When capturing photos of your vacation rental, it is now commonplace to incorporate the use of a digital camera. They are becoming easier to use than the regular 35mm types, and basic ones can be found quite cheap. Digital cameras also make it quicker for you to upload your photos to your computer for editing and adding them to your listings on vacation rental websites. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you start capturing your rental home on camera.

Take lots of photos! The nice thing about most digital cameras is the small window located on the back for quick viewing of the photos you have just taken. You can sift through and easily delete the ones you don’t like, so don’t worry about overloading the camera or having too many pictures. Having many different angles and shots of your vacation rental is important so your potential guests can have a good idea of the place they would be staying in if they were to rent from you. Be sure to turn the camera to get a variety of landscape and portrait shots as well.

Experiment! Take many different shots in various lighting and times of day. The lighting is one of the most important aspects of the photo. For the interior shots, try using various lamps and overhead lights to achieve the best look for each room. Avoid getting too many lamps in the shot, especially if they are not meant to be in the room. When taking exterior pictures, experiment by getting shots at dawn, noon, and evening times to see which lighting shows off your home the best. The use of a tripod is also essential to get good quality shots. The least little shake of the camera can cause a blurred shot.

Only use the best! It may take a few days to get top quality photos of your rental, but never settle for mediocre shots. Be sure the rooms are free of clutter when you photograph them. Too much junk in the pictures will not justify the true size of the room, and make discourage people to stay in your rental if they think it will be too messy or hard to move around in. Also avoid using the flash in some of your photos, as it can sometimes alter the true lighting of the room.
The photos are the most important aspect of your listings. They are the first impressions others have of your place when they see your ads. No matter what amenities you offer or how much your rates are, if your photos don’t do justice to your home, you will inevitably lose business.

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