MAY 2018 SAN FRANCISCO, USA

Inn at the Presidio

For anyone arriving in San Francisco, Michelle couldn´t recommend a better place to stay than the historic Inn at the Presidio. Within the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan San Francisco, the Inn at the Presidio is located in a natural oasis, just perfect to shake off jet lag after the long haul flight from Europe. As always, Michelle flew with her favourite airline, British Airways, before arriving at the Inn, which is a member of Historic Hotels of America. This long journey means that anyone travelling from Europe to San Francisco usually finds themselves arriving at five o´clock in the morning, feeling wide awake, so 6am is the perfect time to take a stroll through nature and listen to the dawn chorus. At this time of year, the whole Presidio park is laden with an abundance of cala lilies, and the views from the park to the Golden Gate Bridge provided a beautiful photography subject for Michelle, with the Bridge sitting in the background. The Inn at the Presidio was formerly an officer´s residence, something echoed today with colonial style wooden balconies and rocking chairs. It feels more like a home-from-home than a hotel.

MAY 2018 HUMBOLT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA
Benbow Historic Inn – Northern California

The Benbow Historic Inn was founded in 1926 and provided the perfect holiday retreat for stars such as Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Alan Ladd, Charles Laughton, Joan Fontaine (who honeymooned here with two different husbands), and Basil Rathbone, all of whom became patrons of the Inn. Dignitaries like Eleanor Roosevelt and President Herbert Hoover have also enjoyed Benbow’s hospitality. The most recent celebrity guest was the King of Jordan.

Hotel Essence Photography was commissioned to photograph all of the rooms in the new eight-million-dollar extension, and to produce architectural photographs of the building’s façade during the day and night. Michelle and her team also created a portfolio of shots featuring the rose garden, restaurant, bar, lounge area, library, lobby, RV recreational vehicle park, swimming pool and organic gardens, plus food, afternoon tea and signature cocktail close-ups. These various details were all aimed at capturing the essence of Benbow Historic Inn.

When Arthur Benbow purchased the 1,288 acres from Ernest Linser in 1922, he envisioned a ranch, but it soon became apparent that ranching would not be sufficient to meet the family’s needs. Instead, the family decided to build the resort hotel, golf course, and riding stables. The riding stables burned down in the 1950s, but the hotel and golf course are still operating today. Mr. Benbow had nine children – Joseph, Evangeline, Burtis, Clara, Helen, Jessie, Loleta, Walter, and Robert – eight of whom were born in Humboldt County.

The current owners, John and Teresa Porter and Jack Macdonald, purchased the Inn in 1994, and have taken their role as guardians of the Benbow Historic Inn very seriously. Teresa, in particular, has spent the last three years researching the Benbow family history, reading hundreds of letters and cataloging historic artifacts, many of which feature in the rooms.

Hotel Essence Photography Crew:

Michelle Chaplow – Photographer

Joaquin Alarcon – Assistant Photographer

Chris Chaplow – Photography Production

Elena Pons – Room and food stylist

Doreen Kaplan – Benbow Production

MAY 2018 HUMBOLT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA

The Avenue of Giants – Humboldt County, Northern California

The Avenue of Giants is a scenic driving route through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The forty-mile stretch takes drivers through a giant redwood forest, surrounded by trees reaching heights of 200-400ft and diameters of 10-15ft. It is a mesmerizing sight for anyone – particularly those with a camera in hand. The majestic trees are a credit to nature’s awe-striking abilities; anyone considering a trip to California should place the Avenue of Giants at the top of their to-do list.

MAY 2018 NAPA, CALIFORNIA, USA
Napa River Inn – California USA

This was the second assignment that Michelle has carried out for Napa River Inn, the first having been in 2014. The main focus of this photoshoot was to capture the historic façade of the building – which is not as easy as it sounds. The team had to hire an elevated platform and clear 100 vehicles from the car park, and the environmental conditions had to be favorable for photography. Once any hotel has a perfect picture of their façade, it will be used for years to come, so it is always a great investment. It is a known fact that journalists are more inclined to write about hotels with good photography; quality hotel photos encourage editorial features, and magazines are more likely to promote hotels that they can be proud of.

Hotel Essence Photography Crew:

Michelle Chaplow – Photographer

Chris Chaplow – Photography Production

Elena Pons – Room and food stylist

Melodie Hilton – Napa River Inn Production

MAY  2018 GIRONA, SPAIN

PGA Catalunya Resort, Girona

On this assignment, the photography included shots of the spa at Hotel Camiral, exteriors of Hotel LAVIDA and lifestyle photographs around the site, as well as images of private villas within the resort, the golf clubhouse, and details of the course. The interiors of the clubhouse are the work of Lazaro Rosa Violan Studios, one of the world’s leading interior design teams.

Hotel Essence Photography Crew:

Michelle Chaplow – Photographer

Joaquin Alarcon – Assistant Photographer

Chris Chaplow – Photography Production

Allan Stuart– Stylist

Sarah Gatward – Digital Assistant

Rosemary Trigg & Marta Ferrer – Client side production