“Tell your story. Photography isn’t just about rooms and lobbies—it’s about mood, atmosphere, and the experience you want guests to imagine.”

— Yatinder Kumar

Your work beautifully balances sophistication and storytelling. What first drew you to hospitality photography?
It was a very spontaneous transitioning to hospitality photography which started with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. It’s an interesting story where I got a call from Oberoi group year 2012 - 13 asking to do a small shoot on barter which I initially denied but as I got call again after some days I took it seriously & thought that I am missing some opportunity here. After I did that shoot I got a call again to shoot more & got offered for Wildflower hall Shimla which is the iconic hotel of India. I enjoyed the freedom & time shooting that hotel. Its still so fresh in my memory the days I spent there.
Then I went on to shoot Oberoi Udaivillas, Oberoi Grand, Bali, Lombok, Egypt - Shal hasheeesh, there 2 cruises : Philae & Zara. Phew it was some wonderful time & got great exposure to luxury hotels from starting which really sets me to see things with different perspective.
After that I got to work with ITC hotels, Sarovar group, Leisure hotel group, Marriott Hotels & many boutique hotels in India. I would really like to mention that I have shot 300 + hotels to date but I still feel I have just started & eager to do more every day. On every new shoot a lot of new things I learn about my work & the industry which helps me in my on going journey.
Also I like to mention that since childhood I am a person who can’t sit at one place & love travelling. And Photography & travelling has really helped me where I am now. Also I am soo grateful to the industry who has accepted & appreciated my work style.

How do you translate a hotel's "soul" or identity into a single shot?
That’s a beautiful question & I will try to justify the question to my best of ability. I guess it starts from the brief I get about an upcoming hotel shoot. When I reach at the hotel my only aim is to see the architecture, design & light fall at each area & absorb myself with the life around. I also do study the topography of the location nearby & culture which help set tones in my images.
I always try that one shot which defines that hotel which I know will be present for many years to come. On 1st day of shoot I just move around the hotel & try to find that shot which can justify as hotel soul. I still believe it’s one of the toughest thing to do but before reaching the location lot of vision & brain storming I do within myself which keeps my nervousness low when I reach the location.
Also I believe the life, people in & around the hotel are the main elements that defines that hotel’s Soul.
Later, when I sit with my editing team, we talk about mood, color tones, and how the final image should feel. It’s a collaborative effort, but it always begins with intuition and quiet observation. The soul of a hotel isn’t just in its architecture—there are various factors & combination of lot of process, people which contribute into making that shot.

Which shoot has been the most creatively challenging for you — and how did you overcome it?
I think every shoot has its challenges & that nervousness around till you d that 1st click. But I remember when I was shooting my 2nd property with The Oberoi Udaivillas right after I shot The Wildflower Hall.
I just got told that I am shooting Udaivillas & its widely apread out. That time I was clueless as it’s a well spread property & iconic in every way which is very well known globally. When I reached at the hotel I was in awe with the elegance & vastness of the hotel. For 2 days I was not able make any single composition. I would like to mention Mr.Adhikar Vaish, Ex Oberoi Marketing corporate who told me It will come. And yes 3rd day till 7th day we kept on shooting till my flight time. It was one of the memorable shoot done. But I believe that hotel its an unfinished project which I love to do. So yes I have very fond & fresh memories of that shoot.
There are many more hotel stories which has its own memorable charm & time.

What are 3 things every hotelier or restaurateur should do to get theirphotography and social media right?

Timing matters. Don’t rush into a shoot if the property isn’t photo-ready. Good photography needs a clean, complete canvas.
Tell your story. Photography isn’t just about rooms and lobbies—it’s about mood, atmosphere, and the experience you want guests to imagine.
Don’t treat it as an afterthought. Great visuals are your brand’s first impression in today’s digital world. Invest in them like you would in your interiors or service.

What best practices ensure a hotel or hospitality brand gets the most value out of collaborating with a photographer like you?
I believe a good brief is very much important which help me understand the requirement & start processing. Clarity is very important.
Pre Planning is important which helps everything aligned shoot related before I reach at hotel for shoot. It helps with the rhythm of shoot & flow.
While on shoot a good team support from hotel side is always beneficial & also team should aware why the shoot is happening.
Before I reach to hotel I should have a vision & some references in my mind what images I will be making. The hotel positioning clarity I should have so that I know what a hotel brand expects out from me.
A good communication to the hotel team of my shot timings with the requirements always helps with the success of the imagery output.

What’s a common mistake you see hotels making with their brand imagery?
There are many but I want to be little quiet in this. So keeping it simple here.
I see many a times specially in pre openings the hurriedness to do the shoot even the hotel is not photo ready. Many times I get disappointment where the hotel is not ready, Materials are not in place & dust all around. As an artist its very tough to understand the hotel design if it’s not ready. Although I acknowledge that the hotel's opening date is quickly approaching, the importance of photography is sometimes overlooked. Sometimes I can't get the shot I want until the hotel is completely ready.
I really feel that brand should look into this & plan the photography in the best possible way so that the photographer can do justice to the hotel. The images will be present digitally for long time & I really believe a properly well timed photoshoot done will help create a everlasting image in this world.

You’ve captured architecture, design, lifestyle, even fashion — which elements of hospitality photography do you find most fulfilling?
The experience I have got In different genres actually help me in my hotel photoshoot. Like I have done lot of fashion shoot but now I use that experience to lifestyle shoot with the hotels.
Still Architecture & design I find really fulfilling. . That’s where my heart lies. I have always fascinated with Architecture & spaces. And Natural Light. Wherever I am I do observe light falling on someone, product, surroundings etc. 24x7 Process.

How do you think hotel photography impacts bookings and perception in today’s digital-first world?
I really would like to mention that Photography is the most important part which helps promote the hotel to the market. Many a times a hotel tends to ignore this aspects & thinks business will come just because they have built a beautiful hotel. But how to promote that hotel when you don’t have a good imagery with some really nice mood & experience shots.
In this digital world whatever app we open the most important communication element is a Photograph. Without that communication the message is always incomplete. The art of Words and photography may work their magic to elevate a hotel brand's digital presence and give it a distinct personality that sets it apart from other hotel establishments.
Understanding the beauty of photography will definitely helps in ROI a hotel will get. A well thought image always reach to more audience than an average image. I always try to think before I shoot, why I am shooting this image. What benefit the hotel will get from this photo.
As I have got more experience every day my image making process for hotels have evolved a lot. I always attempt to give it a purpose. Another aspect of this art that establishes the mood of the picture as they make people imagine being there. That emotional connection is what leads to bookings. I always say—don’t shoot just to show what’s there, shoot to show how it feels to be there.

How has your design background from NIFT shaped your photographic style?
I would like to add that my family background is Art & Design. 15 member from my family has been passed out from Delhi college of Art since 1977. Me & My sister studied from NIFT.
So it was naturally an inclination towards art but I was not soo good with my drawings which was somewhat took my confidence away. But I always use to have good ideas & photography came naturally to me. I always wanted to do something in photography. Have shot lot of films in my college days. I still go through my old Bnw contact sheets where I have mentioned details of the shots. I guess it was the most beautiful time as there was no pressure just self-satisfying shots.
I have done my communication design from NIFT New Delhi. It really helped me gave a path to my photography as I did studied photography with other verticals like graphic design, branding, writing, History & more. This really has helped me in my photography career to understand the commercial aspect of it & how to go about projects.

If you had to distill your visual style into three words, what would they be — and why?

Timeless
Honest
Natural

I don’t chase trends. I aim to create images that will still hold value years down the line. They’re grounded in truth, mood, and experience—because that’s what people remember.

If we invited you to conduct a training session for the Hospemag Trainers Guild, what topic would you love to cover?
I will be interested but I have never done anything related so don’t know how I will be able to do the session. Will need guidance :)