Michelle Chaplow Hotel Photographer

Michelle Chaplow Hotel Photographer

Michelle Chaplow is a luxury hotel photographer who has spent the last two decades photographing a huge variety of travel destinations, and some of the world’s finest luxury and historic hotels. In 2010 she founded Hotel Essence Photography, whose mission is to capture the spirit, the very essence of a property.

Michelle has photographed everything from exteriors of UNESCO-recognised buildings to Michelin-star restaurant kitchens. Born and educated in Britain, she attended Manchester University, and relocated to Spain in 1992.

Michelle’s photographs have been published by such prestigious institutions and publications as the Library of Congress, The Telegraph, The Times, and Conde Nast Traveller. While undertaking photography assignments around the world, she averaged 100-150 hotel nights per year, in more than 60 countries. Hotel Essence Photography has been commissioned and published by highly prestigious hotel groups such as Mandarin Oriental, Paradores de España, Kempinski, Oberoi, The Most Famous Hotels in the World® and numerous independently-owned hotels.

She has won a number of awards for her architectural photography, and has also been recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Commerce for promoting Spain. As a keynote speaker, Michelle has delivered speeches on the Importance of Photography for Luxury Hotels at a number of events, including TEDx Marbella, and the annual conferences of both Historic Hotels of America, and the Preferred Hotel Group.

Michelle prefers to work with natural lighting for her photography. She has perfected several innovative cutting-edge photography and lighting techniques for capturing signature hotel shots. Michelle loves the finer things in life, including traveling on assignment to exotic locations and artisan chocolates.