How to take great Airbnb photos for your short term rental
Photos say volumes about your short term rental space— they are the MOST important reason guests cite for booking a particular space.
Close-ups provide a sense of the texture of the space, evoking a more sensual response.
When a guest books your property based on your listing photos, they’re not simply choosing a place to sleep—they’re entering into a quiet, unspoken agreement with you about what their stay will feel like. How closely reality matches that expectation shapes nearly everything about how they experience your space—and ultimately, how they review it.
That’s why the common advice to “just take better photos,” while not wrong, is incomplete. Better photos of a misrepresented space don’t solve the problem—they amplify it. A beautifully shot version of something that feels different in person only makes the gap more noticeable when a guest walks through the door.
A more useful question to ask is not just whether your photos are beautiful, but whether they’re honest in an aspirational way. Do they show your space at its genuine best—or an idealized version that doesn’t quite exist? It can be tempting to shoot every room from its most flattering angle, minimize quirks like dated tile, or avoid the less-than-perfect view outside the window. But guests tend to sense these omissions, even if they can’t immediately name why something feels off—and that subtle disconnect often finds its way into their review.
After more than a decade of hosting—and helping others refine their listings—I’ve found that the most effective photos tend to do a few things exceptionally well. They establish the overall mood of the space within the first few images, before a guest has even started scrolling through individual rooms. They focus on the areas that matter most to how guests actually live in the space, not just what happens to photograph well. And importantly, they include a handful of thoughtful detail shots—a well-prepared coffee station, a stack of inviting books, a chair positioned toward a view—that quietly signal care and intention.I do recommend that my mentees eventually get professional photos taken, unless they’re quite deft with a camera. But I don’t recommend doing that until you’ve hosted a few times— with your first few guests, you should be changing and refining your space as you learn how to be a better host.
And even after you have the basics of the space worked out, you’ll want to update your photos when you change a piece of art or furniture to keep your listing up to date.
Using a smart phone for your photos is fine, too— take a lot, cull the bad ones, and then take some more. You’ll get better with practice. Take your time— this is also an investment in your business skills.
Airbnb’s search algorithm loves light and bright photos. Edit yours to make them shine.
It's worth the time to style your space and edit your photos to make them clear and bright. Don't post your photos until you edit & brighten them with your computer or phone software!
Start with straight lines and proper cropping
Use your phone’s built-in grid and perspective tools to straighten walls, door frames, and horizons. Slightly crooked verticals are one of the fastest ways to make a space feel off or unprofessional. But don’t straighten so much that it looks weird. Happy medium, peeps!Adjust brightness and contrast with restraint
Increase exposure just enough to make the space feel airy, but avoid blowing out windows or losing detail. A small contrast boost can add clarity, but too much will make the image feel harsh and unrealistic.Correct white balance for natural color
Indoor lighting can skew yellow or blue. Use the temperature and tint sliders to make whites look truly white so the space feels clean and accurate to real life.Bring down highlights, lift shadows
Lower highlights to recover detail in bright areas like windows, and gently lift shadows so darker corners are visible. This helps create a balanced, true-to-eye image.Use subtle sharpening and clarity
A light touch of sharpening can make details feel crisp, but overdoing it creates an artificial, gritty look. Aim for clean, not crunchy.Keep edits consistent across all photos
Apply similar settings to every image so your listing feels cohesive. When brightness, color, and tone shift dramatically from photo to photo, it can make the space feel less trustworthy.
Here's my quick checklist to help you prep your space to be photographed:
Here’s your combined checklist, organized in a way that follows how you’d naturally move through the space—from light and setup, to decluttering, to styling, and finally a last pass before shooting:
Lighting & First Setup
Open curtains and blinds
Plan to photograph with AND without artificial lighting (aim for consistent bulb color temperature with lighting). The photos often look better only with natural lighting, edited.
Declutter & Simplify
Remove all clutter and personal photos; minimize knick-knacks
Minimize kitchen clutter
Hide cords, remotes, and trash bins
Clear bathroom counters
Clean for the camera (wipe mirrors, stainless steel, surfaces)
Reset & Straighten
Make the beds perfectly
Obsessively fluff pillows; fold and drape throws
Fold towels precisely
Straighten rugs
Do a symmetry pass (align furniture, center decor, square edges)
Style with Intention
Stage one or two “lived-in” moments (e.g., coffee setup, book, chair)
Capture a close-up of the coffee setup
Add a touch of greenery or organic elements
Close toilet lids
Framing & Composition Awareness
Minimize ceilings in photos
Be mindful of reflections in mirrors and windows
Plan for a mix wide shots with close shots of details: a few thoughtful details help reassure a guest that you HAVE thought of everything.
Final Pre-Shoot Check
Step back and ask: what is this space for, and is that clear?
Include at least one honest angle of less-than-perfect features
Shoot at least one detail shot for each room (You don’t have to use it, but it’s a good discipline to practice).
Review photos for barespots. A painting on a wall or a vase on a table can make a whole room look a lot better.
I like to think about the different ways my guests might interact with my space, and take photos to reflect that. A close-up for the table, set with nice china or cool pottery gives them a deeper sense of the care that's gone into designing the listing. A photo of the fresh flowers or cookies you leave guests lets the know this is a space where details matter! Views out windows, of the green spaces, and of the entrance help them imagine what being there will really be like. And don't forget to include informative captions under your photos!
Airbnb will even rearrange your photos for you based on how their algorithm undertands how guest respond to photos-- it's worth trying-- you can always change it if you don't like that order.
Photos are part of the listing you might update often, as you change and upgrade your space. I highlight different photos depending on the season. And changing the order every few days is another quiet trick to stay high in search results.
This guide will help you arrange them so that Airbnb can highlight your home's spaces.
Airbnb’s Photo Guide
Airbnb’s new guide that really gets into the nuts and bolts of great photos.
Think about the flow.
When you’re arranging the photos in your description, order matters. ‘
The first 5 are of SUPREME IMPORTANCE. They should be the very best, inside and outside. Include living space and a comfy bed.
Consider the flow. Arrange your photos so that they tell a story of you t=you expereince the space— perhaps as you walk through. Or of pubis spaces, followed by the priavte bedrooms from most luxe to least lux.
Photos dumped in haphazardly confuse and turn off guests. Flow both within rooms and over all matters!
If you’re still unsure, or think the space needs something, but you’re not sure what, why not book a virtual consultation with me? You’ll walk me through your space, we’ll discuss it, and I’ll give you actionable items that can elevate your space and help you book more and earn more.
