Fernando Arias of the Ad Value advertising agency had seen my work and wanted to collaborate on the launch of UAE based hotel chain H’ Mark Hospitality, now rebranded as Story Hospitality. The shoot would feature their three initial hotels located in Dubai, the Seychelles, and Montenegro. Over a period of months we discussed the concepts, logistics, settled on a viable budget and waited for the right window of opportunity – appropriate hotel occupancy and weather conditions are key factors for a successful shoot. Suddenly it was “let’s squeeze it in now right before Easter”. I was just able to scramble back from shooting a building in Kansas City to catch the flight to Podgorica (Montenegro) for the first of their three hotels.

Culture Overture

We planned for a full day of pre-production at each location, knowing it was the only way to achieve the seven scenes required per day. My decades of experience and friendly can-do attitude go a long way on any production, but all the details need to be coordinated for it to run efficiently. We toured the entire hotel, reconfirming or improving the shoot list, selecting specific rooms and camera angles. Subject to the light and availability, we scheduled each for its best time frame and printed out detailed schedules.

After going over that plan with the hotel staff and models, we were ready to ‘rock ‘n’ roll’. Because we were only at each location for three days, we ended each pre-production day by shooting a first scene during the brief but magical twilight time frame. Over the following day and a half we completed the shoot list, coordinating the shared use of spaces and models with the video crew.

This first shoot together was a total success and celebrated appropriately with a team-bonding dinner. ‘Fortunately’ our return flights got re-scheduled, giving us an unexpected day off to sightsee this small but stunning country. Back in Marbella we repacked for hot sticky climes; next was Dubai and straight on to the Seychelles, where we would finish one day before the ‘Easter Break’ clients swamped the hotels.

The Royal Treatment

We planned for a full day of pre-production at each location, knowing it was the only way to achieve the seven scenes required per day. My decades of experience and friendly can-do attitude go a long way on any production, but all the details need to be coordinated for it to run efficiently.
We toured the entire hotel, reconfirming or improving the shoot list, selecting specific rooms and camera angles. Subject to the light and availability, we scheduled each for its best time frame and printed out detailed schedules.

After going over that plan with the hotel staff and models, we were ready to ‘rock ‘n’ roll’. Because we were only at each location for three days, we ended each pre-production day by shooting a first scene during the brief but magical twilight time frame.

Over the following day and a half we completed the shoot list, coordinating the shared use of spaces and models with the video crew. This first shoot together was a total success and celebrated appropriately with a team-bonding dinner. ‘Fortunately’ our return flights got re-scheduled, giving us an unexpected day off to sightsee this small but stunning country.

Back in Marbella we repacked for hot sticky climes; next was Dubai and straight on to the Seychelles, where we would finish one day before the ‘Easter Break’ clients swamped the hotels.

Tropical Paradise

There is a wonderful direct flight from Dubai to the Seychelles; unfortunately it was ruled out as they would’ve charged more for our checked cases than for our seats. Instead, we had to take a layover route via Nairobi. Finally in the Seychelles, we repeated the shoot strategy, as always with anecdotes.

The Reception Lobby had to be shot before dawn, once again the only time without clients. However, despite the planning, nobody could be located to switch on all the lights at 4 am, so after catching the critical twilight moment we were forced to wait there for hours until they could turn on the missing lights. Meanwhile I was at least able to catch a planned sunrise scene with my secondary camera setup.

The all-important pool shot also had to be around dawn, as it was always open to clients from 8 am until dark. We arrived at 7 am to place the camera in position only to discover that the sunshades, sunbeds and towels had not been set up the night before as specified. By the time we set and lined up everything, the sun had risen and we were able to capture some frames of the ‘ideal’ pool scene… while the first clients waited to invade. We left the camera in position until the model arrived to recline on the foreground sunbed, so we could blend her into the ‘empty’ pool shot.

Now, having specialised in architectural & interior photography for most of my life, I am normally very finely attuned to the quality and angle of the light. While rushing to set up the scene of a model on a swing during sunset at the beach, I planned it so the sun would appear behind her by the time we’d be ready.

However, I am so accustomed to watching the sun set to the right over our Southern Mediterranean coast that I didn’t factor in that I was now looking out ‘North’ over the Indian Sea… so the sun was moving behind the trees in the opposite direction, left instead of right! I quickly recomposed to get it in frame while laughing and cursing over my ‘southern habits’.

When we wrapped, exhausted and satisfied, I thanked our lucky stars. Not just for the whole assignment being a success, but also for coinciding with the only sunny days in the Seychelles during months of rain. Against all odds the clients squeezed in an extra day for us, so we toured the stunning west coast of Mahé… a sweet reward before the long flights home to Marbella.