I’ve recently refurbished my vacation rental, and am about to launch it to the world. I want some great photos to show the place off. Photos that help potential guests visualise the space. I want Instagram worthy shots.
I’m a do-it myself kind of guy. I bake my own bread, mend my own bikes and I built this website myself. And I like taking photos. So surely, I can do this job myself too?
I’ve taken a few good shots in my time, but I’m far from a Pro. They say a picture tells a thousand words, but does a better picture say more? In the belief that it does, I decided to hire a professional photographer for my Airbnb.
I found Ted through Google. I spoke to a few photographers and I picked him because he had a good website that showed his portfolio, he had experience in shooting vacation rentals, and his price was good. He charged $150 for the shoot and editing which was about in the middle of the range. I felt he had the skills I was missing to really do justice to the home I was offering my guests, and at $150 I’d easily see that return through more bookings.
Here’s the front of the house before and after:
The Front Lounge before and after:
Dining Room before and after:
The Kitchen before and after – I actually prefer my composition! So I might keep the original here. But I’ll put Ted’s in too because it’s a higher quality image overall.
The Back Lounge before and after:
Here’s one of the guest rooms:
In another guest room:
I think the results are plain to see. Ted’s photos are dramatically better.
The main problem with my own photos I found is that they make the place look small. Even cramming into the corners of each room, my photos look flat and the rooms seem cramped. I’d thought about getting one of these fisheye lenses* that attach to an iPhone. Perhaps this would have improved things a little, but frankly it’s clear to see that Ted’s photos are a hundred times better either way.
I’m really glad I used a professional photographer for my Airbnb. Truth be told, I’m embarrassed by my old pictures. Looking back, I’m not sure how I got any bookings! Not all my photos were this bad – I’ve deliberately chosen the worst ones to compare, but I still think the professional photos are a vast improvement. Thanks Ted, much appreciated!
One thing worth mentioning though is to ensure that the photos accurately reflect your place. There’s nothing more disappointing to a guest than arriving at a place that doesn’t live up to the expectations set by the photos. Be honest. Set expectations correctly – that will ensure happy guests, and happy guests make happy hosts.
If you’ve not started hosting on Airbnb yet, just do it. I really recommend it. It’s less work than you might think, particularly if you utilise automation. You can sign up to become an Airbnb Host here*. If you have a listing already, I think the above photos show that it’s worth investing in a professional photo shoot. I’m yet to see whether hiring a professional photographer for my Airbnb will increase bookings, but I’m betting it will.
If you have hired a professional photographer for your Airbnb, I’d love to see your before and after shots – drop a link in the comments below.
Thanks for reading, and happy hosting!