This authentic hospitality-style interior was created for a company on the Westersingel in Rotterdam. Employees can use the space for informal gatherings, welcoming clients, and meetings.
In April 2020, I last wrote about photographing for Sijf and Dax van Zuilen from Oudewater
In the lead-up to this interior shoot, I reflected on what kind of appeal a hospitality interior needs to have.
Photography literally means writing with light. I often work with flashes and continuous lighting—tools I can control and adjust. Daylight or sunlight, however, gives me far less influence. At best, I can plan the timing of the shoot.
Depending on the type of hospitality interior I’m photographing, I sometimes choose to work after sunset. Daylight has a bluish colour temperature, which in certain interiors can counteract the intended atmospheric lighting.
This particular interior had ample natural light, so I was able to work during the day. That said, daylight has a significant impact on the mood of an interior. It’s ultimately up to the photographer to decide how much daylight is desirable.
Another key aspect of an appealing hospitality interior, in my view, is the consistent use of materials, colours, and accessories. Everything needs to feel cohesive, which works best when material choices and colour palettes are carefully aligned. An authentic café calls for a very different interior than a modern brasserie.
Accessories can help enhance an interior, but I’ve often found that too many are added. When that happens, they tend to distract from the space itself—something I consider undesirable when photographing interiors.
After finishing the last detail shots, I opened the doors and, to my surprise, found staff members waiting outside. They were eager to continue their meeting inside the café.
Driving home later, I thought back to those colleagues meeting around a table in the café. It reminded me of the many conversations I once had in cafés with my father and brothers about topics that felt important at the time.
Great ideas and meaningful conversations often emerge in cafés and the interiors play an essential role in making those moments possible.
