more even
4

4 CLEAN SAND
Remove the rake and make sure the sand 4

looks even and smooth. Do it in retouching

if that is easier than on camera

Mercure Brignoles, France

 5.3 HOW TO IMPROVE 1

1
SKY
2
The sky is a bit too cloudy and should
look clearer and more vibrant blue,
which can be recitified in retouching

2 BLURRY BACKGROUND
Be sure to capture the background
in sharp focus on camera as this
would be difficult to retouch

3
CLEAN SAND
The sand has got too many footprints
and looks messy. Retouch it to make
its surface look smoother

4 HIERARCHY
Showing people is a good way to describe an
activity and bring life to the activities category.
Here the models are working well but they are
given too much prominence. Try to compose
your shot with more focus on the context and
the models seen from a further distance

5 REMOVE BRANDING 3 5

Unless it is hotel-related, remove the

branding on the surf board

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 5.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 PALE SKY
The sky looks very pale, especially close to
the horizon. Add more vibrancy in retouching

2
STYLING
The woman in the background wears an outfit
that does not seem appropriate for yoga. Pick
something simpler, more elegant and flattering

2
3
COMPOSITION
The 2 models and their mats are overlapping
slightly. Try to add a bit of distance so that
a bit of grass is visible between them 3

4 YOGA MATS
The yoga mats look flimsy and do not lie
completely flat. Replace them with flatter mats
in a colour that is different to the model's outfit

Banyan Tree Acapulco, Mexico

 1
5.3 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 CLOUDS
There are slightly too many clouds in the
sky. Remove some of them in retouching
to make the weather look ideal

2 BLURRY BACKGROUND
The depth of field of the photo is too shallow
and the background should be in focus. Be sure
to capture all the image in focus on camera

3
3 SEABED AND CORAL
The seabed is too barren and the coral
colours are a bit dull. Add more coral and/
or fishes in retouching and also make
the colours more saturated to emphasise
the natural beauty of the location

Mövenpick Male, Maldives

 5.4

KID'S CLUB

• Cast kids professionally and hire fashion stylist

• Select children from 4 to 10 years old

• Shoot during daytime

• Use natural light

• Cover every kids activity offered by the hotel

• Convey the idea of development

and portray healthy activities

• Keep the image tidy

• Focus on the activity, not the kid

• Report to brand photo guidelines

for specific recommendations
 5.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
1 NO BRANDING
1
The brand labels at the back of the kids
swim trunks are too visible. Remove them in
retouching, unless your brand has a global
partnership with the branded company

2
ACTIVITY
The image is working very well as it stands.
However, unless the kid's activity illustrated
here is solely beach-related, consider
adding elements that help identifying
it: diving equipment or sailboat if that's
the activity depicted for example

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 5.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 WINDOWS
Open the curtains to show the view

2
CLEAN
Make sure the floor is always
pristine clean because kids are often
2
barefoot or playing on the floor

3 DECORATION
Remove the red pouffe which
is obstructing the view
 5.4 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 ACTIVITIES
Try to avoid any blur by capturing the
kids movements sharply and in focus
 CASTING
& STYLING

This advice relates to people aiming

to convey an elegant lifestyle rather than to
demonstrate the facilities or services.
 6.1 MODEL CASTING 122

6.2 EMPLOYEE CASTING 127

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 6.1

MODEL
CASTING

• Hire models

• Models need to look attractive and healthy

• Models should be fit but not overly

tall, skinny or muscular

• Make sure including a model is

necessary to convey the story

• All the models don't need to be recognisable.

They can be shot from the back. Generally,
pick models in their mid-30’s. Please refer
to brand-specific guidelines to check for
target audience and cast accordingly

Ibis Vung Tau, Vietnam

 • Make the poses appear natural

• Models need to be engaged in an activity

• Use natural light throughout

• Introduce diversity within couples

• Make sure you are mixing ethnicities

when featuring guests

• Please refer to brand-specific guidelines to

check for target audience and cast accordingly

Raffles Warsaw, Poland

 6.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

PALE SKY
1
The sky is very clear but slightly too pale and
could be made more vibrant in retouching 2
2

FAKE POSES
2
The 2 girls' poses are fine individually,
but it does not feel like they are either
interacting together or reacting to the
same thing. Either have the right girl
looking in the same direction as the left
one, of have them making eye contact

3 REMOVE NAPKIN
The napkin by her arm does not look very
3
tidy nor does it add anything to the image.
Remove it before shooting or in retouching

Mondrian Los Angeles, USA

 6.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1
FORCED SMILE
The model's attitude feels exaggerated.
He could be smiling in a more
subtle and natural way 2

2 STYLING
Wear a more elegant and chic outfit

3
3 DECORATION
Remove the wheels under the plant

The Capital São Paulo, Brazil

 6.1 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 CLICHÉ POSE
While it is great to show people to help have
a sense of scale and realise how big and
beautiful the rocks are, their pose is a bit
cliché. Having them standing or walking
out of the water could look more natural

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

 6.2

EMPLOYEE
CASTING

• Organise casting with real hotel staff

• Select the staff members based on

appearance, personality and skills

• Portray them as skilled & available

• Wear clean and brand-new uniforms

• Make sure they are freshly

groomed and manicured

• Apply neutral and natural makeup

• Pick age ranges relevant to their skills

• Show diversity when relevant to

the location of the hotel

• Hire a Hair & Makeup team

Raffles Shenzhen, China

 6.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 UNCLEAR ATTITUDE
It is unclear whether the concierge is looking
at someone or working on a booking. If she
is interacting with someone, that person
should at least appear in the crop, even
if shot from behind or only appearing
partly. If she is working on a computer, she
should be looking down at the screen and
have a more concentrated expression

2 REMOVE
The armchair crop in the foreground is 2

unnecessary and should not appear in the frame

Raffles Istanbul, Turkey

 1

6.2 HOW TO IMPROVE

1 REMOVE DETAILS
The tableware objects on the top shelf do
not look nice and clutter the composition.
Crop the picture to remove them

2 INTERACTION
Unless it is needed to tell a specific story,
there is no need for 2 people on that picture.
In this case, make sure the plates on the left
are not hiding the face of the staff member

3
DISH
Here we only see the decoration and an empty
plate. The dish should look exceptional. Please
make sure no one touches the food with their
hands but use tongs
4

4 FOREGROUND
The blurred foreground on the bottom
right should be cropped out

Raffles Siem Reap, Cambodia

 VIDEO

Carefully adhere to the specifications

outlined below for clarity of use and
to avoid duplicating work.
7.1 STORYTELLING 132

7.2 COMPOSITION 133

7.3 SHOT LIST 134

7.4 FILMING TECHNIQUES 135

7.5 STORYBOARD EXAMPLE 136

 7.1
STORYTELLING
• Introduce the hotel, and the unique
characteristics of the location (city,
seaside, mountain etc..). The film
should tell the entire story of the hotel
• Refer to brand guidelines to
understand the brand values of the
specific hotel you are shooting
• Follow applicable general
guidelines already set out in photo
section regarding composition
as well as the deliverables:
types of rooms and amenities,
clients and staff interaction
• Do not just focus on showing the
beautiful features and luxurious
settings, but use the video
to convey the brand values,
bringing to life the atmosphere
of each specific hotel brand
• Tell an aspirational lifestyle • If you use a voiceover, make sure it
story to help potential guests is necessary to elevate the narrative
discover the hotel experience concept. In case you need one,
have the script written in advance
• Adapt framing to the storytelling: so that your shot list and the
Drone shots can establish a voiceover complement each other
general scene, eye-level view shots
can bring a personal experience
perspective and close-ups can
help create intimate moments
• Use cutaway shots to create moods
that help separate the different
moments of the video, adding rhythm
and reinforcing the hotel atmosphere
• Make sure to complete the agreed
shotlist to showcase key selected
hotel features
 7.2
COMPOSITION
ESTABLISHING SHOTS
▸ Watch video moodboard
• Use these shots for a natural
progression of the story:
introducing the hotel from
a wider perspective before
gradually revealing its features
• Drone shots can provide
beautiful imagery to show
the surroundings and
a general view
• Consider forward motion
suggesting the guest's
experience of approaching
and entering the hotel
• An example could be:
outside > facade > lobby
FEATURES
▸ Watch video moodboard
• Create sequences to showcase
the hotel's luxurious features:
bedrooms and bathrooms,
restaurants and bars
• Be sure to capture the
outstanding qualities of all
these areas: stunning views,
large scale rooms, and
great interior design
• If the subject is predominantly
still, try to introduce subtle
movement like slow
panning or dolly shots
LIFESTYLE
▸ Watch video moodboard
• These shots are key to make
the experience inspirational. Be
sure to capture moments that
reinforce the specific brand ethos
• Most of these shots will involve
people interacting. Adapt
your framing and movement
to their activities: still and
well composed for a business
meeting, slow and intimate
for couple moments, energetic
and fast for outdoor activities
• Use these lifestyle sequences
as an opportunity to highlight
the most unique features: spas,
stunning pools, outstanding
architecture or natural beauty
CUT-OUTS
▸ Watch video moodboard
• Be sure to film a few ambience
shots that will be used as
cut-out footage in between
sequences in the edit
• These shots can be more ambient
and help convey an atmosphere.
A lot of beautiful or unique details
can be used to help create
transitions. Think of nature details,
sea waves breaking on the
shores or close-ups of interesting
interior details for example
 7.3
SHOT LIST
ESTABLISHING SHOTS
• Aerial drone view of the
area showing the wider
natural beauty or the location
at the centre of a city
• Frontal view of the facade
and outside architecture of the
hotel. Drone view might be used
to show tall buildings from a
higher frontal perspective
• Lobby shot from an eye-level
perspective to illustrate the
feeling of entering the hotel.
Drones or dolly shots can be
used to add forward movement
• Architectural details shots
can be included if the hotel
possesses stunning features
FEATURES
• Bedroom shots
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Food & Beverage
• Swimming pool
• Outdoor
• Use a dolly in order to bring
movement to the shot. For
everything else, refer to
applicable general guidelines
already set out in photo section
• Please refer to specific brand
guidelines to know which other
feature should be included
LIFESTYLE
• Please refer to specific
brand guidelines to decide
which type of activities to
feature. Examples include:
— Couple having private and accordance to their guidelines.
relaxing outdoor moments
— Spa & massage session
— Night time moments at the bar
— Families engaging in
activities with their kids
— Engaging with the location
around the hotel: nature, tourist
landmarks, street scenes
• Focus on client first, with
staff only appearing to show
availability and professionalism
CUT-OUTS
• No specific shot is compulsory.
Adapt the nature of the cut-outs
to complement the atmosphere
and narrative concept of the
specific hotel and brand in
• For example, a resort can
feature natural details like plants
or the sea, while a city-based
professionnal hotel could show
some street scenes reflected
on a building windows
 7.4
FILMING TECHNIQUES
DRONE
• Drone shots bring perspective
and movement. They are
particularly useful for establishing
shots, showing the wider
context of the hotel such as
the nature or city around
• They can provide a way to fly
though it. For example, flying
through a resort to show the
scale of a pool or how exclusive
some bungalows are
• They are also fitting to bring
forward or backward movement
to suggest entrance or
departure from somewhere
• Refer to specific brand guidelines
for the most fitting technique
DOLLY
• Dolly shots can offer short
and fluid movement, either
laterally or forward
• They are a very fitting
tool to bring some life
into a contemplative and
mostly still scene
• They can also be used indoor to
progressively reveal a space
• That movement can also
complement the editing and
storytelling by providing natural
cutting points, when some out
of focus object appears in
the foreground for example
• Refer to specific brand guidelines
for the most fitting technique
TRIPOD
• These shots are more static
and better fitted for carefully
composed framing
• For example a scene involving
clients and staff interacting,
where the movement should
not interfere with what
happens in the scene
• They can also help for the most
composed and graphic shots,
such as close ups of a beverage
or some of the more ambient
moments shown in the cut-outs
• Refer to specific brand guidelines
for the most fitting technique
STEADICAM
• Using a steadicam can
help bring a more natural
movement to the shot
• For example, scenes of sports or
activity in a resort can look more
energised, same when showing
a vibrant nightlife moment
• Subtle movements can also help
when shooting lifestyle scenes as
it suggests the point of view of
someone present in the moment
• Refer to specific brand guidelines
for the most fitting technique
7.5
STORYBOARD EXAMPLE
OPENING SCENE
The hotel and its location reveal
themselves shot from a drone,
providing a backdrop to the
logo overlaid on the footage
ESTABLISHING SHOT
As the logo disappears after
5 seconds, we introduce the
hotel surroundings from a wide
perspective, still using drone
footages, increasingly focusing
on the building or its facade
DISCOVERY
As we approached the front
facade, we can cut gradually
to ground level perspectives
and enter the lobby, suggesting
a guest arrival to the hotel
7.5

STORYBOARD EXAMPLE

BEDROOM CUT AWAY OUTDOOR FEATURE

Dolly shot to pan across A short static shot reveals the Looking outside from the
the room and showcase the client heading to the balcony, client's perspective, we see the
nice interior and features. looking at a stunning view outdoor space and a pool
7.5
STORYBOARD EXAMPLE
BAR/RESTAURANT
Wide dolly shot to showcase the
stylish bar and the atmosphere
of the restaurant. Use this
opportunity to illustrate the
high service standards from the
staff and reinforce the specific
hotel brand values: intimacy,
vibrant nightlife or professional
atmosphere. Refer to specific
brand guidelines for guidance
SMART TRANSITION
Use the action of a waitress
bringing a signature cocktail or a
nicely arranged plate to the table
and walking past the camera to
create interaction and a transition
from a wide shot of the restaurant
to the privacy of a table
EXPERIENCE
Steadicam shot to see
the table from the client
perspective and show a shared
intimate couple moments.
7.5
STORYBOARD EXAMPLE
ASPIRATIONAL LIFESTYLE
Mix of contemplative dolly
shots and steadicam close-
ups to emphasise the relaxing
and exclusive moments
shared by a couple on the
terrace as the sun sets.
SMART TRANSITION
Using a steadicam, the camera
gets closer to the client, as if
the scene is seen from his/her
perspective, as they watch the
last moments of daylight in an
outstanding natural setting
EXPERIENCE
The footage gradually fades
to black on the last moments
of the day and the hotel brand
and Accor logos appear
over the dark frame.
PRODUCTION

The following slides list all the key offerings

of our hotels that the photographer should
aim to capture. They should establish
the hotel’s unique character, while
consistently applying the style guide.
8.1 PRODUCTION TIMELINE 142

8.2 BOOKING PROCESS 143

8.3 PRE-PRODUCTION 144

8.4 ON SHOOT 146


8.1
PRODUCTION TIMELINE
1. BOOKING PROCESS
1 month before shoot
• Approve the budget
for the photoshoot
• Choose the project manager
for the shoot production
• Choose the photo shooting
system (Abaca or local).
Refer to specific brand
video guidelines for further
information on which shooting
system is the most relevant
• The regional marketing relay
should approve the final
choice of the photographer
2. PRE-PRODUCTION
1 week before shoot
• Organise pre-production
meeting to prepare the
photoshoot (planning,
photoshot list, model casting,
wardrobe, accessories,
logistics, copyrights, etc.)
• Organise a visit of the
site to identify ideal
spots, light conditions and
potential constraints
• Create and validate
storyboard for video shoot
GRAPHICS
3. ON SHOOT
3 to 5 days
• Prepare all physical areas
to be photographed (clean
spaces and ensure latest
branding is applied throughout)
• Be on the shoot to ensure
all the objectives are met
• Have staff copyright
release forms signed
4. FILE DELIVERY
2 to 3 weeks after photoshoot
• Photos are sent to the hotel
and regional marketing
teams for selection
• Best photos are sent to Accor
Studio who retouches, finalises
and uploads them to Accor library
• Hotel transfers the signed release
forms for copyright to Accor
Studio and the regional team
• Accor Studio informs the hotel
when its photos are published
online to the Accor library
• The hotel updates its
commercial website and sales
tools with the new images
 8.2
BOOKING PROCESS
BOOK A PHOTO SESSION
• The Accor Group recommends Abaca
Press, its accredited listed service
provider. Abaca is responsible for
communicating the brand’s guidelines
to the appointed photographer and for
organizing the photoshoot with the hotel
• If the hotel decides to shoot with an
independent photographer, then the
hotel acts as project manager and
designates a person in the hotel as
liaison to coordinate between the
photographer and hotel operations.
This person should contact the
professional photographer of its choice
jointly with his/her regional marketing
relay who will approve the final choice.
The hotel is responsible for
communicating the brand’s guidelines
and for organizing the photoshoot
BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHER
• Only professional photographers
specializing in interior decoration and
architecture will have the technical
and artistic training, experience and
kit to shoot the photos you need
• They will deliver the files you need
for every channel (brochures,
flyers, PowerPoint presentations,
websites and e-brochures)
• The art department has worked with
Abaca Press to select first-class
professionals who meet all the above
requirements, around the world
If you are interested in a photoshoot
for your hotel, please contact:
Abaca Photo Agency
corpoinside@abacapress.fr
phone: + 33 (0) 1 80 04 41 10
Refer to specific brand guidelines
for further information on
photographers and videographers
For additional information, please contact:
Accor Studio
accorstudio@metamis.fr
phone: + 33 (0) 4 79 07 00 70
 8.2
BOOKING PROCESS
BOOK A VIDEOGRAPHER
TravelClick Video Solutions (TVS)
• TVS guarantees that your video will be
accepted on All.accor.com websites
• In a single shoot, two different
types of video are produced:
• Branded video: top quality videos
that respect brand values. TVS
goes through the whole process,
from the initial briefing, filming and
editing to the final distribution
• Mini videos: TVS also makes specific
edits to ensure a fit with the All.accor.
com format, which includes several
mini videos for great user experience
Video made by a local video agency
• If you choose to work with another
local video agency, the branded
final video must be validated by
the brand and the e-commerce
team before it can be uploaded
• The main differences that arise when
working with a local video agency:
• A validation process is required,
please refer to the brand
guidelines of the hotel to ensure
the video is 100% compliant
• No mini videos are available
• No room category matching
Validation
• The hotel must send TVS a waiver that
grants property and distribution rights,
including the consent form signed by
the person appearing on the media
• Refer to specific brand guidelines to
ensure to follow the appropriate process
• The hotel needs appropriate validation
from Accor Global Brand Marketing
• Contact
Luxury Brands: matthias.tan@accor.com
Pullman & Swissôtel: lilian.roten@accor.com
MGallery: yohan.amiot@accor.com
Novotel: marie.bazizin@accor.com
Mercure: dominique.morvan@accor.com
Ibis Family: chloe.yallouz@accor.com
 8.3
PRE-PRODUCTION
• The hotel designates a person internally
as liaison to coordinate between the
photographer and hotel operations
• The hotel must anticipate the fact that
a complete photoshoot at a hotel
or resort typically takes 3 to 5 days,
depending on the size of the hotel
• The hotel needs to organise a pre-
production meeting to cover all of
the following aspects of planning:
• Decoration and space settings
• Agree on the shot list
• Model casting and styling
• Staff casting and styling
• Logistics such as letting the staff and
guests know a photoshoot is taking
place, as well as which rooms need to
be clean and ready on specific dates
Negotiate duration of pictures
• copyrights for models and photographer
The hotel must have the “release
form authorizing the reproduction
• of the likeness” signed by all the
people shown in the photos including
the hotel colleagues, as well as
the ”copyright transfer agreement”
signed by the photographer
Organise a preliminary visit of the
location to identify optimal shooting
• conditions and constraints
Ensure the photographer, hotel
liaison and Accor art director are
all involved in the meeting
• When applicable, involve
the videographer (if it is a
different person than the
photographer) to the meeting
•
Agree on the video
storyboard and shot list
Align aesthetic consistency
• between photo and video
For every specific questions
• or doubts, please refer to the
hotel brand guidelines or get
in touch with Accor Studio
•
 8.4
ON SHOOT
• As soon as the photographer and his/her
assistant reach the hotel, it is vital to:
Brief them and tour the hotel together
• to find the right spots to shoot
Make sure all the spots are ready,
based on the shooting schedule
• •
Stage the areas, make them ready,
tidy but also exciting and colourful with
• appropriate styling. Work with the art
director to achieve the desired result
Check that any brand identifiers conform
to the latest applicable brand standards
The hair & make-up artist, as well as the
• stylist, should be present on shoot
• Make sure all props are ready for the
specific rooms being shot each day:
cocktails and dishes in nice tableware,
• clean towels, fresh flower, etc.
Check all uniforms and models' garments
are pristine. Work with the stylist to make
sure the highest standards are met
Make sure the staff being photographed
are available and within immediate reach
Have copyright and image rights
• form ready and available to get them
signed by whoever might appear in
the photos: models, staff or guests
•
 POST-
PRODUCTION
& DELIVERY

Carefully adhere to the specifications

outlined below for clarity of use and
to avoid duplicating work.
 9.1 RETOUCHING 149

9.2 VIDEO EDITING 154

9.4 GRADING & AUDIO 155

9.5 DELIVERY 156

Fairmont Marrakesh, Morocco

 9.1

RETOUCHING

• Use retouching lightly

• Capture everything on camera

• Only correct small unwanted details

• Use it to enhance weather

and lighting conditions

• Correct skin tones

• People should always look natural

• Balance colours to bring consistency

• Straighten perspective to correct lens aberration

Gyeongwonjae Incheon, South Korea

Sofitel Guaruja, Brazil
Raffles Angkor, Cambodia
Novotel Yangon, Myanmar
Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada
 9.2

VIDEO EDITING
RHYTHM TRANSITION GRAPHICS

• Bring variations to rhythm of the
edit in order to add pace and
to reinforce the narration
• Establishing shots can last longer,
in order to unveil the hotel
and its location. Other features
can be shown with a faster
pace in order to bring life to
interiors which are mostly still
• Activities and human interactions
can be shown with a faster edit
to suggest excitement and the
variety of experience. Overall,
the editing rhythm is a tool to
highlight the nature of the moments
described in the storyboard
• Use clean cuts rather than fades
or more elaborate transitions. This
helps adding rhythm to the edit
• Be creative with cutting points:
someone walking off the frame
or some vegetation appearing in
the foreground of a panning shot
can offer natural cutting points
• Do not overlay many graphics on
the footage to avoid cluttering
the visuals and keep an elegant
cinematographic style
• Graphics should follow the brand
guidelines, using the approved
logo, typefaces and colour
scheme of the hotel. Refer to
brand-specific guidelines to make
sure you use the right assets

• Finalise edits to the music, which

is what will bring the video to life
 9.3
GRADING & AUDIO
GRADING
• The video grading should be aligned
with the photography retouching. If
the videos and photos are created
by different teams, put them in touch
so that the colours and contrasts
are consistent
• Match the colours of all footage
to the ones shot during the best
lighting conditions of that day
• Consult with the art director
from Accor Studio in order to be
clear on the style and quality
standards required
• The retouching rules described
above regarding photography also
apply to the video grading
MUSIC
• Choose music to reflect the type of
experience of the hotel and try to
relate it to the location: youthful,
serious, contemplative
• Music will be a useful tool for the
edit to synchronise with, so pick a
track that has enough variations
to do so
• Make sure the audio mix between
the music and sound is well
balanced without either of them
overpowering the other
SOUND
• Subtle ambient sounds can be
added in order to support the
atmosphere. They should be discreet
and connected with the visuals. For
example, the waves of the sea or
the wind. Avoid unpleasant sounds
like cars or people screaming
• Only use voiceover if it is part of the
narrative concept of the video (a
story being told for example). If using
a voiceover, it should stand out from
the music and be clearly audible
• Hire a voiceover artist to bring the
text to life. The tone should illustrate
the type of hotel experience
• Refer to the specific hotel
brand guidelines to be clear
 9.4

DELIVERY
PHOTO VIDEO AUDIO

• To ensure consistent quality, images • Width: 1920 pixels • Format AAC

to be uploaded to the photolibrary
should be able to be offset printed
on A4 paper
• They also need to be taken with
a professional camera, the longest
side needs to be at least 3,700
pixels long, and no resizing
is allowed
Height: 1080 pixels Bit rate mode: Constant
Format: MPEG-4 Bit rate: 256 Kbps
Codec: MainConcept H.264 Channels: 2 channels
Bit rate mode: Variable Sampling rate: about 96 KHz
Bit rate: about 25 Mbps
Maximum bit rate: 35 Mbps
Frame rate: about 30 fps

• Only RAW or .tif formats are allowed

(.jpg files are allowed if compression
is top-quality)
 9.4
DELIVERY
ADD PHOTOS TO
THE PHOTOLIBRARY
• Integration process in the Accor
photo library (all uses):
• Upload the photos you want to add
to the photolibrary. As soon as your
photos are in the photolibrary, you will
receive an e-mail asking you to:
• Update the photos to the website.
Check the photolibrary to make sure
there are no obsolete photos
• This process is highly recommended
if you need to update a great
number of photos
• Integration process for direct • digital channels (such as hotel booking
use on digital channels: sites), but will not be integrated in the
Accor photolibrary for other purposes
• Log onto the photolibrary with
your usual login settings If the photo is considered unacceptable for
digital channels, you will directly be contacted
• Choose the place where you want to display by your OPD to modify your photo update
your photo and select it from your computer • within the 24 hours following the upload
Validate your selection. Your update
• will automatically be taken into
account on digital channels
• If the photo meets the brand photo brief
requirements, it will be integrated in
the Accor photo library within 3 days
If the photo does not comply with the brand
photo brief, it can still be displayed on
ACCOR. A French limited liability company registered at the Trade and Companies registry RCS PARIS B 602 036 444
82 rue Henri Farman CS 20077 - 92445 Issy les Moulineaux – France