As a host, this is how you can make sure you have good photos of your rooms?
Providing a room to someone who is here to study is not that complicated.
You just need to take certain easy steps to make sure you get the right person in your place.
One of the first steps is to make your Bedssi listing look good.
The best way to do this is by having great photography of not only the room where they will sleep, but also the amenities (bathrooms), social spaces (living room, dining room, kitchen) and outdoor spaces (terraces and backyards).
So this is what we suggest you do in order to increase the chances for them to choose your room(s) over others.
Lighting Is Key to Making the Shot:
With indoor shots more than anywhere else, lighting is key.
Try to take the picture with as much natural light as possible. This means, take the pictures at day time!
You want the light to flow naturally in your picture and help lead the eye.
Open every curtain/blinds (as much as possible). If you have grills/fly screens open them (or take them off) as they do cut the light coming into the space.
Turn on every light in the room. also helps.
Light helps add depth and warm colour to the room.
If the pictures still look dark, consider using photo editing software to brighten them up a bit or add extra contrast.
You normally get free software with a digital camera that will do this.
Avoid reflections from lights on pictures, mirrors and windows.
Flash Is Your Enemy:
When possible try to get the job done with just natural light. Flash use is always tricky and if not used properly will make the space look dry and fake.
Ordering and styling are VERY Important:
Just like models need time to apply make-up for studio shoots, you need to allow time to clean the room to prep for the shoot.
De-cluttering is important to help remove distractions for the eye. In particular, watch for piles of stuff, coffee tables full of magazines, too many items sitting on a bookcase, etc.
These things clutter a picture and can be distracting in the final shot. Treat every shoot like a shoot for a magazine and stage the room.
Make the bed up.
Even if the room is not going to be rented out with bed linen included, it’s a good idea to make the bed. This is your chance to bring some colour in the picture (maybe by having some bright scatter cushions) You’d be surprised at how this can make all the difference, giving people a sense of how homely the room can be, and letting them imagine what it would be like to live there.
If you show a stark bed and mattress instead, you’re making them do all the hard work to imagine turning it into a place they can really live in, and many just won’t bother making the leap.
Shoot Into Corners:
This is one of the most important tips to interior photography and it’s very simple: shoot into the corner of a room to make the space appear larger.
Corners make a room appear larger and more liveable:
When you shoot straight at a wall, it can make the room seem flat, and sometimes walls can end up bending oddly on camera.
Look through any major interior magazine and you’ll see the corner of the room is the best place to shoot towards.
Let the Interior Tell the Story:
Look for unique ways to capture the Bed/Room personality and showcase its true character. If the building is an old brick house, look for unique brick details you can highlight.
If it’s an ultra-sleek modern building, look for unique light patterns or quirky architectural details.
Every interior and building has a story, so a good way to succeed is to find it and capture it for your guest.
OR perhaps hire a photographer to do the job.
This will only need to be done once and you’ll make sure you have a great listing that will last many years afterwards.
REMEMBER: Save and upload them in the highest possible format. Showcasing large, clear pictures is evidence that the room is high quality.
If you are thinking in becoming a host please contact us. We are more than happy to help you with your listing.