You should keep on learning and keep on developing new techniques… if I didn’t enjoy doing what I was doing and just left it there, it’d be very difficult to shoot hotel room after hotel room.
Bruce Vincentiis
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Bruce Vincentiis is known for blending his love for landscapes with the polished world of luxury hotel imagery. From his early days exploring Southeast Asia with a four-megapixel point-and-shoot to founding Two Keys Media in Cambodia, Bruce has transformed a loving curiousity into a thriving career capturing the essence of high-end hospitality across Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond.
In this episode, we dive into Bruce’s remarkable journey, starting with his teenage years in a high school darkroom, through his rediscovery of photography while traveling Cambodia’s rice paddies. We explore his transition from urban exploration and landscape photography to mastering the art of luxury hotel photography, sparked by a chance exhibition of steam locomotives that led to his first hotel gig.
Bruce shares how he built a business from scratch, self-taught through YouTube and relentless curiosity, now leading a team that delivers everything from drone shots to food photography. We’ll uncover the challenges of shooting in unpredictable weather, the intensive post-processing behind his crisp images, and how he keeps his creativity alive with personal projects despite strict brand guidelines. Bruce also opens up about his dream to photograph Maldives resorts, his networking savvy, and why continuous learning keeps him inspired.
Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:
- How Bruce turned a hobby into a career by networking and seizing unexpected opportunities.
- The creative and technical hurdles of luxury hotel photography, from rainy shoots to tiny guest rooms.
- Why personal projects and drone photography fuel his artistic growth. His practical advice for breaking into this niche through persistence and relationship-building.
Join us for Bruce’s grounded insights, infectious enthusiasm, and a glimpse into the vibrant world of luxury hotel photography. We hope you enjoy this illuminating episode, cheers!
Q: How did you get into photography? Does it run in your family or was it just a hobby you picked up?
Bruce: I got into photography during high school, like many photographers do. My parents signed me up for an after-school photography club, probably to keep me busy a bit longer. They got me a second-hand Yashica camera, and with it, I photographed school events. We set up a photography club, complete with a darkroom where we developed negatives and made prints, which was an exciting hands-on experience.
Q: What are some of the challenges that you have come across with photographing hotels and how have you overcome them?
Bruce: The biggest challenge in hotel photography is the weather, as we can never rely on ideal conditions. We’re often constrained by fixed schedules, with specific times and dates for shooting certain areas due to room bookings, so we must adapt creatively to whatever weather we face. Another significant challenge is working in tight spaces, particularly small guest rooms, where hotels want the spaces to appear larger. This requires careful composition to create the illusion of more space.
Q: How do you continue to evolve creatively when you’re working in such a specialized niche where you are potentially limited in your creativity?
Bruce: I think the thing there is be very careful not to become stagnant in your style. You should keep on learning and keep on developing new techniques that you can use that still adhere to what you’ve got to produce. So whether it’s the lighting or the post-production techniques and just change it, changes slightly, your style of photography.
Key Links and Mentions From the Episode
Two Keys Media: Bruce Vincentiis’ company, founded in 2023, offering luxury hotel photography, videography, drone work, and lifestyle photography across Southeast Asia.
People Mentioned
Flavien Rouse: A Thailand-based photographer mentioned by Perrin, who created a modular film and photography business, inspiring Bruce’s approach to Two Keys Media.
Tools & Techniques
Nikon Z7II: Bruce’s primary camera, used for its high-resolution capabilities in capturing crisp, detailed hotel interiors and exteriors.
Laowa 20mm Tilt-Shift Lens: A key lens in Bruce’s kit, used for 98% of his shots to correct distortions and capture wide architectural scenes with minimal distortion. ### Tripod with Geared Head Essential for Bruce’s work, ensuring stability for bracketed exposures and composites in Photoshop, critical for his intensive post-processing.
CamRanger 2: Bruce’s wireless tethering tool, allowing remote control and live view on an iPad for precise lighting and composition adjustments during shoots.
Drone Photography: A growing part of Bruce’s work, offering unique aerial perspectives for hotels, especially in Thailand and Cambodia, with creative use of negative space.
Exposure Bracketing: A technique Bruce employs to capture multiple exposures (lights on/off, ambient, flashed) for compositing in Photoshop, ensuring perfect lighting and detail.
Projects & Opportunities
Marriott and ACCO Brand Approvals: Recent achievements for Two Keys Media, with Bruce securing approvals to work with major hotel brands, expanding opportunities in Cambodia.
Expansion Plans: Bruce aims to grow Two Keys Media into Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Maldives, with a dream to photograph Maldives resorts.
Personal Projects: Bruce continues personal shoots at hotels to test new lighting and composition techniques, building his portfolio and networking without commercial pressure.
Places and Locations
Cambodia (Phnom Penh): Bruce’s base, where he founded Two Keys Media and began his hotel photography career, inspired by the rice paddies and local scenery.
Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach, Thailand: A standout hotel Bruce photographed, praised for its beauty and the enjoyable experience working with its team.
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos): Key regions for Bruce’s work, where he captures luxury hotels and plans to expand his business.
Maldives: Bruce’s dream destination for photographing luxury resorts, a goal he’s working toward by building a portfolio of similar properties.
Key Themes Discussed
Blending Genres: Bruce’s work fuses landscape, urban exploration, and architectural photography, creating a unique style for luxury hotel imagery.
Continuous Learning: Bruce emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, self-taught through YouTube and experience, to stay innovative in his niche.
Networking in Hospitality: His advice for aspiring hotel photographers centers on building relationships with hotel staff and marketing teams to gain trust and opportunities.
Creative Adaptation: Despite strict brand guidelines, Bruce evolves creatively through personal projects, drone work, and experimenting with lighting and post-production.
Resilience in Challenges: From unpredictable weather to cramped guest rooms, Bruce’s stories highlight the need for quick thinking and technical skill to deliver stunning images.
