Photography tips for AirBnB

Photography tips for your AirBnB, why you might need them and how to achieve the best results.

Suppose you have ever experienced that touch of anxiety when you’re booking a stay somewhere without being able to see inside beforehand. In that case, you’ll know how important it is as an Airbnb host to put your guests’ minds at ease with plenty of high-quality photos that show off your property.

Engender trust

Like any online transaction, photographs engender trust between the guest and host. Photos taken by a professional with the latest cameras will always give you an edge. Still, for those on a budget, we will share our top tips for taking captivating pictures of your property that’ll have people banging down your door to book their stay with you!

Grab the attention of potential guests

On the most basic level, your photographs need to grab the attention of potential guests and showcase what your property has to offer. Photos are the single most effective tool in clinching a booking and communicating what your property is all about. A study conducted by TripAdvisor shows that having just one photo increases the likelihood of a booking inquiry by 225%! If that can be achieved with a single picture, imagine what could be possible with several.

If you plan to snap your own shots to advertise your Airbnb, here are some of our tried and tested tips.

Use images to set expectations

Before eagerly whipping out your smartphone and papping your property, you need to understand your angle – and I’m not talking about camera angle! Brainstorming what you’re offering can be useful because your photos should do far more than show your property’s facilities. Try developing a gallery that shares a sense of the experience your guests will have when they choose your accommodation. Make a list of shots you need to:

Tell a story

A property with photos that show barely-dressed rooms and nothing more is likely to lose out to one that uses its images to sell a potential customer on a dream getaway. Use colours and lighting and shots of amenities and local attractions to invoke excitement about a girly holiday, romantic weekend or family vacation and differentiate what you’re offering from all the other listings.

Soft lighting, minimalistic decor, candles and flowers suggest a different mood to city skyline views and wine poured into a glass. This will also communicate to guests what’s on offer during their stay, helping to draw the right type of traveller to you and enhancing your guest satisfaction.

Reflect your property genuinely

The story your photos tell should inspire guests to stay with you; they should envision their ideal stay centred around your accommodation. However, this inspiration is built on faith, in the same way that you, as a host, like to have a true sense of your guests before you trust them with your property; prospective guests like to know that what they see is what they’re going to get before they trust you with their money.

You might feel that taking exaggerated or enhanced shots from skewed perspectives makes your rooms look bigger, but photos that seem warped, like those taken with a wide-angle lens, can arouse suspicion. If your photos reflect reality, you’ll set the right expectations for your guests and deliver the experience they anticipated when they booked.

Understanding key photos

Having 20 photos in a gallery might seem impressive, but if they all show fruit bowls, scatter cushions and inspirational wall art, then there’s some vital information being missed. Whilst setting the mood and telling a story are essential, you also need to make sure your photos show potential guests the things they want to see.

• Aim for 4 interior shots as a minimum. This should include at least 1 of each bedroom, any living space, the kitchen and the bathroom. That last one is particularly important – would you believe that 60% of travellers stated that it was crucial to be able to see the bathroom before booking?
• Include a photo of the entrance so that guests can imagine themselves arriving and beginning their holiday (and to help them recognise and find it).
• A photo showing the outside of your property gives people a sense of the environment and location and instils confidence that it’s not an abandoned hut in the middle of nowhere! Unless, of course, that is what they booked 😀
• Pictures of the surrounding area or local attractions are something travellers appreciate seeing, particularly if you’re located in a city or place of interest.
• If your property has any amenities that might appeal to guests, such as a family dining area, hot tub or pet-friendly features, then add images of them.
• Choose a primary image that tells the clearest story about your property or communicates a unique selling point. It appears on your main listing, so it should highlight what you’re offering and not be of peripheral areas like bathrooms or utility rooms.
• Using the right resolution images makes a huge difference in depicting your property as top-quality, genuine and trustworthy. As for size, we recommend 2880 px on the longest edge.

Making your property stand out

Rooms:

• Take advantage of natural lighting. Artificial light is harsh and unflattering; time to open up those curtains and pay attention to the sunlight at certain times of day.
• A room with a view can be enough to sway a booking. Photographing the stunning vista (should you be lucky enough to have one) could inspire a traveller to book with you.
• Clean, fresh images are easier on the eye. Taking the time to de-clutter and tidy each room, down to the final wrinkle in the bed sheets, keeps photos looking appealing and rooms looking well cared for.
• Also, move everyday, mundane items out of shot. We all know that TV remotes and rubbish bins exist, but we don’t necessarily need to see them in pictures of your rooms. It’s worth noting that text and brand names don’t appear well in photos either.

Features:

• Show off things that make your property unique! If there’s colourful artwork on the walls, a kooky statue in the bathroom or a stand-out lighting feature in the living room, snap some warm, welcoming pictures to capture people’s interest.
• Be aware of composition and style your photos carefully. If you’re showing off a spiral staircase or roll-top bath, consider how angles and perspective make these features look luxurious and inviting.

Locations:

• Use alluring photographs of the community or landscape surrounding your property. If you’re choosing to draw focus to specific landmarks, then make sure they’re accessible from your Airbnb – overpromising about location will only lead to unimpressed guests and poor reviews down the line.
• Golden Hour is an underrated photography tool! The way the light after sunrise or before sunset illuminates a property’s three-dimensional appeal is unmatched, particularly for exterior shots. Make the most of this soft, glowing light to highlight shapes, colours and textures.
• Remember to include pictures of any outdoor amenities you offer, such as bicycles you rent, parking availability or a nearby hiking trail.

Smartphone photography

Technological evolution means that most of us carry a reasonably advanced HD camera in our pockets. While the high-quality images you can take on your phone are useful, you either need to rely on perfect natural lighting or proficient editing skills to make them look organically well-lit. Here are some tips for making the most of your DIY snaps.

Lighting

• Use natural light as much as possible (a reminder to take full advantage of Golden Hour!)
• Use the position of your body to get the right balance – the light source in front of you will create dark silhouettes while positioning it to the side of you or behind you will create a more illuminated subject.
• Using the flash is a no-no! Use lamps to illuminate darker spaces or change the brightness, contrast, shadows and highlights using the edit functions on your phone.
• Adjust the exposure before taking the picture to create a rich, well-balanced image.

Composition

• The rule of thirds is vital in photography, so turn on your smartphone camera’s gridlines. They create 9 equal boxes, the 4 centre points where the eye usually falls first. Use this to align the important parts of your image.
• Some surprisingly good shots can be captured by changing your viewpoint – crouching down can be very effective.
• Backing up into a corner will show the space at its widest. Avoid standing on a chair, as this can cause distortion.
• Try to keep verticle lines straight for a more professional-looking photo.

Smartphone Tips

• Use HD (High Definition) or HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode. This will help to pull detail from the brightest and darkest areas of the image to create fuller depth and colour.
• Though zooming in on key features can be tempting, smartphone cameras have a built-in digital zoom that creates a fuzzy image. Avoid it where possible.
• Filters and effects can be fun, but save them for your selfies! They can be distracting and don’t scream ‘professional’.
• Try as many angles, positions and exposures as possible to capture the best photos.
• Once you’ve decided on your shots, check them on a desktop screen and your mobile to ensure they don’t appear pixelated or cropped on either device.

Your property has so much to offer

Your property has so much to offer. The photos on your listing are the only way to show it off and encourage people to book. If you’re eager to ensure your photos do your accommodation justice and all of this sounds like a lot of hard work, consider letting our team at Striking Places Photography capture amazing photos of your Airbnb for you.

Get in touch today

We’ve been photographing hotels and self-serviced accommodations since 2012. We can even create a virtual interactive walkthrough tour to enhance your listing further. If you’d like to chat with us about how we can showcase your Airbnb in the best light, get in touch today and get the bookings rolling in!