Picture perfect – making sure your photos show your best side

Good photography is essential when promoting your business – whether in brochures, websites or advertising. Visitors like to see what you have to offer and exactly what they are booking. This is especially important if they are likely to travel a long way to get to you. It helps build confidence that you really exist and will encourage visitors to make the journey to stay with you.

Nowadays digital cameras make it easy for anyone to take their own photographs. Even if you are confident of your own skill with a camera, investing in good professional photography can still make a difference because they will use different lenses, lighting and have much more experience. They also lend a professional eye and can help you to see your accommodation in a fresh light.

Setting up your photos

Remember the following points when taking or commissioning your photographs:Give your photographer a clear brief so he or she understands what you want to achieve. Decide in advance what you will need to photograph and ensure everything is prepared before the photographer arrives. Pay careful attention to the details – are cushions straight, windows clean, bedcovers straight, lawn neatly mown or flowerbeds weeded? Explain where you want to use the photographs – website, brochure, advertisement – as this affects which image quality and formats you need. If your photographer is providing prints ask them to let you have digital versions as well. Also establish who retains copyright of the images. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can look through the camera lens to see if a particular shot will include the things you want. Take a selection of photographs in portrait (upright) as well as landscape (horizontal) format. You will then be able to choose which works best from the point of view of the image or of where you want to use it. Try to show people having fun or carrying out appropriate activities in the photographs, but do not use people for the sake of it – a photograph of an attractive bedroom is more likely to sell than one of the receptionist grinning as she lifts up the phone. Avoid anything that will date the photographs, such as very fashionable clothes, visible calendars or dated publications/brochures. Plan to take photographs of your property at different times of the year or in different seasons. Is your garden particularly attractive in the spring or high summer? Do you have lovely autumn colour? Do you decorate a tree or put up lights at Christmas? You can then, for example, vary the images on your website to keep it fresh or topical.

Selecting and using your photos

Good images are important for most visitors, whether they are looking at your website or brochure. They want to see what you have to offer and be reassured so they can book with confidence.

Here are a few things to consider when making your selection: Think about the different ways and places you might want to promote your accommodation. Having a range of photographs that appeal to different audiences – families, couples, elderly visitors or those looking for more accessible accommodation – will be useful. Choose images in your adverts to suit, for example, a particular magazine’s audience or a special promotion. Include photographs of the public areas and the bedrooms on your website, making the most of the best features. However, take care not to mislead people, who will be disappointed if their room doesn’t live up to the only photograph you used of your best room. Consider how you might make a photograph more attractive. Take a look at your choice of photographs and place a piece of paper over one or two edges. If you cropped the image in some way, could you give it more impact? For example, an exterior shot showing all the Tarmac in front of your property, with the front door somewhere in the distance, would work better as a close-up. Any double yellow lines on the road should always be cropped. Doors and gates that are slightly open tend to be more welcoming and appealing than closed ones. If you are using a photographer, they should be able to advise on this.Use captions on pictures, rather than labels. A bedroom is obviously a bedroom and does not need labelling as such, but a caption along the lines of ‘treat yourself to a rest’ is more compelling.

Press photography

Good photography can really help make your story more interesting. You might succeed in getting a newspaper photographer if you set up a photo opportunity and phone the news or picture desk in advance. However, if a more newsworthy event happens at the same time you will have missed your chance.

Using your own photographer will mean you have the photos for future use and you’ll be able to send them to several publications at once. When creating a photo opportunity think carefully about the type of picture that will be newsworthy and is most likely to attract attention in your target markets. Such photographs can be successful if they are imaginative. If they include famous people, cute animals or children this is relatively easy. Otherwise you might need to consider an unusual angle, look behind the scenes, intriguing setting or a good caption.

Further information

Read The Role of Imagery in Tourism Marketing on Tourism Insights for further information on the role and the production of images for marketing purposes.

Websites which can help you find a qualified professional photographer include: Photographers.co.uk – directory of 2,000 photographers around the UK Master Photographers Association – members are professional photographers across the UK, Ireland and overseas British Institute of Professional Photographers – qualifying body for UK professional photographers.

Your regional tourist board may also offer advice on choosing a photographer – eg North East England’s tourism business toolkit here.