Airbnb Photographers

[Bec3748]

I regularly receive feedback from guests saying the photos don’t do my property justice — which is lovely to hear, but it has made me wonder whether I should invest in an Airbnb photographer rather than relying on my iPhone skills!

For those who’ve used a professional (particularly through Airbnb), was the experience worthwhile? Would really appreciate hearing your experiences before I take the plunge.

[Andrea6232]

Buonasera @Bec3748 ,

before hiring a professional photographer, you could try improving your iPhone photography skills. Here are some tips on how to take the best photos of your home with your smartphone, I hope you find them useful 😉 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Guides/GUIDE-How-to-best-photograph-your-home-with-you...

Andrea

[Bec3748]

Hi @Andrea6232 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share that guide — I really appreciate it 😊

At this stage though, it’s more a question of time than ability. Between hosting and everything else, I’m not sure I have the capacity (or patience!) to properly stage, shoot and edit the whole property myself.

That’s why I’m leaning towards outsourcing it — sometimes it’s worth bringing in a professional so I can focus on the parts of hosting I’m better at.

Thanks again for your helpful suggestion — I do appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.

[Rebecca]

Hi @Bec3748 👋

Totally understand the time restrictions...If only we could a few more hours into a day! I wanted to share a thread from another host @Kristen759 who had some professional photos (including drone photography 😱) done for their listing and they got some great advice and support from @Joan2709 regarding photos: Professional photography

@Casa-De-La-Tierra0, @Ryan4241 and @Alex14140  - What are your thoughts on professional photography for listings? I'd be great to hear about any experiences you or your hosts have with it. 😊

[Bec3748]

Thank you @Rebecca 🙂

I’m particularly interested in hearing from Hosts who have used a photographer through the Airbnb platform specifically.

I’d prefer to work within Airbnb’s system rather than sourcing and vetting someone independently, as I simply don’t have the time or capacity to manage that process myself 😅 

[Margaret491]

@Bec3748 Ive used airbnb photography on a few of my listings and the photos where great, but best of all the price of the photography came out of my payouts so I didn't have to pay up front... photographs can make or break a property and drives potential guests to click on to your listing, I would recommend them 100%

[Bec3748]

Hi @Margaret491,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience… that’s really encouraging to hear. It’s also great to know the cost can be deducted from payouts rather than paid upfront.

Would you be happy to share a link to one of your listings where you’ve used the Airbnb photography? I’d love to see how the photos turned out in a live listing.

[Jeanna27]

Hi @Bec3748 - Yes, 100% worth getting a professional Airbnb photographer in to take pics of your home.  When I started my Airbnb a little over 4 years ago - I just had a local photographer come to shoot my house, and I loved those photos, however I too received exactly what you are - the pics don't do the house it's justice (this is, until you have an Airbnb photographer - they actually do all of the lighting, etc.  just a little bit different than my original photographer.  And, ever since he came out maybe exactly 2 years ago, I've not received the same responses from any of my guests.  Anyways, I certainly hope this helps.  Have a wonderful day!

[Joan2709]

@Bec3748 

100% agree that professional photos are a must. They should be done by a photographer familiar with Airbnb's and should have a portfolio that shows the work they have done for other properties. Airbnb photography is very different than real estate photography. It the number 1 best ROI you can make.

Airbnb photographers should emphasize what a guest can do, experience or enjoy in a space - not just the space itself. They concentrate on lifestyle photos and not just photos of the spaces. 

[Rebecca]

@Bec3748 You've got a few more replies here from hosts with Airbnb photographer experience. 🙌