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Mandarin Oriental taps photographer to capture New York with fresh eyes

Mandarin Oriental, New York is spotlighting the panoramic views of Manhattan accessible from its hotel through a social media campaign.

The property has tapped photographer Alice Gao as the guest curator of #MyViewYork, as she documents classic New York scenes with her unique perspective. With the rise of visual social media, travelers are more focused on getting the perfect sharable shots, making the photogenic properties of a hotel a key selling point.

Room with a view
Mandarin Oriental began sharing Ms. Gao?s photographs of New York on its social media accounts on May 4 using the hashtag #MyViewYork. An introductory post shows the view of Columbus Circle from the hotel.

The photographer also documented the West Village?s brownstones and the tulips in Madison Square Park, giving the quintessential New York settings her own spin.

?For any photographer, New York City is an endless source of inspiration and each season presents a new vantage point from which to discover the city,? said Alice Gao in a brand statement. ?As guest curator of #MyViewYork, I look forward to capturing the city as I experience it each day and taking Mandarin Oriental, New York?s followers on a journey with me over the next year.?
Imagery will be featured each week on Mandarin Oriental?s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest accounts. Later this year, the property will host a call for user-generated content surrounding the campaign, giving consumers the opportunity to share their own views.

This is the second year that Mandarin Oriental has hosted this photographic tour of New York.

?Our panoramic views looking out onto Central Park, the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline from Mandarin Oriental, New York are by far the most popular photos shared by guests on social media,? said Susanne Hatje, general manager at Mandarin Oriental, New York. ?Capturing the destination in this way has allowed us to share that unique perspective globally and engage a wider audience.

?Following the success of #MyViewYork last year with up-and-coming photographer Christian Chantemargue, we are excited to embark upon the second chapter of this campaign with Alice Gao allowing our followers to explore the city through her distinctive photographic lens.?

Photography challenges and UGC campaigns are becoming more popular among hotel chains as they look to help guests achieve their best vacation pictures.

Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts is keeping things in focus with its new visual education series.

Launched last year, ?Focus on Four Seasons? will offer tips to take the perfect photograph and curate the best images captured at Four Seasons hotels by professional photographers and the average Instagramming consumer alike. Meeting consumers on a platform they enjoy in a rewarding fashion helps keeps a brand visible and attractive to consumers (see story).