On booking sites, maps and Instagram, your photos are the first thing anyone sees, and often the only thing they compare. Better pictures mean more clicks, a higher price per night and fewer “it looked different online” reviews.
We photograph hotels, riads and villas and restaurants and bars across Marrakech. This is the guide we send our clients before a shoot.
Start with the hero shot
Every property needs one picture that sums it up: the pool at blue hour, the façade lit at dusk, the terrace with the Atlas behind. It is the image on your booking page, your website header and your ads, so it deserves the best light of the day.
Photo tipBlue hour, about twenty minutes after sunset: every light on, pool lights on, the sky deep blue. Shoot it on the first evening in case the weather changes.
The shot list that sells rooms
For each room type: one wide shot that shows the whole room, one from the bed towards the view, the bathroom, and two or three details. Then the property: entrance, lobby, pool, terraces, restaurant, bar, spa, gym, gardens and the view.
Booking platforms let guests filter by room type, so every category you sell needs its own clear, honest set.
Photo tipShoot rooms at chest height with the camera level. Vertical lines that stay vertical make a room feel calm and expensive.
Get the rooms ready
Steamed linen and plumped pillows. All personal items, cables, remote controls and signs out of sight. Every lamp on, with matching warm bulbs. Curtains open, televisions off, a fresh flower or a tea tray as the only styling. Windows cleaned inside and out.
Ask housekeeping to prepare rooms in the order of the shooting schedule, and keep one person with the photographer to fix details.
Photo tipMixed bulb colours are the most common problem in hotel photos. Check every lamp the day before.
Time the day
Morning: rooms facing east and breakfast. Midday: interiors that need even light, bathrooms, spa. Late afternoon: terraces and the pool with people. Golden hour: lifestyle and rooftop. Blue hour: exteriors and the hero shot. Evening: restaurant and bar in full swing.
Photo tipPlan the shoot over two days if you can. It gives you two golden hours and a backup for the weather.
Restaurants and bars
A menu shoot works like a small production. Choose eight to fifteen signature dishes and drinks, plan the order with the chef so each plate is fresh, and shoot the room before service and the atmosphere during it.
Cocktails need backlight and garnish; plates need height and texture; the room needs people. Moroccan dishes, with their colours, clay and brass, are made for overhead pictures.
Photo tipShoot drinks against a window or a lamp. Light through the glass is what makes a cocktail glow.
Add people
Empty spaces look beautiful but cold. A couple on the terrace, a hand pouring tea, a waiter crossing the courtyard: people show guests what it feels like to stay. Use models for campaigns, or your own team and willing guests for a natural look, always with signed releases.
Photo tipKeep faces small or turned away in most frames. The viewer should imagine themselves there.
Reels and video
Instagram and TikTok now drive bookings as much as websites. Plan a few vertical videos on the same day: a walkthrough of a suite, the pool from sunrise to sunset, a cocktail being made, a table being set. A short hotel film for your website and a series of reels for social media cost far less when shot together with the photos.
Photo tipFilm slow, smooth camera moves and let each one last a few seconds longer than feels necessary. Editors always need more.
Delivery and usage
Ask for high-resolution files for print and web, compressed versions sized for booking platforms and your site, and vertical crops for social media. Agree on usage rights in advance, especially for advertising and for sharing pictures with partners and tour operators.
Name the files clearly by room type and space. Your sales and marketing teams will thank you every week.
Photo tipUpdate your photos every two to three years, or after any renovation. Old pictures are the main reason for disappointed reviews.
Planning a shoot?
Tell us about your property, the number of rooms and spaces and the dates that work. We will send a shot list, a schedule and a quote. See our hotel photography in Marrakech, interior and architecture photography and food and drink photography.
Questions about hotel and restaurant photography
How long does a hotel photoshoot take?
A riad or small hotel usually takes one day; a large hotel or resort two to three days, including golden-hour and blue-hour exteriors.
When should we schedule a hotel photoshoot in Marrakech?
Outside your busiest weeks, so rooms and public areas are available, and ideally in spring or autumn for green gardens and soft light.
Do you also shoot food and drinks?
Yes. We photograph menus, cocktails and the atmosphere of restaurants and bars, and film reels on the same day. See our food photography page.
Can you shoot photos and video in one visit?
Yes. Combining photography, a hotel film, reels and drone shots in a single visit saves time for your team and budget.
Do you work outside Marrakech?
Yes, we photograph hotels and restaurants across Morocco, from Essaouira to the Atlas and the desert.
Shooting in Marrakech?
Let’s make something