Why would/should you pay for professional photos of your Guest House, Business, B&B?
No sales pitch here, just facts. In a world where the average person is bombarded with thousands of advertisements every day, marketing gets a little more complicated. When where and how you advertise can take many forms. But one thing is used in almost every aspect of marketing, IMAGES. So, it makes sense that professional photography will help your business or brand stand out from the crowd.
Also, Google and all the major hosting sites have algorithms that can tell if a photograph is good or bad, and that directly affects your ranking. Higher rankings mean more clicks that ultimately lead to more business.
Besides years of experience and knowing a thing or two about marketing, here are some factors that separate me from the majority of photographers. I DO NOT auto HDR like many real estate photographers, and I personally compose and edit my photos without A.I.
_1_ Multiple exposures. Our eyes are engineered more superior than any camera. That is why it is difficult to create a photo exactly as we see it. Our eyes can differentiate between light and dark so fast we hardly realize it. Blending differently exposed photos in photo editing software is a timely process. Some of my final images may contain as many as 12 differently exposed photos and most of the time a studio light is also used.
_2_ Why a studio light? (Sometimes the technique is referred to as a window pop) The transition from bright to dark around a window or door can be extreme. This is where a studio light comes in. To create a photo exposed for the bright sunlight outside, will leave the room dark or underexposed, so the studio light is set to balance the exposure. But flash image alone will cause unnatural shadows, therefore is used together with other exposures.
_3_ The right lens for the job. Most DSLR cameras come with a kit lens. Without getting too technical here, it just means you are losing some of the image, especially if you are in a small space. You get super wide angle and even wider, known as a fish-eye lens. Lastly mentioned causes extreme distortion, meaning straight lines will appear bulged. I use a super wide angle lens, that include as much of the room as possible without the visual distortion. For detailed or lifestyle shots I often use a different lens to isolate the subject, rather than to include the whole background.
_4_ Time of day. Sunshine and blue skies just work better. There is a whole psychology around the subject. Depending on your area and if the view or if your property has an attractive curb appeal, some images will work magically at sunrise, sunset or twilight. Because time here is limited, a little planning beforehand goes into this.
_5_ Need a “Drone Shot”? But you have a neighbour with issues, or maybe live in a No-Fly zone. I have a solution. Using a special camera on an extended pole, I can take photos from an elevated view. Though I am limited to 4 metres and cannot fly high over the property, the result is very much the same. Without the hassle and cost involved using a drone.
Yes, you may have a ‘smart phone’ that takes pretty smart photos. But it has its limitations.
Planning and staging before the shoot is very important. There are loads of information on the internet about staging but because people have different taste in decor, I do not get involved in the styling.
I have learned to keep it simple. Here are a few tips.
Don’t pack your rooms full of amenities, people expect to get what they see in the online photos. If you don’t offer certain things or you will be removing certain items to ‘keep safe’, then don’t show them in the photographs.
Windows with a view or where curtains will be open must be CLEAN.
Things like a tidy garden may be obvious but is often overlooked and neglected to attend to before a shoot.
Lightbulbs should all be the same colour temperature. Stick to one type, either warm-white or cool-white.
You can reach me via the contact page or phone / WhatsApp 076 480 9191.
Gerhard Coetzer
