2023–2025: my journey from shooting only food, to travel & hospitality photography - lessons learned and how it transformed my business and life (part 1)
(reading time: 8 minutes)
Writing this in December - of what I’d call my most amazing year - feels just right. To be honest, I started this draft back in November, coming home from London (I was on the plane) with my heart full of gratitude, reflecting on the lessons I’m taking with me from this past year. And let me tell you, this past year was just the tip of the iceberg.
I’ll cut the chit-chat: for those of you who don’t know, this whole journey started in 2023.
Almost 3 years ago, I hit an emotional rock bottom and felt completely lost. Two clients who made up the majority of my income no longer had projects for me, and in my personal life, something was draining me emotionally.
That year, I worked on my mindset harder than ever before, learning to transform myself through its power. Our minds and thoughts are too powerful to be ignored.
I remember setting my intentions and telling the universe I wanted to travel more, something I’d never really had the chance to do growing up. The reason behind this wish? Maybe a topic for another post.
That same year, I became an Adobe Lightroom Ambassador. And in October 2023, everything shifted: I went to Japan, which marked the start of a true revolution in my life. Japan was the first of many trips that have enriched both my life and my career. Why? I understood there was a whooole world ready to be photographed, not just food in my little home studio.
Anyway, here’s what I’ve learned so far. I am sharing in the hope that it inspires you to take action, because it’s never too late to start something new, even when it feels beyond scary.
1. Being stubborn vs compromising
This was a big one for me. It required a huge mindset shift.
Coming from a fulfilling career in food photography, where I turned down every request that wasn’t paid, I assumed the same rules would apply here. In my head, I was thinking: “I’m an established professional, I’m not going to work for free…absolutely not!”
Man, I was wrong. I had to compromise.
When I emailed hotels with proposals to collaborate, most of the responses were barter requests. At one point, I even questioned myself and my talent. The truth was, I didn’t have a portfolio that screamed: “I am the professional you want to work with, look at what I can do for you”
It’s tricky because accepting free work can send a clear message to a brand: “I don’t take this seriously” - and I didn’t want anyone to think I was devaluing myself. At the same time, I knew I needed to get my foot in the door and build a portfolio that could serve as strong case studies.
So I had 2 choices:
Keep refusing, mostly out of pride.
Clear my mind and strategically accept some jobs that could lead to more opportunities, that were aligned with what I want to do.
I chose the second, and it was worth it. Accepting that I had to compromise wasn’t easy (AT ALL!!), but it ultimately opened doors I wouldn’t have reached otherwise.
I have always said - and also teach my students - not to let free work be a default choice. But if it’s strategic, aligned with your vision and can genuinely lead to more opportunities, it can be a tool, not a trap.
Bottom line:
The key is intention. I wasn’t doing everything for free, I was selective, clear on my boundaries and focused on how each project could build my portfolio, relationships and credibility. This also allowed me to reflect on my positioning as a personal brand.
This first mindset shift made all the difference.
2. Building relationships and putting your work out there, always.
Connected to the first lesson, I (re)learned that every opportunity - paid or not - is a chance to make connections and build relationships. And it’s not opportunism, it’s human connection.
In the past, I hadn’t done much of this in person. Sure, I was active online and always reaching out, but face-to-face connections weren’t really part of my approach sadly (despite knowing the importance),
I realized I needed to step up my game. Every Zoom conversation (even just to chat with zero expectations), every meeting, every project became an opportunity to meet the right people, leave a lasting impression and plant seeds for future work. You never know who you end up meeting if you go to that dinner you’re invited to… people know people.
Putting your name and work out there consistently isn’t just about visibility, it’s about showing up, being professional and being a genuinely good human being (a nice way of saying don’t be a pain in the neck). If you’re reliable, kind and professional, people notice, and they remember.
This year, online, I’ve prioritized LinkedIn, where I didn’t just copy-paste captions from Instagram. That wouldn’t have worked, because on IG I’m talking to photographers, but on LinkedIn I’m connecting with marketing professionals too. It required a different tone, different text, and a more tailored approach, but it made all the difference (and I am loving Linkedin)
I also started a new Instagram account on January 1st! Sure, I might only have 180 followers, but they’re all highly targeted people in the industry and…potential clients for the future.
Bottom line:
Ask the brands you want to work with for a call, even with no expectations for now. At the very least, they’ll get to know you through an introductory conversation, they will learn about you, they perceive (from tone of voice, confidence etc) if they would enjoy working with you.
And even when you don’t feel like it, go to that dinner, that event, take the project that isn’t your favorite. You’ll meet people. And again, people know people.
3. The “Oh…that’s how it works” phase
This one was humbling. It’s a “technical” one.
I realized pretty quickly that I had no real idea how hotels actually hire photographers. I assumed it worked the same way as with food businesses I worked with in the past. It doesn’t, duh.
Hotels don’t always need content. They don’t always have products to promote or “recipes” to shoot (duh). Everything is seasonal. They work in campaigns, which means you might reach out today and not hear back for months, not because they’re not interested, but because the timing isn’t right.
It takes patience. And if you’re lucky - as I was at some point this year - you happen to reach out at the exact moment they need new content for their brand.
I also learned that big hotel groups often require photographers to be officially approved. This ensures images meet the strict brand standards for consistency and quality of the visuals. It can slow down the process of being hired, but it’s part of the game. What really matters is showing what you can do and getting in front of the right people.
Bottom line:
Don’t make my mistake and assume you already know how things work just because you’ve “been doing this for a while”.
I ended up investing in a coaching session with someone in this niche because I wanted - and needed - to understand it better. Investing in this kind of guidance is CRUCIAL.
4. The power of being an observer: slow is fast, and fast is slow
Let’s talk creativity. You know how, in school, teachers would tell us to read the questions carefully before a test, to pay attention, read between the lines, and get to the right answer faster? The same principle applies here.
When I photograph on location at hotels, I check in the afternoon before the photo shoot (it’s now in my contracts). I scout the place and soak up every detail: hidden corners, what guests naturally gravitate toward, how the light moves through the rooms, how the staff interact, the rhythm of daily life... The same thing happens with travel photography, the first half day is to observe more than to ‘get the shot’
I also love taking quick videos or photos on my phone to see how what I want to capture actually looks on camera.
You see, this kind of work required a completely different type of creativity than what I used to do in my home studio. It’s not about arranging everything perfectly and then clicking, it’s more spontaneous, observing and capturing moments as they naturally unfold.
Bottom line:
Scouting first and taking photos or videos with my phone allows me to take in everything around me: hotels (and destinations) are full of details, and if you don’t pay attention, you’ll miss them (which is still…ok, sometimes:) but when you have to deliver, you have to deliver).
Remember the analogy above: teachers would tell us to read the questions carefully before a test, to pay attention, read between the lines, and get to the right answer faster. It’s the same here.
Yes, you want to take your time to absorb the details, but this is exactly what will help you get to the shots you want faster - especially when you need to deliver 100 great photos in two days, for a job (did that this year!)
Slow is fast, and fast is slow.
I think it’s time to wrap up this first part.
Next week, I’ll share part tw2o here on the blog, with a few more lessons I’ve learned, hopefully it’ll inspire you along the way.
Even though I’m sharing my experience, this is less ‘about me' and more about what you can take with you (just like I’m carrying these lessons into 2026!). Is it the pivot? The reminder that it’s never too late? Being more observant? Letting pride take a back seat?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to send me a message on Instagram @roberta.dallalba