Can the federal per diem hotel rates be used when itemizing job-related deductions, or does it always have to be the actual hotel expense?

[eah-2005]

The occupation is traveling photographer. The employer reimbursement is quite low as compared to the federal per diem rates, and it meant to cover both meals and lodging. 

[Opus 17]

For income taxes, you can use the standard per diem meal rate instead of actual meal expenses, but you can only use your actual hotel costs.

What you can do is report your actual work expenses (actual hotel plus actual meals or the meal per diem).  Then Turbotax will ask, did you receive any non-taxed reimbursements.  If your reimbursements were non-taxed, give that amount, and Turbotax will calculate that the non-reimbursed part of the expenses are a tax deduction.  If your reimbursements were included in your taxable wages, you don't need to report them and you can deduct your entire actual expenses against that income.