Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Art and Interpretation, cilt.2025, sa.45, ss.97-107, 2025 (Scopus)
This study focuses on the profession of hotel photography as it is practiced in club hotels and 5-star hotels. It is significant because it is the first study on this subject in the literature. The basic characteristics of hotel photography, the difference of hotel photography from other fields, the way it is practiced in Turkey, its historical background along with its economic and systematic transformation are presented in the study. The purpose of the study is to draw attention to the importance of hotel photography for tourism and to demonstrate the relationship between photography education and fine arts. In addition, the study also aims to portray the favorable/negative aspects of tourism photography that have changed with the advance of digital technologies. A qualitative research method was used in the study. In addition, thematic and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the data obtained from the interviews conducted with the first representatives of the sector, hotel photographers, and hotel employees. The results of the study show that the profession of hotel photography started as part of the animation activities, but later acquired a commercial aspect and is currently a significant source of income for hotels. Another finding of the study is that people and employers working in this sector do not feel that they need a diploma or certification to do this job, and that people who have received education in photography do not prefer to work in this sector. It has been observed that, depending on the economic circumstances, businesses in the sector can no longer employ apprentices and therefore have difficulty in finding people to employ, resulting in a high average working age. It has also been argued that hotel photography, as part of the entertainment sector, has economic, sociological and psychological effects and outcomes that go beyond the entertainment aspect of the sector. A quantitative study on the professional skills and working conditions of hotel photographers and a separate study on the impact of photography on customer satisfaction are warranted to further understand the issue.