There is no greater asset in your marketing arsenal than your photos. With a beautiful location to shoot and a skilled photographer, your photos can do much of the heavy lifting of getting new bookings for you. However, bad photos can make even the most luxurious location look dark and unappealing. To help you make sure you always upload photos that sell bookings, here are 6 types of bedroom photographs you should NEVER display on your website:
6 Bedroom Photographs You Should NEVER Display on Your Website
1) Dark Photos
If nothing else is optimised or thought about, lighting is the one thing that can make or break a photo. You may have noticed that when you take a selfie, those taken facing the window come out beautifully, helping your eyes shine and skin look bright, and those taken side-on or even back-to the window come out dark and shadowed. Lighting makes all the difference.
2) Loss of Atmosphere
Last on our list in terms of lighting is a loss of atmosphere. Sometimes lighting problems aren’t as obvious, but you can see that they’re missing that “something”, that je ne se quoi that differentiates your pictures from the top hotels in your area or niche. This is much more difficult to notice and correct, but a skilled photographer will be able to capture the feel of your room.
3) Poor Composition
Photo composition basics can be easily learned, but if you don’t know that there are rules to follow, you’ll end up with images that look “off” or distorted. This often comes from failing to frame vertical lines properly, giving a funhouse-effect, or other odd angles. Taking the photo from too low a point or too high can also do this.
4) Over-Edited Photographs
You want your photos to give viewers the feeling that they’ve just stepped into the room, and they won’t be able to leave their spot behind the computer or their phone and envision themselves there if the images are obviously edited. Having unrealistic effects, being oversaturated, or using an old-style HDR effect will separate your potential guest from the room, and likely cause them to move on.
5) Rooms That Are Too “Empty”
You don’t often want to rent a room that looks like someone’s bedroom, but equally, guests are turned off by sparsely decorated rooms that look cold or unused. It’s a delicate balance, but look at a room before you take pictures and question whether it looks inviting to your ideal customer. If not, think about what you need to change to attract them.
What to Look for in Bedroom Photographs for Your Website
- Quality Composition: look for photographs with quality composition, straight vertical lines, and bold colours.
- Captured Atmosphere: make sure the image captures the feel of your hotel and the experience you want your guests to have there.
- Focus on the Best Features: make sure your images focus on the best features of the room. Is it the bold furniture? The view? The decor? Make sure these features, even if they’re only small luxurious touches, are highlighted in your photos.
- Infused with Life: Minimalistic rooms can look cold and bare in a photo, so consider adding some life. A few props, such as cut flowers, a handbag, or food can help immensely, but don’t be afraid to use adults, kids, or pets if it’s right for your hotel.
Remember that a hotel bedroom photograph should capture the viewer’s attention for more than a few seconds, giving them time to envision themselves staying in the room, and then guide them to click the “Book Now” button. It’s vital to not just consider what your viewer is seeing when they’re on your site, but also what they may be comparing it to. Your image needs to sell the experience so they book with you and not a competitor.
If you’d like me to give your hotel photographs a new lease on life, click here to contact me today.