I was hired to visit a multi-use retail and accommodation site to photograph and video the properties, which were being marketed as a single lot.

The property is on the site of a former railway station.  The building facing the main road retains the historic facade, including a clock tower and archway which was once the entrance to the station.  The archway now leads to the hotel entrance and a walkway to a supermarket which sits behind the hotel.  The hotel also includes a modern red brick building connected to the rear of the original building.  On the ground floor there is a gym and a takeaway pizza shop.

I was asked to capture an example of each type of room as well as shots of the other businesses occupying the property.  Usually modern hotels will have a few room styles which are duplicated throughout.  The inclusion of the original building meant that this hotel also had a number of odd shaped rooms, especially in the clock tower.  I had first to speak to the staff to establish how many styles and sizes of room were in the hotel, which rooms were occupied and determine what times I would be able to access rooms of the different types. 

One of the challenges with jobs like this is to manage the time well because the businesses will be busy at different times of day.  I needed to get shots of the empty, cleaned rooms, shoot the pizza takeaway in the evening once it had opened and the gym late afternoon or early evening once it started to get busier with members.  I wanted to get shots of the street, takeaway and gym looking as busy as possible.  This proved impossible when the pizza manager discovered their ovens weren’t working and they were unable to open for business. I was instead forced to quickly shoot the empty takeaway before their staff locked up and left.