Fall 2015 Innkeeping NOW magazine

What makes good B&B photography? By Peter Billard
A good place to start is understand its purpose, then talk about
how to fulfill it. As I see it as a photographer, the photos of the B&B
rooms, exterior, common areas, outside grounds, and also the ‘breakfast’
part, are to show the inn in the best visual way possible for would-be
guests. If they’re searching for a bed and breakfast in your area or if you’re
one of several, people will do their research online and compare. They’ll
look at the feel of the website, description, pride you take in your place,
atmosphere or style, and importantly, your photos.
I acknowledge not everything hinges on the photos. Your entire
presentation must be top notch–the furnishings, ambiance, descriptive text,
warmth, service, and the experience. Many people in hospitality know
word of mouth is invaluable, to which I agree. It applies to B&B’s as well
as my own work. I can speak of the photography part, others can advise
you on the other elements, and together, you’ll have a smashing appearance
online.
Photos have the power to fuel the imagination, and at the same
time present a clear indication of the specific details of your B&B. Why not
combine those functions and kill two birds with one stone? We all know
B&B lovers look for the atmosphere and experience, otherwise they’d book
a Hampton Inn off the freeway exit.
Photos need to capture the literal appearance of your rooms and
property, as well as the intangible qualities of charm, warmth, beauty,
elegance, and more. How do you do that? Same as other aspects of running
a bed and breakfast–attention to detail and maintaining excellence.
Here are pointers for doing your own shots:
1. Avoid on-camera flash. It looks hurried, uncaring, and amateurish.
Often makes a bright patch on the ceiling and it reflects back at you in
anything shiny in the room.
2. Look for and eliminate unsightly elements, such as wastebaskets,
electrical cords, uneven blinds and drapes, excessive fabric wrinkles, messy
rug tassels, mismatched pillows, crooked lamp shades, chipped paint, and
floor scratches.
3. Use flowers and plants. One bunch of cut flowers from your garden or
the store can appear throughout your photos by changing the vase,
rearranging the individual stems, and also by creating both a short group of
flowers and a tall group. Thick, full ferns make excellent greenery in the
room or background, adding color and sometimes obscuring things better
unseen.
4. Avoid large bare patches of ceiling, walls, and floors. Aim your camera
down if there’s too much ceiling or crop it out later. Achieve balance in the
elements of a room by spacing things to fill those empty spots.
5. Do overall shots as well as close up detail ones. Show the whole room
from the doorway as well as closeups of the nice little touches here and
there.
6. Make it pleasing to the eye. You already have a good eye for what looks
good or you wouldn’t be in the business of providing peak guests
experiences. Trust in your innate ability to know what looks good in a
photo. In this incredibly amazing digital photography age, I suggest shoot
like crazy and edit ruthlessly. Keep shooting, evaluating, adjusting, and
shooting again, until it comes out right. Only show your best.
Having said all this, why hire a professional B&B photographer?
1. Take it to the next level. To create a classy and elegant presentation, you
sometimes need to call in the heavy guns. And thats what professional
photographers are–hired help to make you look your best. They shoot to
serve you and make you look good, using good technique, know-how,
experience, and a love for the craft.
2. Lighting. There’s only so much that can be done with available light
from windows and lamps. Some areas inevitably are dark and obscure.
Good lighting augments what’s already there and accentuates key parts of
your rooms
3. Collaborative effort. they provide lighting, styling, arranging, and
photography. You provide furnishing, accessories, and important input to
what’s most important to you. If you do food shots, you make it, together
you and they arrange it, they shoot it, you benefit.
Final shot–what to look
for: faults of before shot
fixed plus: less bare floor,
added leather chair bottom
right, sunlight streaming in,
better detail in windows,
nicer arrangement of items
atop zebra stripes, visible
detail in mantle and
column woodwork, warmer
overall tone, more pleasing
lighting, better color
rendition.
Peter and Nancy Billard work in
tandem photographing bed and
breakfast locations. Nancy styles and
assists, Peter arranges lighting and
shoots, and they both tweak and
finesse the room until it’s just right.
Peter says, "B&Bs especially need
good photos for their websites to
attract guests. We work to show the
warmth and meticulous care owners
put into their inns. It’s one of the
main persuaders when people are
searching for and selecting a place to
stay.” See more photos at:
http://www.peterbillardphoto.com
Before shot–what to watch
for: on-camera flash bright
spot on ceiling, excessive
reflection in floor from flash
illumination, tiny ‘pie slice’
of door on far left edge,
slanted verticals at edges, no
fire, unkempt drapes, empty
pedestals, couch pillows
askew, hydrangeas in need of
arrangement, cord on floor in
back corner, mantle items
looking sloppy. Phew!