At Mark Chivers Photography, I pride myself on being a commercial photographer capable of creating immersive, high-end visual storytelling through my photos. Recently, I had the pleasure of collaborating with my boutique hotel client in Ealing; Hotel Xanadu London; to photograph their newly refurbished bar and restaurant area, now rebranded as The Embassy Bar. After this stunning renovation, the space deserved a photoshoot to tell the story of the bar’s new visual identity in style.
A Boutique Hotel’s Vision Meets a Photographer’s Lens
Hotel Xanadu occupies a special place in West London’s boutique hospitality scene. With its mix of contemporary design and timeless touches, it offers stylishly appointed rooms and suites, drawing guests who value personality as much as comfort. When the hotel decided to refresh its bar and restaurant, the brief was simple yet sophisticated: retain warmth, deepen ambience, bring in clarity and make The Embassy Bar a destination in its own right.
That’s where I stepped in as their commercial photography partner. My goal was to visualise the character and narrative of this space; from the gleam of polished marble and the subtle glow of ambient lighting, to the arrangement of velvet seating and the interplay of shadows across textured walls.
The Embassy Bar: From Concept to Captured Light
As soon as you walk into The Embassy Bar its visual impact strikes you. There is a harmony of old-world charm and modern elegance felt through the mix of texture and clean-cut visuals. It was a pleasure to capture the space’s rich timbers, plush seating, muted hues and curated lighting: each frame coming alive with the atmosphere and charm that is ever present in the space.
I worked through the shoot with care: planning how to best move through the room, balancing artificial lighting, accentuating architectural lines and refining every frame so that the results would not merely document but enchant.
I considered vantage points that make the bar feel expansive, while also isolating cosy seating nooks for intimacy: capturing symmetry and perspective in bar counters and shelving and allowing playful reflections, gleams and textures to tell their own stories. My subtle but purposeful compositional decisions ensured each image carried its own mood; whether dramatic, welcoming or elegant.
Why This Shoot Matters
As a commercial photographer, the thing that truly sets me apart is that I don’t just press the shutter; I interpret brand, design and spatial artistry. In the case of The Embassy Bar, my photography helped The Hotel Xanadu present its renewed identity with high-quality, sophisticated imagery across all platforms, attracting a wide audience to the space.
Each collaboration is a partnership of vision. When your space undergoes transformation, whether hotel, restaurant, bar or boutique venue, ensure your visuals carry the same care and thought as your design. Let me bring your story into frame with the craft, clarity and impact it deserves.
