Marketing tips
Should I get professional photos of my holiday home?
11 Aug 2020
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By Sophie Eminson
When it comes to enticing potential guests to book your holiday let on various booking sites, first impressions matter. To beat the competition, it's crucial your property has good photos and is as visually attractive as possible. Here, we highlight the difference professional photos make with some before and after examples plus tips on how to take better photos. All the holiday let properties featured in this article use Travelnest to market their properties on over 30 top global booking sites like Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia. They also took advantage of our customer-only offer with Myphotoagency and invested in professional photos - full details below.
Take photos on a sunny day
Take a look at these before and after shots of East Cottage in Fife, Scotland. The ‘after’ shot is much more attractive, and the main reason for this is the weather! It was taken on a sunny day, and as you can see, this has a huge impact on how the photos look. If at all possible, take pictures of your holiday property on a sunny day to showcase it at its very best. Here, we can also see that the ‘after’ photo has a better composition, with the hot tub and outdoor seating used as the focal points.
Get the angles right
In these before and after photos of this modern apartment in Inverness, we can see the importance of choosing the right angle for taking photos. The ‘after’ photo is taken from a height, which really helps show off the proportions of the room better, and the shot itself is also wider. You can gain more height by using a tripod or standing on a chair – but please be careful! We can also see that the ‘before’ shot was taken at night, which makes the room seem darker, however the ‘after’ shot is taken on a sunny day with lots of natural light.
Think about the photo composition
In these photos of Greenmyre Farmhouse, near Kirremuir in Scotland, the composition of the ‘after’ photo makes a huge difference to the final result. Taken looking across the dining table, it gives a much better representation of the proportions of the room, and also shows off the outdoor seating, hot tub and the amazing views to maximum effect.
Another thing to note in the ‘after’ photo is that the table has been attractively staged to show an enticing breakfast and fruit bowl. Doing this really helps potential guests imagine themselves in the space – if they like what they see, this provides further incentive to book your property!
It's always so rewarding to see bookings increase for hosts who take up our professional photo offer. A picture speaks a thousand words, and the impact of these professional photos from Myphotoagency is just incredible!
Cassie Pryde, Account Executive, Travelnest
Find a focal point in the room
In these before and after shots of the living room at at Beallach Lodge near Ardgay on the Dornoch Firth you can see the difference that is made by having a clear focal point within the shot. In the professional shot on the right, the log burning stove, mantelpiece and TV are positioned in the centre, which helps to draw the eye in.
The angle of the ‘after’ shot has also been changed so that it isn’t looking into direct sunlight. Photographing into direct sunlight isn’t recommended – as you can see on the left in the ‘before’ photo, the bright white windows draw the eye away from what is actually in the room. The ‘after’ photo on the right is also of a much higher resolution, giving a crisp, highly detailed image.
Use a high resolution for better quality images
The importance of using high resolution photos can be be seen in these before and after shots of this traditional holiday chalet in Montenegro. Low resolution images look blurry and make it much more difficult for potential guests to see your property clearly. The ‘after’ photo is taken in daylight, from a height to show off the proportions of the room, and it at a far higher resolution so that the final result is a crisp image where the details are clear.
When it comes to photo resolution, use the highest possible resolution you can, to ensure photo quality. We recommend 2880 pixels on the longest side.
Don't distort the photos
In these before and after photos of Hapus Luxury Yurts and Barn near Abergele in North Wales, the original ‘before’ image looks a little distorted, because a fish-eye lens has been used. Although this type of lens is good for panoramic, wide angle photography, it can distort smaller spaces. In the ‘after’ shot, the image is a more accurate representation of this beautiful space. On this listing, additional professional photos were taken to show off the beautiful beamed ceiling of the dining room at this unique property.
It is always better to have more, rather than less photos on your listing, to show rooms off from different angles. The major platforms such as Booking.com, Expedia and HomeAway recommend that listings include at least 24 photos, however don’t be restricted by this number.
Properties with 20+ images receive 6 times the number of enquiries than those with less than 5 photos, so it really pays to add more good quality images to your listing. Try to include 4 photos per room type, one of which is of the bathroom.
Get more photography tips
Check out our handy guide on Taking photos that appeal for more tips from our expert team. Discover how to take great photos and use them on your listings for maximum impact and appeal!
