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Photos can be a powerful way to help boost your bookings so it is important to know what to do in order to showcase your property. This article provides expert tips and advice on how to get the best out of your camera.
Photos are one of the first things that your potential guests will see when they are seeking out holiday home accommodation. They can be the thing that will make or break a guest’s decision to book, so it is important to get them right.
When done correctly, photos can be a powerful way to help boost your bookings so it is important to know what to do in order to showcase your property and stand out from other holiday home listings
At Bachcare, as part of your membership, all owners receive a photography package with professional photographers Open2View. This ensures we capture your holiday home in its best light and appeal to a wide range of potential guests.
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Below are some expert tips and advice from professional photographers, home staging specialists, travel guides, and property managers who know how to get the best out of their cameras.
Jack Donnell from Fundhomes says that accuracy is just as important as quality.
"It's important to take high quality photos but it’s just as important to take accurate photos. A top complaint and reason for low review scores is misrepresenting the property."
You can have the best photos of your property, but if they aren’t accurate and if they are too misleading this can run the risk of setting expectations too high.
Having disappointed guests on arrival because the reality isn’t anywhere near what the photo represents will lead to negative reviews and guests who don’t come back to your holiday home.
Sarah Simon from Mukikapup's Travels suggests showing photos of the surrounding area of your holiday home.
"Besides all the rooms of the holiday home and amenities, showing the neighbourhood and general area will let people know what they're getting into as far as location. If you're near a beach, include photos of it.
Since we can't see the exact location until we book, this can really help people feel like you're not hiding anything. When the photos are high quality, and the photography is done well, you'll get more interest."
Bachcare are often situated in the most stunning locations around New Zealand. If you are near a beach, have great scenic views, or close to town with loads of things to do nearby, showing this in your photos can help guests picture what it would be like to stay there for their getaway.
Samantha from Samantha Shannon Photography suggests turning off the lights and opening the windows.
"While it might seem counterintuitive, turn off any overhead lights or lamps before you photograph your holiday home.
They might look good to the naked eye, but on camera, lamps and overhead lights can cast harsh yellow and orange tones around your room.
Not only will this give you harsh spots of light in your photo, it can also make your chosen paint colours look much different than they actually are. Instead, wait for the time of day when your room gets the most light, usually between 10am and 3pm.
Open up any blinds or curtains, then take the photo. Your home will look light, airy, and inviting."
Jeremy Scott Foster from TravelFreak suggests making use of the wide-angle lens when taking photos to show off your holiday home.
"Whether on a professional camera or using your smartphone, the wide-angle lens is able to capture so much more in an image than a regular lens.
While it will inevitably skew the room's proportions ever so slightly, it allows the person viewing to imagine themselves in an entire room, rather than just seeing a selection of random corners that don't quite fit together.
This instantly makes your accommodation more inviting because the viewer can actually see themselves spending time there and imagine what they would do or how relaxing it is.
People are naturally emotionally driven creatures, and the wide angle lens offers the ability to feel a sense of the space, rather than just seeing what it has to offer."
Just remember to try not to skew reality too much. Aim for the best representation of your holiday home. It’s also worth paying attention to anything on the borders of your frame, which may become distorted.
Small details matter, don’t be so distracted about getting the perfect shot that you forget to clean the property or spruce things up beforehand.
Martin Carreon from Soco Wine Country Properties says:
"You should never ignore the little things. You might forget to put the toilet seat down or straighten the rug when you are concerned about the bigger picture. These little things might distract your potential buyers and make them click off your profile."
Keep things simple and avoid clutter. Allowing for guests to have their own space helps them feel more at home and comfortable.
Kevin Hwang from Ultimate Kilimanjaro says:
"Don't overdo it on decor. Keep it classy, simple, and clean. Guests should have everything they need, while also having enough surfaces and counter space for their own belongings. You want them to admire the room, not be forced to move things around to set up their charging stations and travel-size lotions."
Ramiro Cerda from Escape Travel Club recommends showcasing the experience to your potential guests. People seeking out a holiday generally want to imagine what their experience will be like. Sell the dream by showing them the best aspects of your holiday home.
"The best images are ones that capture the experience of the holiday home/Airbnb. It’s not always all about the panoramic view of the space, instead focus on the experience someone will have.
Staging and preparing the place before photos is crucial. Making a clean crisp bed, fluffing pillows, staging the dining table and setting up the pool with fun activities, and closing the toilet lid in the bathroom is super important.
Showcase the experience, not just the property. Having a professional photographer that could edit and capture each space with a special eye of the consumer is key.
You can capture great images with mobile devices but at the end, it all comes down to how you showcase the experience, eye of hospitality, and magazine-worthy images. You want to be proud of your images at the end because that’s what you will be sharing with your guests."
Theresa Raymond at TN Smoky Mtn Realty recommends using a tripod especially for beginner photographers, and for taking long exposure images:
"There is no issue with taking a photo without a tripod. Usually, professionals are comfortable taking photos without them. But if you’re a new photographer, you should take your photos with a tripod. It has many benefits to it.
First, you can easily set the horizon. You can decide what will be in the frame of the photo and fix many settings that come with the camera. It will also ensure your real estate images appear clean and in focus.
If you plan to take long exposure images of the house's exterior, which can create a beautiful shot, a tripod is a must."
Christina LeVasseur, co-owner of Cozy Mountain Escape, recommends taking photos from the corners of your room to capture the full space.
"One way to show the interiors of your home is by taking photos from the corner of the room. This helps to make small spaces appear larger and give potential guests a better idea of what the entire room looks like.
Our brilliant photographer took photos from all four corners of each room to give a complete view. By highlighting this in our listing, potential guests can get a better idea of our home layout and decide if our space is best for them.
In turn, we believe the investment in quality photos (coupled with great hospitality) has been responsible in establishing trust and generating positive reviews."
