Spring is Here – Tips to Freshen up Your Holiday Home Photography

Your Headline Photos Attract New Guests

Springtime is the great time to get some new photos to refresh your website & web listings. The wonderful colours of blossom, flowers in bloom and trees in leaf will help make your holiday home look even more appealing to potential guests.

Your headline photos are the most important in attracting new guests & bookings. Update your holiday home photographs and stand out from your competitors.

It is often said that a picture speaks thousand words. This is a great chance to let your imagery do all the selling for you and inspire guests to want to experience more.

Think Like A Guest! – Would You Like to Stay There?

What grabs your attention when you are trawling through hundreds of holiday homes for a weekend away? Is it the stunning balcony views, stylish interior design, quirky forest log cabin, a cosy romantic little cottage, the riverside garden or the inviting bubbling hot tub?

As your search for your perfect escape, it is the pictures that you scan through initially. Once you see one that takes your fancy you are inspired to look further and hope that it could be the one.

Great photos will inspire potential guests to visit you, however poor photos will put people off.

Handy Hints & Tips to Taking Striking Photos

Here are some handy hints and tips to help you take some striking photos to promote your holiday home.

Ideally it is best to get your photos taken professionally. One or two additional bookings will more than cover the investment. However if you wish to take photos yourself or add a few new images to your website here are some handy hints and tips.

As a general rule do not include people in your photos. Make your holiday home look as though it is only awaiting their arrival and allow guests to envisage themselves there already.

Best Time to Take Your Photos

A bright and sunny day is best for both taking your internal and external photos. It will brighten up your photos indoors and will show guests that it is always sunny where you are.

External Photos of Your Holiday Home:

Add Colour – Take photos of your holiday home from both the front & back. An elevated view would be great too
Highlight your Views – Take some early morning or late evening photos too
Garden – Cut the lawn, tidy up & make sure the hanging baskets & plant pots are all looking good
Outside Features – Photo any special features such as water features, decking, patio area or gazebo’s
Hot Tub – make sure it is bubbling & steaming nicely with the sun going down ideally and set the mood with some glasses of prosecco
Set up the garden seating, cushions & furniture, lay the table, open up some wine & pour two glasses
Picture the BBQ or pizza oven, set out some garden games e.g. croquet
Hide the garden hose, rubbish bin, garden equipment & buckets
No cars, no people & shut the garage door

Internal Photos of your Holiday Home:

Stage your house to look welcoming & homely, include fresh flowers, plants, a bowl of fruit & a well laid table – Make it look as it is just awaiting your guests arrival
Remove all clutter and unnecessary items, hide any unsightly cables or leads
Open all curtains & blinds, let in as much light as you can (avoid low sun as this can create dramatic shadows)
Open up the bi-fold doors to the patio / garden area so guests can how it would look
Kitchen – sparkling clean with clear surfaces, remove bins & any cleaning equipment
Living Room – fluff up cushions on the sofas, make everything look tidy & welcoming
Log burner / open fire place, make sure it is well lit & flaming nicely
Bedrooms – fluff up the pillows & scatter cushions, make sure no creases appear on the bed linen. Turn on the bedside lights for mood lighting
Bathrooms, have both bath & hand towels, show the shower / bath (no need to take a picture of the loo or floor mats)
Beware of mirrors, TV’s & windows, they can create awkward reflections & selfies

Show off the Little Extras & Local Highlights

If you make up a little welcome tray of goodies, take photos to show your potential guests
Any additional dog friendly features – ‘Paw Cleaning Station’, doggy towels, pet treats, etc.
Show an example of your ‘Guest Information Folder & Guide’
Take some photos of your local highlights & recommendations – favourite local cafe, pub, walks, local views. wildlife, beach or picnic spots

Snap away and don’t forget to take a few shots from different angles to see which come out best.

Crop, Edit Your Photos & Update Your Website

Once you have taken your photos, look through them carefully and select the best ones that reflect the character of your holiday home and its surroundings. You may wish to edit or crop the images a little before posting them onto your website and social media sites.

Grab your camera and take advantage of this colourful time of the year. Good photos will bring your holidays to life and new guests to your door.

View from the BBQ Area at Ross Bay Retreat

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