How to Prepare your Holiday Let for Stress Free Interior Photography
The Drawing Office, Berwick
I have worked with hundreds of holiday let owners in Northumberland and The Scottish Borders over the years. Growing up, my mum always had holiday accommodation in Berwick and recently my husband and I renovated the floor above my photography studio so now I even own a holiday apartment. This means that I have a really good understanding of the local tourism business and how I can make life easier for holiday accommodation owners when photographing their holiday lets in a way that fully showcases them.
There’s no need to stress about a photoshoot! The most important thing is to make sure the holiday let looks exactly as it would be when your guests arrive.
Other tips would be:
Turn on all the lights and lamps before the shoot
Have the bed(s) made and ready with clean sheets
Make sure the windows are clean on both the inside and the outside
Close all toilet sets and use fluffy towels on any handrails
If there are any thank you gifts you will regularly be giving to holidaymakers, buy some wine or flowers in advance
Before every shoot, I schedule a consultation call to ensure that we get the best results possible from the session. If like me, you like to be well prepared in advance you can download my property photography prep checklist below for free.
Ideally, you would be there for the photography but if you can't be around I can arrange key collection and get on with your photography with minimum fuss, saving you time away from your busy schedule.
Starting with me taking a short walk around the local area can provide you with a multitude of photos to choose from which will give prospective holidaymakers a feel of the sights and attractions they can expect to enjoy when they visit your place.
So, if you would like to make a huge improvement to your bookings this year my product photography package deal is perfect for holiday cottages, guest houses and hotels.
Or why not book a call?
Written by Sarah
Why You Need a Website for Your Holiday Let
This is The Summerhouse, a newly renovated cottage on a Scottish Borders estate. It has an idyllic lakeside location and is perfect for glorious walks so, of course, I had to take a lovely walk to get some of the photos.
It has a delightful and secluded garden overlooking the lake as well as a private access road and parking immediately outside. A perfect family retreat with total peace and tranquillity!
I photographed the holiday cottage just as it was being finished and I am delighted to see that the accommodation has already had loads of bookings for this year. I think the owners may be putting The Summerhouse on other third-party websites, but they do have their own website https://www.summerhousestays.co.uk.
Having your own website for holiday lets is a great idea because you pay no commission on the bookings you receive. Commission on booking sites can be as high as 22% so it is always worth taking your own bookings where possible.
You would also have more control over what your website says and how it looks so you can include as many pictures or stories about the property as you would like without hitting a character limit.
“Sarah has done photos for us for two holiday cottages and for my professional website.
Sarah is a great photographer and a lovely person to work with. She works to a high standard, always supplying well-crafted, lucid and perceptive photos that work really well. She has an eye for unusual angles and details that give her photos extra character. And she is a very approachable person to work with, always ready to go the extra mile (literally!) and very reliable. She is flexible in arranging appointments and prompt in producing work. Definitely our first choice and I would thoroughly recommend her.”
Thinking about having your holiday let professionally photographed, but still have questions? Book a call to discuss what photography would best help you and your business.
Written by Sarah
Holiday Accommodation Interior Photography Bamburgh and Alnwick
A quick photoshoot this morning at a 3 bedroomed cottage near Bamburgh and Alnwick, this was a 2.5 hour session which is our Space and Place package, details of what is included in the Space and Place package are below:
1-1 consultation call with Sarah to discuss your accommodation.
Planning of props if required.
2.5 hours of photography (this is enough time to cover a 3 bedroom holiday cottage with some details and exterior shots).
Travel within 15 miles of Berwick upon Tweed.
Custom, hands-on processing of all final images.
Claimable business expense.
25 professionally retouched, high-resolution digital images.
Online password-protected gallery to choose your images from.
Available to download online or via USB.
Licence to reproduce for business use.
£395 for 25 digital images (both high and web resolution)
If you can't be around for the photography like this customer who lives elsewhere, I can arrange key collection from a neighbor or masterlock box and get on with the photography with minimum fuss, saving you time away from your busy schedule.
Spylaw Farmhouse Interior and Exterior Photography
these lovely renovated Farmhouse and Self Catering Cottages are located in North Northumberland, nestling between the Kyloe and Cheviot hills.
Some interior and exterior property photography for this beautiful Northumberland Farmhouse which is having a website re-design.
Berwick Heritage Open Days, Fascinating Open Houses Throughout Northumberland
Today I had a portrait photo shoot of a family staying at The Anchorage Guest House in Woolmarket, Berwick, where we took some shots on the lovely sweeping staircase and in the kitchen before heading out along the street to the Elizabethan Walls.
After that shoot, I took a little trot along to one of the Heritage Open Days held in Berwick. This one was the rather eerie but fine townhouse of 44 Ravensdowne. Up until recently, believe it or not, this was an occupied home! I don't think the homeowners enjoyed housekeeping too much. The back garden contains evidence of the west wall of the 1550's Edward VI citadel, which was built to replace the castle. However, the house didn't disappoint with magnificent original features and tons of interesting things to photograph, a bit different to my usual interior photographs! Good luck to the new owners, I'm sure it will be a beautiful re-development.
Here is the info and website link from Heritage Open Days Northumberland:
"A must-visit. This is probably the only time this property will be open to the public. This fine early Victorian townhouse has been largely untouched for the last 80 years. It boasts most of its original interior architectural details. Later alterations include Art Nouveau panelling in the stairwell and wallpaper, albeit very faded, dating to the 1930s. The back garden contains evidence of the west wall of the Edward VI citadel and a mysterious carved stone has been discovered, possibly from a former Jacobean palace that stood on the site, built into a doorway!"
http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/HOD012916E/
After I'd finished looking around the house I decided to visit The Penny Lodging House in Eastern Lane, also a really interesting place to be nosey.
Here is the info on that one too - worth a visit and fascinating!
"The Penny Lodging House is a semi-derelict Georgian building that has a rich and varied history. Built possibly as a fashionable home in the late 18th century, it was used as a penny lodging house in the early and mid 19th century, before becoming storage premises for shops on Marygate - a use that preserved the interiors from modernisation and formed the eerie, desolate space that you see today. The building is occasionally used for site-specific performances by The Maltings Theatre."
Pier Road Development 'The Maltings' Berwick upon Tweed
Today I photographed a new development on the old site of William Leith Marquees, these houses are finished to an amazing standard and the views are rather outstanding too - they nearly had me signed up for one!
Rooms and Gourmet Food at Redhall Cottage Restaurant in Eyemouth
Rooms and Gourmet Food at Redhall Cottage Restaurant in Eyemouth
Redhall Cottage Restaurant was having its old website updated by Northern Lab and needed new photographs of the interior and exterior as well as some shots to showcase the mouth-watering food that they offer. I got to taste the dishes after the shoot and I must say the food was delicious!
Check out Northern Labs and Redhall Cottage’s new website via the links below!
Written by Sarah
Interior Property Photography, Ingram Northumberland National Park
Photographs from a recent shoot at some 5* holiday cottages.
Holiday cottage photography in Ingram, near Wooler - Northumberland
Many of our clients run guest houses, holiday cottages, hotels, bed and breakfast accomodation and restaurants within the Northumbrian tourism market. Whilst being able to successfully light and photograph a room to show it at it's best, Sarah understands that an exceptional holiday or dining experience is judged on the details.
Sarah is able to produce a set of images that tell an inviting and interesting story - to really show your business off.
