Local business Photography tips

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So what story are you telling potential customers with your photos on your online listings?

When it comes to promoting your Cook Islands accommodation or tour, having great photographs is key to inspire potential customers to hit that ‘Discover More’ or ‘Book Now’ button. It also will give potential customers insight into what kind of experience they can expect. Industry data shows that having at least 6 - 9 high-quality photos for a product can significantly increase the chances of securing a booking. Your photos reveal to potential customers what really makes your product special.

Often businesses won’t take the time to invest in photography. Those that do will stand out from their competitors, especially on listing sites like; Booking.com, Airbnb.com or www.cookislands.travel.

 

We want your business to stand out on www.cookislands.travel, so here are some handy tips to get you started.

  • Apply the Rule of Thirds
  • Make sure your image quality is set to its highest resolution
  • Flash is not visible in reflections
  • No shadows appear in your photo 
  • Hold camera/phone horizontally with both hands while keeping very still

 

Tips for Accommodation Photography:

  • Camera angle is straight, try lining up with a wall or straight line in your lens view
  • Use a wide angle lens to see more of the room
  • Shoot from a low angle
  • Use as much natural light as possible
  • Where possible, include candid (unposed) people in your photos

 

What you should avoid:

  • Staff or guests looking at the camera
  • Pictures of empty lobbies, hallways, or closed room doors
  • Rooms that aren’t tidy or clean
  • Busy images with too much in them

 

Tips for Tour Photography:

  • Use candid (unposed) images to make customers feel a closer connection
  • If you want to freeze a moment of action, like people jumping or laughing, use burst mode and select your best moment
  • If your tour is at night your ISO needs to be higher
  • Play with angles here, go high, low and to the side until you see something you like
  • Include tour highlights accentuated by natural light and stunning scenery

What you should avoid:

  • Shots of customers or staff looking directly at the camera
  • Pictures of empty spaces where you’d expect people to be
  • Action shots of customers where they look frightened or overexcited
  • Overly busy compositions (avoid wide angle lenses or panorama shots)
  • Try not to zoom, move closer to your subject (can always crop later if needed)