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The Boston Marathon Experience From where to carb-load to what sights to see post-race

Antonio is a highly sought-after hotel and resort photographer in the luxury market. He has offices in the US and UK and has production teams around the world. As a hotel photographer, Antonio gets to stay in all of the properties he has worked with over the years and therefore received the full guest experience at a large number of prestigious hotels and brands across the globe. Additionally, his keen eye for interior design and aesthetics of luxury hotels has made him an invaluable guest judge for the Luxury Travel Guide Awards since 2015.

to have an in-depth awareness of the hospitality industry itself in addition to experience in lifestyle and food photography. Before commencing a shoot, we need to familiarise ourselves with hotel brand guidelines, to understand the hotel’s marketing concept as well as having a realistic appreciation of styling. Some brands are concerned with over-styling a space for fear of setting an unrealistic expectation, whereas for others luxury styling is a vital part of their brand. As a luxury hotel photographer, you must be able to tell a story with a single frame. This is easier when you have talent, posing as guests, it is somewhat more challenging when you are dealing with a space that is without luxury people styling isina the vitalframe. part of their brand. As a luxury

hotel photographer, you must be able to tell a story with a single frame. This is easier when you have talent, Another significant myself and otherwhen posing difference as guests, itbetween is somewhat more challenging are dealingMost with aphotographers space that is without people photographers you is marketing. market theirin the frame.

Once I had made that decision, I knew I had to develop my portfolio, so I engineered a personal project that would allow I have always had an overriding interest in art which has me to improve my skills in this area, as well as to gain important generally influenced the choices I have made. My interest in recognition as a hotel photographer. I had recently attended a photography developed over time, and it has been quite a friend’s wedding in Cartagena, Colombia, and I was fascinated journey, to say the least! Initially, I completed a degree in music by the destination and thought it would be the perfect production and sound engineering at the Berklee College of location for my project. Cartagena was truly magical and very Music in Boston. Following graduation, I entered the corporate much worthy of a photography project, especially as it was world of the music industry, and I was encouraged complete experiencing a significant renaissance due to a nationwide Tell us howtoyou become interested in photography? I had recently attended a friend's wedding in Cartagena an MBA to assist in moving up the ranks. During my MBA economic boom. The old city had some incredible Colombia, and I was architecture absolutely fascinated by the I have always had an overriding interest in art which has and thought would be the perfect location studies I developed a bug for photography, and inßuenced by the time and was surrounded walls that were built oit prevent generally the Ichoices I have made. My by ancient destination in photography time, and it has received my MBA in 2004, I was hooked!interest I suspect the artist indeveloped piracy over during Colonial times. for my project. Cartagena was truly magical and very much worthy of a photography project, especially as it been quite a journey, to say the least! Initially, I me was not letting me settle for the corporate world as there was experiencing a signiÞcant renaissance due to a completed a degree in music production and sound economic engineering at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. were better things in store! My project was transformed nationwide into a book titled boom. Behind The the old city had some incredible architecture and was surrounded by ancient Following graduation, I entered the corporate world of Walls which featured 20 of the most beautiful boutique hotels walls that were built to prevent piracy during Colonial the music industry, and I was encouraged to complete an IMBA assist in moving the ranks. my During the final year of my MBA, while wastobeginning to up located withinDuring the historic city times. walls of Cartagena. Behind the MBA studies I developed a bug for photography, and by experiment with portraiture and lifestyle photography, a Walls was a double entendre ofMy sorts, referring to the location project was transformed into a book titled, ÔBehind the time I received my MBA in 2004, I was hooked! I Walls' of the most beautiful few friends who were real estate developers theme city walls the factwhich that featured many of20these suspect theencouraged artist in me, waswithin not letting settle for and the alsothe boutique hotels located within the historic city walls of corporate world as there were better things in store for me to photograph some of their projects. My knowledge of exquisite hotels were not able Cartagena. to be accessed by the theWalls' general ÔBehind was a double entendre of me! sorts,success referringwith to thesome location architectural photography was limited, to say the least, and public. The project was a massive of within the the city walls and also the fact that many of these exquisite hotels were not During the time Þnal year while I wasfeatured beginningby Cartagena there was minimal information available at the on of themy MBA, images being inaccessed the VIP areas the public. The project able to be by the of general to experiment with portraiture and lifestyle photography, was a massive success with some of the images being subject. So, I began experimenting with different photographic airport, and the American Society of Media Photographers a few friends who were real estate developers featured by Cartagena in the VIP areas of the airport and encouraged me to photograph some of their projects. techniques, honing my skills and really learning through the selected me as one of the top 20 photographers of the the American Society of Media Photographers selected My knowledge of architectural photography was limited, process of trial and error. The next thing to I knew was thatand I had a was year. This information project cemented my position as top a luxury hotel me as one of the 20 photographers of the year. This say the least, there minimal project cemented position So, I began growing portfolio of architectural clients.available at the time on the subject. photographer and opened many doors for memy – the rest,asasa luxury hotel photographer and opened many doors for me Ð the rest, experimenting with different photographic techniques, they say, is history! as they say, is history! honing my skills and really learning through the process of trial and error. The next thing I knew was that I had a Why hotel photography? Why is a luxury hotel photographer different from growing portfolio of architectural clients. Why is a luxury hotel photographer different any otherphotographer? any other type offrom architectural Whyway hotelofphotography? Hotel photography seemed to be a logical combining type of architectural photographer? Many components are vital to be a successful luxury my newly developed fascination for architectural photography hotel photographer. Not only do you need to have a Hotel photography seemed to be a logical way of understanding of interiors with three of my other great passions; food, travel my andnewly lifestyle Many components are vital tothorough be a successful luxury hotel and architecture, but combining developed fascination for you also need to have an in-depth awareness of the architectural photography with three of my other great photography. Due to this logic, I decided to focus solely on photographer. Not only do you need industry to haveitself a thorough hospitality in addition to experience in passions; food, travel and lifestyle photography. Due to lifestyle and food Before commencing a hotel photography. of interiors and architecture, butphotography. you also need this logic, I decided to focus understanding solely on hotel photography.

Once I had made that decision, I knew I had to develop my portfolio, so I engineered a personal project that would allow me to improve my skills in this area, as well

shoot, we need to familiarize ourselves with hotel brand guidelines, to understand the hotel's marketing concept as well as having a realistic appreciation of styling. Some brands are concerned with over-styling a space for fear

business directly to consumers, whereas I am always marketing signiÞcant difference between myself and other my services to Another other companies which requires an entirely photographers is marketing. Most photographers market different approach. their business directly to consumers, whereas I am always marketing my services to other companies which requires an entirely different approach.

That is a hard one as I find there is an appeal to all destinations. That is a hard one as I Þnd there is an appeal to all Luxury castles destinations. and manors in Europe certainly makeinmy life a high-rise hotel. I needed to gain a better vantage point, so Luxury castles and manors Europe certainly make my life more comfortable, luxury more comfortable, and luxury beach resorts are alwaysand fantastic a room from a neighbouring hotel. We requested a beach resorts are always fantastic for obvious reasons.I rented I for obvious reasons. I doahave a fascination with Asia, especially do have fascination with Asia, especially as it room with a specific view and from then on, the evening got a experiences a signiÞcant boom and Imarvel often marvel as it experiences a significant boom and I often at theat the extravagance you can experience in Asia. The Eclat little weird. We were told to wait and were questioned by the extravagance you can experience in prominent Asia. TheinEclat Hotel Hotel in Beijing remains my mind as in it wasmanager who repeatedly asked us questions. We weren’t sure to the most signiÞcant collection Beijing remainshome prominent in my mind asprivate it was Dali home to theand what was going on, but our request had caused some sort of was probably the most outstanding art collection I have most significantever private collection and was probably the commotion. While we were waiting for the manager to return seen Dali in a hotel. most outstanding art collection I have ever seen in a hotel. we were surrounded by a large group of police who swarmed

I also love working with local talent, interacting with locals and meeting interesting people which is all very into the hotel with the word SWAT on their uniforms. We much a part of talent, my job. interacting I recently photographed the I also love working with local with locals and were asked to open our Pelican bags and verify our identity. Lyrath Hotel in Ireland and had the pleasure of meeting interesting people which is all very much part of my spending an entire week with two former Miss Ireland It turned out that Pelican bags are often used to carry military We were asked to open our Pelican bags and verify our job. I recently photographed pageant winners.the Lyrath Hotel in Ireland and gear identity. which includes assault weapons, time It turned out that Pelican bagsand are the oftenlast used to that had the pleasure of spending an entire week with two former someone carry military which includes had a gear requested a “roomassault with aweapons, specific and view”, 56 I also have a great love of photographing different the last time that someone had a requested a "room with Miss Ireland pageant winners. cuisines that represent a culture and country. I am people were murdered, and hundreds were injured during the a speciÞc view", Þfty-six people were murdered, and often asked a similar question about which my fatal Las Vegaswere massinjured shooting in the 2017. hundreds during fatal Las Vegan mass favourite culture is. Some cultures are obviously I also have a great of photographing different cuisines shooting in 2017. more love challenging than others, but the reality is that people that work hospitality very that represent agenerally, culture and country. I aminoften askedare a similar hospitable and easy to work with.

question about which my favourite culture is. Some cultures are you have any stories from your obviously moreDo challenging thaninteresting others, but the reality is that hotel shoots? generally, people that work in hospitality are very hospitable I have and easy to work with.had so many exciting experiences, that they could almost Þll a book!

Only recently I was working in Las Vegas for ayour high-rise Do you have any particularly memorable stories from hotel. I need to gain a better vantage point, so I needed hotel shoots?

to rent a room from a neighbouring hotel. We arrived at the hotel and requested a room with a speciÞc view and then on, the evening got a little were told I have had so from many exciting experiences, thatweird. theyWe could to wait and were questioned by the manager who almost fill a book! Only recently I was workingWe inweren't Las Vegas repeatedly asked us questions. surefor what was going on, but our request had caused some sort of commotion. While we were waiting for the manager to return we were surrounded by a large group of police who swarmed into the hotel with the word SWAT on their uniforms.

Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas, Mexico The idea here was to showcase the eight lagoon style pools featured throughout the property which ensures sunlight at any point during the day. The girls walking give a great sense of scale to the magnitude of the pools and their architectural design. I achieved this by playing with leading lines along the image.

Anica Restaurant at Rancho San Lucas Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Situated within a brand new golf resort designed by Greg Norman, Anica Restaurant features 35-40ft ceilings and houses an international fare and Baja-inspired dishes masterfully created by Chef Hector Lucas. Having motion blur in an image offers a sense of liveliness. This is important when you are dealing with big empty interiors.

Romantic Dinner Preparation Also at Anica Restaurant, I was drawn by the exterior design ambience which offers an inviting bar, indoor and alfresco seating with lounge areas surrounding cosy fire pits overlooking a saltwater lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. Here, I wanted to tell a story focusing on the preparation of a perfect romantic dinner.

Coastal Cuisine Fried fish is typical of every coastline and therefore a preferred choice of many Caribbean resorts. In recent years, I have been focusing on showcasing food in a raw and less than perfect way. Studies have shown that showcasing food this way is a much more effective way of marketing.

Playa Grande Resort Cabo San Lucas, Mexico This image shows the hotel porter working against the stunning backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. However, it also captures the grand architecture which evoked memories of the impression I got when visiting the Pyramids of El Tajin in Southern Mexico.

Mariachi Nights at Playa Grande Resort The resort’s name translates to “Big Beach” which is absolutely right. However, the unfortunate fact is that the Pacific Ocean is too strong and travellers are advised not to jump in the water. The resort felt the need to compensate for this deficiency, and they certainly did with their fantastic restaurants, fabulous pools, and daily activities such as the mariachi nights featured in this image.