Photography Tips for Vacation Rentals to Boost Bookings
Every angle and shot has a purpose for a photographer. The same has to happen with your vacation rental photos. They have to inspire and capture the real property.
Check these photography tips to make your Airbnb look pro!
Shoot to Impress
Start with your rental’s most impactful spot. If it’s a mural, a nice patio, an outdoor deck, or something that might bring the family or couple together. Something that can tell a story and invite people to have fun or be romantic or just relax. Shoot from various angles until you get the one that you like best and might look better than your competitors.
If you have a photo that pops due to its color compared to others, make that your primary one since it will catch the eye.
Avoid Tricks
As much as you want to impress people so they can book your place, you don’t want to trick them into thinking your space is something that is not. What we mean is to avoid using filters or lenses that make your place look brighter or bigger.
The Correct Composition
Shoot in landscape and try to get part of the floor, the room, and the ceiling, in other words, divide the space into those three parts and try to capture all three so it looks natural and people know what to expect.
Not all spaces will need this composition especially if you want to try a close-up of something unique but overall try to stick to this rule for rooms in general.
Lighting
It’s best to take a picture with natural light flowing in or ambient lighting as well because shooting with flash can show some shadows that won’t look well. If you have a dark room with no windows try to turn all the lights to avoid weird shadows. You can take this into consideration if you don’t have a photo editor that can help with lighting, in that case, the editor fixes many issues but if you don’t have one or you don’t know how to use one just stick to the natural or ambient lighting rule.
The Golden Hour
If you’re shooting in an outdoor space the best time is during the golden hours which are after sunrise and also before sunset so you get a soft light that helps the image look better. Avoid very bright light since it won’t look good.
Your Rental Exterior
Take shots of your rental’s exterior so guests can have a sense of understanding the environment. The outside of your main entrance and any other outdoor space you have that can be attractive like lawns, porches, or any backyard or pool especially.
Nearby Attractions
Adding nearby attractions can also help capture the magic of your place and the attractions that your city offers, like natural outdoor attractions or popular places like museums or landmarks (no restaurants or common places). Remember the golden hour rule as well.
Extra Tips
- Don’t ever use zoom if you’re taking pictures with your smartphone.
- Take a lot of pictures so you can use at least 20. To have 20 good pictures you have to take triple the amount you want to try out different angles and lighting.
- Always update your photos if you have something new to offer, even if it’s décor or a colored wall. Keep your photos up to date so guests know what to expect.