Too often I run across vacation rental that have, shall I say, less flattering pictures than possible. The ability to showcase the vacation homes is a great asset to online vacation rental marketing and provides the ability to really convey the ‘feel’ of the vacation home. Most vacation rental software also allows you to easily embed pictures into your property descriptions.
I adapted an article I found on www.digicamhelp.com to the vacation rental industry. Hopefully you will find some interesting and helpful info.
The digital camera is an essential tool for vacation rental managers who regularly take photos of their vacation rental property. Whether a professional or not, the importance of taking well-composed and exposed photos of vacation property cannot be overstated. Using a few tried and true techniques can produce near-professional looking images without the need of buying expensive equipment.
Wide angle lens for vacation rental property photography
While a wide angle lens isn’t required for taking photos of real estate, it is certainly a plus. Cameras and lenses with wide angle capability capture more of a scene than a normal lens.Not only can a larger area of the scene be photographed with a wide angle lens, but wide angle allows you to stand closer to the main subject. As a result, it’s often possible to take photos free from unwanted objects in the foreground such as trees and poles. If you haven’t purchased a digital camera, consider one with a 28mm (35mm equivalent) lens. Or check if the one you already own accepts a wide angle converter lens.�
Composing vacation rental property photos
Make a habit of checking the composition in the viewfinder or on the LCD before taking a photo. There are no hard and fast rules for composing vacatron property shots, but do keep in mind a few principles.
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Do some staging. Temporarily move distracting items from the scene such as a car in the driveway or a For Sale sign on the lawn. For interior shots, tidy up the room so it looks uncluttered.
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Highlight positive areas of property.
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Before snapping the shutter button, review the scene so vertical or horizontal line are perpendicular.
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Take shots from different angles so nothing obstructs an important part of the scene.
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Moving slightly to the left or right, or back a few steps, before taking a photo can improve composition. Check the composition on the LCD.
There are aspects of taking photos of real estate that can be challenging. Take a few moments to learn how to address the main ones.
Barrel distortion
When taking photos of real estate using the widest lens angle of a digital camera, you will undoubtedly get barrel distortion. The wide angle lens position causes the edges of an image to look curved or skewed. Lines that you’d expect to appear perpendicular are not. Barrel distortion is most noticeable when photographing a straight edge near the side of the frame, such as taking wide angle shots of angular buildings, doors and edges of walls.
Minimizing barrel distortion
To minimize barrel distortion, zoom in the lens closer and move back to get more of the subject within the frame. Watch the effects change on the LCD. Barrel distortion can be fixed with most image editing software, though avoid distortion as much as you can when actually taking a shot. �
Camera shake
Camera shake causes images blur. To prevent camera shake when shooting in low light, place your camera on a tripod or other support. If you don’t have a remote control, use the built-in self-timer to trigger the shutter.
The Jaggies
Photos taken of scenes containing lines at angles or at a diagonal are prone to the “jaggies.” Jaggies occur when lines are in high contrast to the background, such as a roof line against a clear sky. When a large image is reduced in size using a photo editing program with anti-aliasing, the “jaggies” should visually disappear. To help avoid jaggies when photographing subjects with strong angles, change your position or the distance you’re standing from the subject.
Photographing reflective surfaces
When taking photos of items with reflective surfaces, shoot at an angle so reflections are minimized. Avoid using a flash as its light will be recorded in the image and ruin it.
