Important thing to be aware of before using Airbnb professional photo service

[Kyi1]

Recently, me and my partner decided to use professional photo service from Airbnb since we thought quality photos may attract more guests. On the appointment day, a young local photographer showed up and took photos. Few days later, he uploaded processed photos to the listings by himself. That wasn't issue at all, as he had already mentioned that during photo shootout and we trusted him to produce quality photos.  However, we were disappointed with all photos. Although framing is alright, colours are all over-processed and don't even look realistic anymore (like those HDR photos you see on web). When we asked for original photos (so that we could adjust to our liking), he refused and said AIrbnb doesn't allow him to do that. I find that rule ridiculous and totally unfair. We have already paid for the photos and we should get to keep the orginals. With this rule, we can't even make small framing/color adjustments. We are at the mercy of a photographer who will process as per his taste which may not agree to ours. It was a waste of over $100.

[Kyi1]

Subtle HDR is fine by me. But what gets me is in-your-face HDR. It looks cartoonish and doesn't look real anymore. If anybody thinks such a cartoonish place exists for real, I may have to sell them a bridge 🙂 

You don't much room to correct JPEG photo. 

[Pete69]

$100 ??? I thought those Airbnb notes about "Your place qualifies for professional photography" were for free photography.

I have a Sony A6300 anyway. No need for a pro.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Pete69 

I have a Sony A6300 anyway. No need for a pro.

Many believe that's all you need. I don't bear any sway to needing any particular type of camera, as said previously putting the camera in the right position to make the most of the subject, staging, setting the lighting, not falsifying the images afterwards and effectively handling colour casts is how it should be done.

Your orange bathroom would benefit from all that apart from the need of a camera (this with patches of orange removed). A 'pro' would have done it a lot differently.

[Pete69]

That shot was taken with my old Canon Power Shot! I kept it posted because I took the door off to get that wide of a shot. Too lazy right now to take the door off again for a shot with my A6300.

I should color correct it though.

[Helen3]

Hi @Pete69

Having had a quick look at your listing, I would suggest it's not just about having a decent camera, but also knowing how to use it properly.

You would probably benefit from asking a friend who is a keen amateur or investing in a professional photography to take your photos to help take them from the best angles and use the correct lighting. (it is of course a tax deductible cost for your Airbnb business).

You might also want to 'dress' your place a little before taking a new images.

[Kira32]

@Ky0 

Thank you, I didn't know that you can't get the original photos from the fotographer. I  once could choose between a €100 travel coupon or photoshoot. Im glad that I did go for the first one. 

Kira

[Jane57]

I have recently had a photoshoot for Airbnb plus although stupidly I didn’t realise I was paying for it. The photographer was friendly and advised me that he had done hundreds of houses. I am not happy with those presented to me by way of reviewing the proposed Airbnb plus listing. The co,ours are washed out. They do not show any good external ones. The photographer took the neatly folded towels off the bed as he said Airbnb does not allow the. He proceeded to squeeze them on the dressing table to put them out of the way and they were left their when he took a long shot of the bedroom. Airbnb have chosen to feature this mess and zoomed in on it as if a desirable feature! I would like to see all the photos. I keep getting emails from Airbnb plus but cannot respond to them. It is supposed to be going live tomorrow and I do not want this. It is almost impossible to have a conversation with Airbnb. I have been hosting for six years and as long as there are no problems it is fine but trying to sort anything out is a nightmare.

[Linda108]

I have a combination of Air BNB supplied photographer (for free a few years ago), my own and another professional photographer (paid by me) for updated pictures after some renovations.  Interior shots are difficult to get for me so the professional shots are great.  I would not recommend using the Air BNB photographer because the pictures belong to Air BNB and you do not necessarily get better professional.  I checked around with some of my real estate agent friends for recommendations for a real estate photographer.

[Fredrik24]

The photographer owns the originals and sells you his art, at least  that’s how it’s supposed to be. I used to work with real estate agencies but I just couldn’t see the art in it and I couldn’t see any profit in holding on to my copyright... the customer got all the shots and a few retouched for the adds. 

[Sudsrung0]

Sometimes your proffessional photo's can look to good, It seems to me Airbnb just employ a bunch of collage kids to go around do photo's that work freelance the two that came to my place looked like it I wasnt impressed at all

[Sarah977]

@Julie1599  You have no profile information, no reviews and do not appear to be either a host or a guest. But you have made 2 posts here in the last day promoting personal businesses. Please stop doing this, This is a community forum for guests and hosts to exchange information and ask questions. It's not a free advertising site.

[Julie1599]

I am getting my business established and ready but I figured I would help others out since this is a "community" forum where we are supposed to come and network and help each other out. I am sorry if that bothers you and upsets you that I am new to the airbnb community and was the website what it was intended for. 

[Sarah977]

@Julie1599  It's not a matter of upsetting me, it is against the official policy of the forum to be advertising personal businesses. No, the website isn't intended for that. 

From the "Community Center Guidelines" : 

"Ensure you adhere to rules in Airbnb’s Content Policy such as not posting advertisements or revealing personal information like phone numbers for yourself or others."

And please don't couch trying to drum up business for you and your friends by saying it was to "help others out". 

If someone here specifiacally asks for a service you provide, you can send them a personal message here by clicking on the little envelope symbol on the top bar.

[Julie1599]

Understandable but there are about 100 other comments I have seen doing exactly what I have been doing offering my services to help others in maintaining there investments and so forth. But I will make sure to not do that anymore. Thanks for letting me know. 

[Sarah977]

Well, I took my photos myself and although I have been trying to find the time to retake some of them, and though Airbnb marked about 3/4s of them as too dark or too blurry, so many of my guests have told me that they loved the photos and that's what drew them to the listing, that all this talk about professional photography seems dumb to me, unless you really have no idea how to take a photo or stage the place. (and it's true that some hosts really do need to have someone with some photography skills and a good eye take the photos- open toilet seats, bathroom counters covered in a mess of products, rumpled bedding, towels hung askew, etc, really don't help anyone get bookings unless they're going for the bottom dwellers)

My daughter was putting her house on the market and the real estate agent sent their photographer out. We had staged the place really well, and she advised us to put a few more things out of sight, or move them slightly.  She spent about an hour there shooting. Then she phoned the next day to say she really wasn't pleased with how a bunch of the shots turned out- seems her flash was acting up. So she asked to schedule another shoot. That's a professional.