Photographing holiday rentals such as Bed and Breakfasts, hotels and serviced accommodation, is one of my specialist areas. I’ve photographed numerous holiday properties and so thought it would be useful to share my top tips on how to prepare your property for photography. By preparing well, you can ensure you have the best possible photos, I can capture the very best shots, and this will increase your bookings and encourage quality guests to book.
- Think about your target market – it’s a good idea to plan this ahead of time. Who does your property appeal to? Who would stay here? You want to encourage the maximum number of bookings from your target market. For example, there’s no point pitching a cute, character cottage in a rural area to someone who will be coming in for a business meeting in a town or city that needs more of an urban property. Think about your ideal guest and plan your shoot around them. Think about what they’re looking for first.
2. Remember your outside space – this may not apply if you have a city apartment, but if your property has outside space, then it’s worth spending some time preparing it, tidying it, and maximising it. If you have a lovely garden, make sure you’ve got some outside seating, and perhaps consider staging the table. Sell the lifestyle of your property, and show guests what they can do and enjoy whilst staying in your holiday rental.
3. Spend time staging – hopefully this is an obvious one! You may need to consider enlisting the help of a professional property stylist or interior designer (which by the way, costs less than you might think) to guide you on this. Again, you need to think about your target guest and stage accordingly. Think about your price range e.g. for a very budget property you may not go over the top on staging, but if you’re commanding a decent price, the accommodation has got to reflect that. There are lots of guides and articles on the internet for inspiration.
4. Think about the accessories – I will of course be photographing whole rooms, but I will also be focusing in on close up shots of special features your property has to offer. These are what i call ‘lifestyle photos’ and they add so much to your collection of photos. Think about added extras and have some props ready for me to photograph. For example, we could stage a hot tub with a bottle of Prosecco and some champagne flutes, or perhaps dress your breakfast table with a spread of yummy breakfast treats. These make for great photos and show your guests what they can expect. These types of photos show the added value you have to offer and sets you apart from the competition.
5. Plan your day and time of year – when does the sun hit the garden at just the right time? When does your property look its best? It may be tempting to book me in the winter, when perhaps your property is empty in this quieter time of year. Are those photos really going to show your property off at its best? I can take great photos all year round, but for those exceptional outdoor shots, properties often look so lovely in the spring and summer. Or perhaps you’d like some Autumn shots to show off lovely trees surrounding your property…
6. Don’t forget the surroundings – I often like to take photos of the setting of the property so do let me know about any nice features nearby that I may not be aware of. Guests often buy in to the location of the property so I want to show this off for you. I am not always familiar with the area so think about this in advance and let me know on the day if you have some good ideas.
For any other advice or to book your holiday rental photography shoot, feel free to email me at angela@angelawestgarth.co.uk 🙂
