W Hotel West Hollywood

When my client casually mentioned they were doing a $4 million renovation of one of Hollywood’s most iconic modern hotels, the W Hollywood, I immediately said I wanted in. This project is a perfect example of the trust I’ve been building with clients – Build Group, in particular. I love working closely with clients on shoots when they want to be very involved, but sometimes I get tossed the keys and the freedom to have at it. This one was more the latter. 

The work was carefully planned and managed while the hotel remained at 100% capacity. My photographic scope was no different. Build Group tasked me with getting stunning images of the work they had carefully crafted without inconveniencing guests in the fully operational hotel. This project is also an example of my flexible and by-any-means-necessary attitude. I had to work around when the hotel would give me access – sometimes early morning, most times between check out and check in. I shot this set over the course of two months in three different sessions.

Quick highlights: the new sunken lobby that Build Group discreetly excavated during hotel operations (wild!); complete demo and rebuild of the grand staircase; complete demo and rebuild of the cocktail bar; an insane overhead mirrored art sculpture; custom tile install; and a complete demo and new construction of the main patio area. This gave me plenty to work with, and it’s another great example of the way I implement my visual style: show it all, make it feel intimate and showcase the details.