Last Updated on June 21, 2023
According to Airbnb, adding professional photography to listings leads to a 16% higher probability of being booked and a 39% higher total reservation amount. If you’ve decided to shoot photos for your Airbnb listing yourself, you could be missing out.
Although iPhones and other smartphones offer a high level of quality these days, it’s still hard to get great shots of your short-term rental without the right skills and professional equipment. Hiring an experienced Airbnb photographer can be well worth it and will allow you to get perfectly framed, well-lit, and captivating photos that can help take your listing to the next level.
In this guide, we’ll tell you how (and why) you should hire a local Airbnb or VRBO photographer to take photos of your short-term rental.
Benefits of Hiring an Airbnb Photographer
Hiring a skilled Airbnb photographer is more important than you might realize. Here’s why you should hire a professional.
Stay Competitive
With more than 4 million Airbnb hosts on Airbnb and many more on VRBO, it can be hard to stand out and attract the attention of guests. This is especially true if your photos are lacking or your property doesn’t differentiate itself in some way.
High-quality photos can bring out the unique qualities of your short-term rental and can help it look as amazing as it truly is. Hiring a photographer will help make your listing more competitive and ensure that your listing gets clicked on and booked often.
Perfectly Showcase Your Property
Even if you have a great Airbnb or VRBO, dimly lit and poorly shot photos may not win over your prospective guests. If a guest can’t tell what your property looks like, they won’t know that it’s perfect for them.
High-quality photos can show your property accurately and in the best light. This will help it give a great first impression and will make your listing seem more professional.
Get More Bookings
Photos are a key factor that guests will consider when booking an Airbnb or VRBO, so you need to make sure that you get them right. Professional photos will do a much better job of attracting attention than amateur photos or smartphone photos will.
Guests want to know that they’ll be staying in a home that’s comfortable and inviting, and if your pictures are dimly lit or don’t look good, then they’ll be less likely to make a booking.
How to Hire an Airbnb Photographer
If you’re thinking about hiring a professional Airbnb or VRBO photographer, be sure to make the best choice possible. Although there are many professional photographers out there, some of them will do a better job than others.
Here’s how you can hire a great Airbnb or VRBO photographer.
Start With a Search
The best place to start your search is Google or another search engine. Consider searching for a phrase such as “Airbnb photographer Atlanta” or “local Airbnb photography” and you’ll likely find a few options.
Once you’ve found a few photographers in your area, you can take a closer look at them.
Evaluate a Photographer’s Portfolio
Once you’ve landed on a photographer’s website, be sure to click around some before getting in touch with them. Learn more about who they are and their services.
Especially take note of a photographer’s portfolio. A portfolio can tell you a lot about the kind of work that a photographer will do and can give you a good indication of whether they’ll offer the quality that you’re looking for.
Check the Pricing
You’ll likely get a great return on your investment when getting photos for your short-term rental. However, it can be worth checking a photographer’s pricing before hiring them.
Be sure that they’re within your budget and that the price seems reasonable compared to other photographers in your area.
Look for Real Estate Experience
Remember that you should avoid hiring a “general” photographer or someone who specializes in another type of photography such as portraits or landscapes. Be sure to hire a photographer that has proven experience in real estate and short-term rental photography.
It takes skill to capture a home perfectly, so be sure that you find a photographer that is experienced with interior and exterior photography.
How to Prepare for the Shoot
Once you’ve hired a real estate photographer, you’ll need to prepare for the photo shoot. Here are a few things that you should do before your photographer arrives:
- Clean up your rooms and stage them in a visually-appealing way
- Add final touches and details such as throws and pillows that add extra interest to your property’s rooms
- Put away dustbins, empty the trash, and ensure that all of the details of your property are taken care of
Getting your Airbnb ready for a photographer isn’t difficult, but you should remember how important it is to make your rooms look their best.
Small details matter and you’ll likely use the photos for a long time after the shoot is over, so make sure that you’re presenting your place in the best light. Make sure that you consider the perspective of a guest to make sure your rooms look inviting and comfortable.
FAQs About Hiring Airbnb and VRBO Photographers
The process of hiring a photographer for a short-term rental such as an Airbnb or VRBO can be confusing if you’ve never done it before. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about hiring Airbnb and VRBO photographers.
Why Not Shoot the Photos Yourself?
Unless you’re a professional photographer yourself, you should avoid shooting photos for a short-term rental on your own. Photography requires more than a great camera. It takes skill and experience to capture a property perfectly.
Professional photographers have the experience and equipment that’s necessary to ensure that your photos look amazing. They’ll be able to frame the shot effectively while using the lighting and equipment that’s needed to showcase your property in the best light possible.
Dimly lit photos that aren’t shot and edited well will make it seem like your property isn’t clean and comfortable, even if it looks amazing in person. To ensure your property looks its best, be sure to hire Airbnb or VRBO professional photography.
Is Airbnb and VRBO Professional Photography Worth It?
Although it may seem like taking photos yourself would be a good idea and can save you a lot of money, the truth is that it’s not worth it. It’s highly recommended that you hire a professional Airbnb and VRBO photographer to take photos for your short-term rental.
While you may save a few dollars upfront by taking DIY property photos, you’ll likely lose out on a lot of profit as a result of taking the photos yourself. The value you get from having more guests stay at your property will far outweigh the initial cost of professional photos.
Professional photos really do make a difference and will make your listing seem much more attractive to potential guests. The difference between DIY and professional real estate photos is very noticeable. Even if a guest isn’t able to put their finger on why a listing with professional photos interests them over another listing, it will influence their decision.
How Many Photos Should an Airbnb or VRBO Listing Have?
Airbnb suggests that you add 2 to 4 photos of every room that a guest will have access to. This is a great rule of thumb and will prevent a guest from being overwhelmed while still showing them enough to be interested.
This means that depending on the size of your short-term rental, 20-30 photos may be all that you need to upload for the best results.
How Much Does Airbnb Photography Cost?
There’s a wide range of photography services out there. Costs for Airbnb and VRBO photography could range from $100-$400 or more.
Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn’t choose a short-term rental photographer based on price alone. Not only do real estate and rental photographers range in price but they range in quality as well. Be sure that you hire a photographer that can get the job done right while also offering great value.
Ready to Hire a Photographer?
If you’re thinking about hiring an Airbnb photographer, you’re making a great choice. Professional photography can elevate your listing, making it more likely that guests will click on it and make a booking. However, be sure that you hire a photographer that has experience in real estate photography if you want to be happy with the results.
Ready to hire Airbnb photographers in Atlanta and North Georgia? Learn more about our photography services now.