Tina Sommers, a travel photographer and businesswoman from Bridgeport with a professionally acknowledged eye for detail, will show works from her collection titled “The Art of Hospitality” at the Fairfield Public Library beginning in March. The show”™s photos, including “Day Dreaming,” taken in Bali, are drawn from Sommers”™ design and marketing business, TinaSommers.com.
- Tina Sommers at work in Healdsburg, Calif.
Sommers photographs the distinctive design features at international boutique hotel properties, capturing what she calls “the essence of their space, their natural textures and their vibrant hues.”
Sommers”™ photos are included in the Bruce Kershner Gallery exhibition titled “In Our Worlds” at the Fairfield Library, March 7 to April 25. A wine reception is March 14, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Sommers embraces the general and the specific in her marketing photos, noting the attractions of “a twinkling chandelier, hand-crafted furnishings or a spectacular vista.”
Sommers said, “I have visited more than 30 luxury resorts and boutique hotels across the globe.
“When an extraordinary experience captivates my senses, I”™m compelled to capture what makes the destination so special. With a camera I can identify the aesthetic and visual components by photographing individual design elements, exquisite color palettes and intricate motifs.
“Returning from my travels, I incorporate these images in distinctive custom marketing materials that I design and present to hotel management for purchase as well as add to my hospitality portfolio.”
As a practical matter, she does not wait for the phone to ring to get clients.
“After vacationing at One&Only”™s Palmilla resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, I created a postcard collection and included it with the guest survey that I mailed to the company”™s president,” she said. “He personally took the time to reply, commented that the images were magnificent and asked me to work with the general manager on creating postcards for their 5-star luxury resort.
- The White Hotel on the Greek isle of Santorini, as captured by Sommers.
“On another occasion, I created a photo book with the highlights of my stay at Amangiri in Arizona. I followed the same approach in presenting it to the management company and this led to an interview with the executive director at Singapore-based Amanresorts and future opportunities for photographing their properties.”
She has a destination dream list of two resorts: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Camp, Morocco, and Stamford-based StarwoodӪs Hotel Marqu̩s de Riscal, Spain.
As a professional traveler, Sommers offered several thoughts on the process.
Her favorite airport? “Hands down it”™s Changi Airport in Singapore. It”™s more than just an airport. I love the tranquil butterfly garden in Terminal 3.”
Her secret to passing time? “Lots of magazines, a thought-provoking book and striking up interesting conversations with fellow travelers.”
And her secret for breezing through security? “Dressing appropriately and efficiently (shoes that slide off, take off jackets, etc.), plus being organized (having the relevant paperwork ready). But, most importantly, a smile on my face and a positive attitude go a long way.”
