David DGP Photo wrote:
Anyone have comments on the pitfalls of renting a hotel suite for a shoot.  Do hotels care if a photographer rents a room for a  private shoot rather than sleeping?  Do you have to book for 2 persons rather than just a single?  Anything else?  I want both the bed for boudoir shots as well as window light for lighting.

What Pitfalls do you see here? I recommend you using like Aria's Sky Suites. Natural Light abounds. Why should Hotels care what you are doing..as long as You Pay! OP....do your own planning and look up suites online ..there usually is a video that goes along with that suite on You Tube. Easy Stuff.

Do you have to book for 2 persons rather than just a single?  Anything else?

What difference does it make?  Unless you want a discount from the hotel because you and the model are not sleeping in there, not using their towels and shower. 

However, some roadside motels do offer the quick release rate. 

Connor Photography wrote:
There is no reason to make it more complicated than it is.  There is no need to call your lawyer to call their lawyer to discuss the terms.  Photographers have been shooting in hotels more than a million times thro out the world, most 99.999% come out OK.  I am sure some asses got into problem for whatever reasons. 

Just rent a room, close the door, be discreet and start shooting.  Most of the hotel couldn't care less what you do behind the door.  Likewise, the guy who are cheating on his wife does not need the permission from the hotel to sleep with someone else in their room.  Oh yeah, the guy is taking dirty pictures.   

If you are anal about things, remove any hotel logos in the shoot.  Common sense please.


What difference does it make?  Unless you want a discount from the hotel because you and the model are not sleeping in there, not using their towels and shower. 

However, some roadside motels do offer the quick release rate. 

This question about Hotels is the new...Is this a Scam?

I have never ever, ever never told the Aria Hotel, Vdara, The Venetian, The Palozzo ...My Game Plan. They don't care. just do it. It is amazing...Look this stuff up on line..Google is your friend ..they even show Floor Plans...And where the windows are. Simplistic Operation, made complicated by frighten kittens. lol

DOUGLASFOTOS wrote:
I have never ever, ever never told the Aria Hotel, Vdara, The Venetian, The Palozzo ...My Game Plan. They don't care. just do it. It is amazing...Look this stuff up on line..Google is your friend ..they even show Floor Plans...And where the windows are. Simplistic Operation, made complicated by frighten kittens. lol

I have rolled in many fancy hotels in Philly.  The doorman at the hotel helped me to unload my beauty dish and light stands on the cart.  No one paid attention what I was moving to the room.  They are trained to mind their own business and leave the guests in a total privacy.

Connor Photography wrote:

I have rolled in many fancy hotels in Philly.  The doorman at the hotel helped me to unload my beauty dish and light stands on the cart.  No one paid attention what I was moving to the room.  They are trained to mind their own business and leave the guests in a total privacy.

I had so many props on my last shoot...not once did the doorman say a word. Except...welcome back. lol

DOUGLASFOTOS wrote:
I had so many props on my last shoot...not once did the doorman say a word. Except...welcome back. lol

Hahaaaa.  The quality of service in the service industry in the States are the best, far better than any places in Europe or the world.   

David DGP Photo wrote:
Anyone have comments on the pitfalls of renting a hotel suite for a shoot.  Do hotels care if a photographer rents a room for a  private shoot rather than sleeping?  Do you have to book for 2 persons rather than just a single?  Anything else?  I want both the bed for boudoir shots as well as window light for lighting.

Don't rent a hotel room unless you have a good idea of what it looks like inside.  Just because it's called a "suite" it doesn't mean it's set up for great photography.  In many hotels there are horrible pictures on the wall behind the bed and these pictures are usually covered with cheap, highly reflective glass and most often are bolted to the wall.  Sometimes the bed has an upholstered headboard made from some hideous fabric.  If you want window light how do you know you'll be assigned a room that offers good natural light.  Timing is also an issue if you are only renting the room for one night.  Many hotels don't let you check in before 4:00 PM and want you out by 11:00 AM so you need to be prepared to work late or very early.

DOUGLASFOTOS wrote:

This question about Hotels is the new...Is this a Scam?

I have never ever, ever never told the Aria Hotel, Vdara, The Venetian, The Palozzo ...My Game Plan. They don't care. just do it. It is amazing...Look this stuff up on line..Google is your friend ..they even show Floor Plans...And where the windows are. Simplistic Operation, made complicated by frighten kittens. lol

All of the City Center properties are, and I cannot stress this enough, ---VERY--- anti-photographer. I could write a book about how much they hate photographers there...it is, without question, the most anti-photographer property within 1000 miles of Las Vegas. I've actually been surrounded by not one, not two, not three, but FOUR security guards within 30 seconds of taking 5 photos with a DSLR in a lounge there that was over 100 feet from the nearest slot machine. The Bellagio has gotten pretty bad too now that Cashman Photography took over their wedding concessions but Nobody is worse than Cosmo or Aria. The fact that you even were able to do a shoot there astounds me. Consider yourself hitting the lotto on that one.

Shot By Adam wrote:

All of the City Center properties are, and I cannot stress this enough, ---VERY--- anti-photographer. I could write a book about how much they hate photographers there...it is, without question, the most anti-photographer property within 1000 miles of Las Vegas. I've actually been surrounded by not one, not two, not three, but FOUR security guards within 30 seconds of taking 5 photos with a DSLR in a lounge there that was over 100 feet from the nearest slot machine. The Bellagio has gotten pretty bad too now that Cashman Photography took over their wedding concessions but Nobody is worse than Cosmo or Aria. The fact that you even were able to do a shoot there astounds me. Consider yourself hitting the lotto on that one.

I have never had a issue. Knock on Wood. lol   Now..I will say this..They get nervous if you shoot near their casinos. If you have a big DSLR, also.  But over at The Palazzo ...There are plenty of areas...including the The Venetian Canals....lol..they don't ever come to me as I shoot. But I just like shooting at City Center.  In the Sky Suites..U pay enough..no one will say shit to you. lol

DOUGLASFOTOS wrote:

I have never had a issue. Knock on Wood. lol   Now..I will say this..They get nervous if you shoot near their casinos. If you have a big DSLR, also.  But over at The Palazzo ...There are plenty of areas...including the The Venetian Canals....lol..they don't ever come to me as I shoot. But I just like shooting at City Center.  In the Sky Suites..U pay enough..no one will say shit to you. lol

The Venetian/Palazzo are always easy to shoot at. I once had a security guard at the Venetian hold a reflector for me once. At City Center though, they're just terrible, even when you're nowhere near the casino.

David DGP Photo wrote:
Anyone have comments on the pitfalls of renting a hotel suite for a shoot.  Do hotels care if a photographer rents a room for a  private shoot rather than sleeping?  Do you have to book for 2 persons rather than just a single?  Anything else?  I want both the bed for boudoir shots as well as window light for lighting.

I had shot in hotel rooms before and it really depends on size of room and what is in it.  Most often nobody really cares unless you start making too much noise or leave the door open and nosy guests complain.

shooting in lobby or hallways is a hit and miss.  I've had times when people dont' care at all because it's been done so many times and had instances where we were told we cannot use it.

Size of room, I would recommend 2 person because it gives more space to work with.  Electrical outlets may be an issue if you are using studio strobes because you do not want to use anything that might draw too much power tripping the breakers.

Shot By Adam wrote:
The Venetian/Palazzo are always easy to shoot at. I once had a security guard at the Venetian hold a reflector for me once. At City Center though, they're just terrible, even when you're nowhere near the casino.

Its best to contact the PR department at the Venetian / Palazzo before shooting there.  They're very accommodating.

Shot By Adam wrote:
All of the City Center properties are, and I cannot stress this enough, ---VERY--- anti-photographer. I could write a book about how much they hate photographers there...it is, without question, the most anti-photographer property within 1000 miles of Las Vegas. I've actually been surrounded by not one, not two, not three, but FOUR security guards within 30 seconds of taking 5 photos with a DSLR in a lounge there that was over 100 feet from the nearest slot machine. The Bellagio has gotten pretty bad too now that Cashman Photography took over their wedding concessions but Nobody is worse than Cosmo or Aria. The fact that you even were able to do a shoot there astounds me. Consider yourself hitting the lotto on that one.

The MGM properties (which include but are not limited to MGM Grand, anything in City Center, Bellagio, Mirage and others) are probably the strictest when it comes to photography.  I know of several wedding photographers that got kicked out of the Bellagio because they didn't obtain permission to shoot on their property. 

MGM has successfully sued people for using images that were shot from public property.  Among several reasons, they'll succeed in winning the lawsuit because the MGM considers their buildings as a trademark and an image which includes the building may be thought of as an endorsement of the photographer.  MGM properties have their own photography companies that pay big bucks to use their buildings as their studio and they don't want anyone infringing on that.

SayCheeZ!  wrote:

The MGM properties (which include but are not limited to MGM Grand, anything in City Center, Bellagio, Mirage and others) are probably the strictest when it comes to photography.  I know of several wedding photographers that got kicked out of the Bellagio because they didn't obtain permission to shoot on their property. 

MGM has successfully sued people for using images that were shot from public property.  Among several reasons, they'll succeed in winning the lawsuit because the MGM considers their buildings as a trademark and an image which includes the building may be thought of as an endorsement of the photographer.  MGM properties have their own photography companies that pay big bucks to use their buildings as their studio and they don't want anyone infringing on that.

All true, but the City Center properties are structured under MGM completely differently when it comes to their legal entity. It's a little hard to explain, but even though it's part of the MGM group, it's not really part of the MGM group. I learned this back when I used to shoot for COPS and Vegas Strip. Sadly, most of the prostitutes in Vegas have figured this loophole out too, which is why they all flock to Cosmo or Aria now. It's the only major property that, when they are arrested in it, are not issued trespass notices to all the other properties owned by the parent company. Ah, the things you learn when you hang around vice cops.

crx studios wrote:
I would keep it as low-key as possible. All places in larger cities (especially cities where there is a lot of film production) are well aware that location fees are substantially higher than normal uses rates.

In Los Angeles, it’s all but impossible to “discover" a cool location of any kind that hasn’t already been scouted a few hundred times, and the property owners know to expect thousands of dollars in location fees when they hear the word “photoshoot”.

And let’s not get started on permit fees and insurance.

It’s not always easy being an artist on a budget.

The Westin- Bonaventure in DTLA was hesitant to even let us have cameras in their Skylounge, and we were just there to eat.

crx studios wrote:
I would keep it as low-key as possible. All places in larger cities (especially cities where there is a lot of film production) are well aware that location fees are substantially higher than normal uses rates.

In Los Angeles, it’s all but impossible to “discover" a cool location of any kind that hasn’t already been scouted a few hundred times, and the property owners know to expect thousands of dollars in location fees when they hear the word “photoshoot”.

Hence the George Lucas and the Blue Harvest story. For those unfamiliar, when they started shooting Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars and George Lucas were a household name. When they went to shoot on location anywhere and the locals got wind of what it was for, suddenly hotel rooms went from $30/night to $250/night. Equipment rental rates went through the roof. Every time they asked to use a location for filming the costs went into insane rates, causing all sorts of budgetary problems during filming that they never could have predicted. So when they started filming Return of the Jedi, they lied to everyone and said that the movie was called "Blue Harvest" and was a low-budget documentary. It wasn't until the big crew showed up and C3-PO and R2-D2 were roaming around that the yokels figured out they were duped, but it was the only way they could keep from being gouged.

TL Westgate wrote:
Try to use constant light. I read about a photog who was "busted" by the hotel manager because people could see the flash going off from under the door. I bring a softbox, but I'm a filmmaker, so I have one.

Like professional, a seasoned photographer is very observant and detailed, a hotel towel throw under the door is all it needs.

SoftLights wrote:
I've shot in Hotels dozens of times and have never had a problem. Discretion is the key here. I also send the model detailed instructions on how to get to the room without drawing attention to herself or asking for directions such as, walk past the front desk, turn left down the hall to the elevator on the right, go to the 9th floor, go right, 4th door on the left. You get the idea. Oh, did I mention discretion.

Oh yeah, you don't want your model looks like an escort doing her out call. 

Shot By Adam wrote:
Hence the George Lucas and the Blue Harvest story...

Thank you - Family Guy makes a little more sense now

Ken Marcus Studios wrote:
Just make sure the hotel knows what you are doing before you start.

I've done my fair share of hotel shoots and this is good advice. When I book a room for photoshoot purposes, I'll look up the email of whoever is in charge of bookings (the title I see a lot is "director of rooms") and make sure they're aware that's mainly why I'll be there. I've never had problems but if I do I'd rather have an email from a higher up authorizing the shoot rather than arguing with security or the front desk staff.

Don't shoot too late into the night or start too early (or be quiet if you do) and you'll be fine.

The only problem I ever had was using the name of the hotel when advertising my first hotel shoot on the Internet. They were more concerned about that than me actually shooting in the room.

Ken Marcus Studios wrote:
News crews rent hotel rooms all the time to interview everyone from politicians to celebrities.

It's common practice.

Just make sure the hotel knows what you are doing before you start.

KM

I will be sure to tel them the next time I hold interviews in my room ;-)

Seriously though, there is a difference (and potentially a different response from the hotel) between conducting interviews and shooting models who might be in skimpy or no clothing. Ken, if they inquire about content do you say you are shooting fetish nudes or do you keep the content more generic? And would you say there is a difference in how hotels respond to a photographer in business (who can provide proof of insurance, etc.) vs. a hobbiest who just wants to shoot a model or two while on vacation?

Eye of the World wrote:
Seriously though, there is a difference (and potentially a different response from the hotel) between conducting interviews and shooting models who might be in skimpy or no clothing. Ken, if they inquire about content do you say you are shooting fetish nudes or do you keep the content more generic? And would you say there is a difference in how hotels respond to a photographer in business (who can provide proof of insurance, etc.) vs. a hobbiest who just wants to shoot a model or two while on vacation?

It also depends on whether the hotel is going to charge you a location fee.  It also depends on the city you are in as well.  I once had a hotel gladly let me use their rooms to shoot, only to have the city ask me to get a business license.

These things can be complex.  Sometimes it is best to ask and other times, well ...