You’ve probably been there before. Confidently taking photo after photo thinking you’re a pretty good photographer only to have the final image look like your phone’s camera lens had been coated in Vaseline.
Unfortunately for hotel professionals, bad smartphone photography can not only lead to social media embarrassment, but it can hurt business. An unprofessional photo can influence what potential guests think about your hotel. No, one bad Instagram post won’t tank your occupancy rate, but knowing how to take a professional quality picture with your phone is a must-have skill for the modern hotelier.
So follow these 4 tips to make your smartphone photography a bit more professional.
1. Lighting
Nothing beats natural lighting, period. Obviously lighting conditions won’t always be perfect, but take advantage when they are. Try to use natural daylight whenever you can, and be sure to take advantage of the golden hour, a time of the day when pretty much whatever photos you take outside will look great!
Indoor photography gets trickier because of the lack of natural lighting. When shooting indoors be aware of lighting and try to only photograph well-lit areas of your hotel. There’s no real short cut to dealing with low-light situations outside of buying professional lighting equipment, so your best bet is to try and avoid it all together.
2. Composition is Key
Composition can make a pen look artsy (especially an awesome Renaissance Hotel pen). The top image is taken at eye-level from a desk. The image on the bottom was taken standing above the subject. Though the image on top isn’t bad, the bottom one simply looks better. Getting images from different vantage points can make your photos stand out from the pack.
The “Rule of Thirds” is another useful composition trick. Those gridlines on your photo screen are there to help. Try lining up the horizon with one of the horizontal lines. As for the vertical lines, match one of them up with the focal point of your photo. In the images below taken at The Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta the chandelier is the focal point. On the top image it is centered, and on the bottom it is matched to the right vertical gridline. It’s not a dramatic change but it does encourage the viewer to spend more time exploring the photo, rather than scanning the center and moving on.
3. Using Instagram Filters
Instagram now offers over 40 different filter options. It can be overwhelming choosing when to use one and which to use. To make things easier, you can select the order in which the filters appear in your app and how many are displayed in your editing screen. This can be changed by scrolling to the far right of your filters and clicking “Manage.” Put your favorites at the beginning so they’re easily accessible.
Another useful Instagram trick is adjusting intensity. You can adjust the intensity of a filter on Instagram. After selecting your desired filter, tap it again to change the intensity. Dialing down the filter can do wonders, making them less dramatic and more aesthetically pleasing.
Here’s another look at the pumpkin and pen again. The top image is #NoFilter while the bottom has a dialed back Mayfair filter and the difference is clear.
Want to learn a little more about filters? Here’s a fun piece from Huffington Post on the topic.
4. Showcase Your Different and Better
This might seem obvious, but if you’ve got it… flaunt it! It’s easy to overlook a jaw-dropping chandelier, sleek architecture or newly renovated front desk when you see it every day. Don’t forget to appreciate and show off these visually appealing details of your hotel.
Be sure to post the things that make your location unique, hip or eye-catching. If you show potential guests something that catches their attention they just might have to check it out by checking-in in person.
The image below, taken at Residence Inn Boston Harbor shows off their one-of-a-kind event space; a pier on Tudor Wharf.
So there you have it! Here’s hoping these tips help. Thanks for reading, and be sure to stop back every week for a new blog!
Today’s article was brought to you with energy inspired by Starbucks. Grande Americano, two sugars, and a splash of cream. The Holiday cups are out, and marketers love great marketing.
Until next week, stay well.
