Looking for tips for photographing holiday accommodation

[altyfc]

Hi everyone

We have a holiday apartment between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales that we opened this year. At the time of opening, we were in a bit of a hurry so I just took a selection of semi-adequate shots on a Canon IXUS.

You can see them at http://www.kendalcottages.com/photogallery.htm

I’m not really that happy with them as I don’t think they paint the accommodation in the best light, but they have kind of done the job for the time-being. Now I would like to look at upgrading the images.

Recently, I bought a new DSLR – the Canon EOS 50D with the 17-85 lens. I am still learning with it, but am pleased with the results so far.

I am going to have a go at doing some better shots later this week and am just looking for tips. For instance:

Would I be best shooting in RAW? I normally just use the highest JPG setting…
Do I need to use a tripod? I have an old one somewhere…
Do I need to be using a different lens? A wider angle, perhaps? If so, any recommendations?
Should I be using reflectors or additional light sources? Don’t have any so any recommendations welcome if it’s something I need…
Should I be using HDR? Never done it before but willing to learn…

My main concern is the main shot – the one with the balcony, the river, the bridge and, in the distance, the castle on the top of the hill. I want to show them all to their best in one shot, if I can, and am wondering if HDR is the best way to achieve that.

I’m also considering ‘setting up’ rooms. Ideas so far are:

Balcony table with bottle of Champagne in ice bucket and couple of glasses.
Fresh flowers.
Nice bowl of colourful fruit on one of the tables.
Kitchen surface with a nice loaf of homemade bread on a chopping board, with knife and a couple of slices.
Cafetiere with coffee, and cups, jug of milk, sugar, etc.

- all things that will hopefully make the place look a bit more lived in, and give people a more welcoming/cosy impression.

Any more ideas like this or any tips at all would be most welcome, and I’ll gladly report back with some new shots in due course…

Thanks!

 

[Briony]

Sounds great are dogs allowed :shrug: having a job to find somewhere that I can go and take O.H and the dogs just to get away for a short break.

 

[altyfc]

Really sorry, Briony... we don't take pets at our place. If you PM me with when and where you are looking for, I might be able to point you in the right direction...

 

[Superape]

It looks lovely - the balcony shot in particular makes me want to stay there!

My comments (for what they are worth):

The sink shots don't do it for me - I'd be more tempted to go for a lower angle and bring other parts of the bathroom in. If I'm booking a room I'm interested in the bathroom, not the sink in the bathroom if you see what I mean.

Some of the other shots of the room could also do with being taken from lower down so you can see them 'on the level', rather than you looking down towards the floor. The one of the table & chairs by the window, for example, is a lovely photo of the table & chairs, but what about what you can see from them?

The shot of the white bedroom with the wall mounted TV makes the room look really cramped.

Arty shots of details are good (and the sort of thing I would do), but you also need to sell the room so things need a bit of context.

Hope that helps

 

[Briony]

Really sorry, Briony... we don't take pets at our place. If you PM me with when and where you are looking for, I might be able to point you in the right direction...

Oh well another blank drawn just want soemwehre to go and take the dogs as I will not put them in kennels and OH won't fly getting fed up of trying to find somewhere. :bang:

 

[altyfc]

Thanks, Superape...

It looks lovely - the balcony shot in particular makes me want to stay there!

Thank you. Yes, that's my main 'selling' shot, I think. I'd just like to shoot something a bit stronger. Nice, blue sky, Champagne on ice, etc... something that gives it a bit more 'wow'.

My comments (for what they are worth):

The sink shots don't do it for me - I'd be more tempted to go for a lower angle and bring other parts of the bathroom in. If I'm booking a room I'm interested in the bathroom, not the sink in the bathroom if you see what I mean.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I find the bathroom shots particularly difficult. The bathrooms themselves are quite tight and not very well lit (it's a new build with energy saving bulbs that don't make the room ultra-bright). They are nice bathrooms (Villeroy Boch) but I find them difficult to photograph. Perhaps now I have a wider angle with the new camera, that will help.

Some of the other shots of the room could also do with being taken from lower down so you can see them 'on the level', rather than you looking down towards the floor. The one of the table & chairs by the window, for example, is a lovely photo of the table & chairs, but what about what you can see from them?

OK, thanks, point taken. The reason for the higher angle on that particular one was because I wanted to highlight the proximity of the river, and the fact that you're effectively dining by the riverside. Maybe I need to re-think that.

The shot of the white bedroom with the wall mounted TV makes the room look really cramped.

Again, I know what you mean. Both bedrooms have wall-mounted TVs but I find it really difficult to include them in the shots, without ending up taking the pictures from an awkward angle. This is why I didn't even bother doing so on the master bedroom. Hmmm... I need to have a think how I'm going to do that, also.

Arty shots of details are good (and the sort of thing I would do), but you also need to sell the room so things need a bit of context.

Hope that helps

It certainly does, thank you.

 

[altyfc]

Oh well another blank drawn just want soemwehre to go and take the dogs as I will not put them in kennels and OH won't fly getting fed up of trying to find somewhere. :bang:

As I say, PM me with some specifics of exactly what you're after and when, and I'll see if I can help. I work in the UK tourist industry for the day job.