Providing high-quality photographs of your location is one of the best ways to increase your bookings and maximize your earning potential. Photographs are the first thing production companies and scouts look at when considering a location and at the end of the day, they play a big role in deciding which properties get booked.
Providing an album of high-quality photographs is a great way to build trust in your listing and generate excitement and attention on Giggster. Here are three things to keep in mind to get the most out of every photo:
1. Prep the Scene
Before you snap any pictures you should take some time to prepare your space. Preparations will vary depending on the location, but typically it's a good idea to clean and de-clutter the property and remove any objects or fixtures that could create an unnecessary distraction.
The goal of your photos is to impress and inspire potential renters and make it as easy as possible for them to match your property with their unique creative vision.
Think about how your space might be used and try to get some photographs of your property in action. This could be as simple as arranging a photograph to show the number of cars that fit in your driveway.
2. Lighting and Composition
Lighting and composition are the two most important ingredients of any great photograph.
Shooting in natural light is the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your images and make your property look more professional. Good light improves color, depth, and contrast and helps reduce the amount of grain and pixelation in an image. Generally, the best lighting for photos can be found in the hours around sunrise and sunset. Light from the sun is more diffused during these times which brings out the broadest range of color from your photos.
Once you have your lighting figured out the next thing to focus on is staging your photos. Poor photo composition can make a fantastic location look dull, and conversely, transform an ordinary space into an exciting cinematic location. Here are 5 basic tips to improve your composition:
Shoot in the corners of a room to create a more natural and expansive perspective of the space.
Choose a central object/focal point so viewers aren't confused about what to be looking at.
Keep the central object away from the very center of the frame, and try to follow the rule of thirds.
Simplify the image, by providing ample spacing around the central object to help it stand out.
Shoot in landscape mode ONLY. Never use portrait, panoramic or fisheye lens photos.
3. Quantity and Quality
Generally, the more photos you take the better the chance your property will get booked. It provides producers a more accurate reference of the property and it also ensures that they will spend more time browsing your listing. This doesn't mean shooting the exact same room a dozen times. Your goal should be to capture the variety and intricacies of the property, and provide potential renters a true-to-life picture of the space.
Start with the property features you've highlighted on your Giggster listing. Have an impressive fireplace? A creepy tool shed? A stunning view? A retro kitchen? A dusty old attic full of cardboard boxes? All of these features can set your location apart - so try your best to document them with a detailed set of photos.