Towels and bars of soap on beds

[Sallys Chateau]

Does not a finished picture make. Honestly to everyone, please quit using those lousy folded towels and plonking bars of soap on top to "dress" your picture. There are more ways to make a bed look appealing, plumped up pillows, an array of pretty cushions, a warm looking rug or throw at the end of the bed, a few flowers (fresh) by the bedside, an attractive water jug and elegant glass. In my 'former life' I used to work as a photographers stylist so it's those small touches that bring a shot to life. Having said all this it's hugely time consuming and reading all your helpful suggestions as to my own website I am well aware that I need to get my own act into gear with regard to inside shots. Now then.... where are those lovely little bars of soap ?

[vrooje]

You were a photograph stylist?

Might we call on you to give a list of tips on how to dress up a photo of every room? Paolo has done this too and it really helped my pictures, but it would be great to hear from another pro.

[Sallys Chateau]

Yes I would be delighted. Took a quick peek at your website, lovely outdoor shots but few basics letting down your internal shots. No large fruit baskets allowed on kitchen tables either !! think delicate. Same applies to whole baguettes.

[Fraise]

Oh but Snail ( haha, that'll get the grammar police- can tell I've got an English degree as well can't you? ) . I put them on the bed as that is EXACTLY what my guests get when they arrive ! Nothing staged for the piccies, If there are flowers in the rooms that's because I do put flowers in the rooms. The only piccie a bit staged is my kitchen shot, I have to admit to not providing a bowl of salad but apart from that......

www.thepetitmanoir.com

[Sallys Chateau]

Now you've just made me look again at your website, really and honestly ! When I saw your towels I just knew that you are a complete pro, I'm going to pinch your idea now and tie mine up too, looks rather difficult tho'. And as for your kitchen table, well, not a fruit bowl in sight, just a divine picci of a nicely laid table with lots of sparkling glasses, yes yours does have the 'wow' factor !

[Fraise]

Oooerr, thankyou

Nah- the towel tiey uppy thing is easy, it only takes an extra minute or so. I have lost a few ribbons though !!LOL

www.thepetitmanoir.com

[Guest3]

Snail said

Having said all this it's hugely time consuming and reading all your helpful suggestions as to my own website I am well aware that I need to get my own act into gear with regard to inside shots.

Snail...you do seem to have duplicated the pictures of the pool (as you scroll down) and the patio table many times on your website...maybe a few interior shots (folded towels on beds with satin ribbons 'n all) instead would be a suggestion?

[vrooje]

No large fruit baskets allowed on kitchen tables either !! think delicate. Same applies to whole baguettes.

Agreed! Actually I hate those kitchen pictures, but we've never managed to get better ones taken. I would much prefer to set the table (without the weird tablecloth) for a nice dinner, and at most have a few lemons in a glass bowl on the countertop, though that would probably seem posed.

For the bedrooms I want to re-take all photos with our newer, fluffier pillows, so that the bed doesn't seem so flat (as it does in the upper bedroom). I've been thinking about turning the bed down, and possibly draping a throw across the corner of the bed... but I'm not sure whether that is too posed.

I was also thinking of draping a throw across the arm of one of the leather chairs in the living room, and keeping continuity with the pitcher of flowers on the coffee table.

Do these seem like they're on the right track?

I eagerly await your set of general tips!

[Hells Bells]

The pics on mine need replacing with less 'bland' shots, but it was actually very hard to get the lighting right inside in summer, and the winter shots looked better. We either had to close the curtains, or have lots of 'glare'. I did try photoshopping them, but it didn't look quite right.

[Sallys Chateau]

er Vrooje are you ready ? Drink in hand yet ? Open that bottle sticking out of the fruit bowl whilst you are munching through it all. No no no, not that same vase of flowers either for the coffee table.

[A-two]

Does not a finished picture make. Honestly to everyone, please quit using those lousy folded towels and plonking bars of soap on top to "dress" your picture.

Who puts soap on top of towels in a bedroom? I don't know anybody. Soap belongs in the bathroom and many people don't provide bars anyway, they provide liquids. Like others here, my photos show bathroom towels on the end of the beds as that is exactly what we do. It's not done to stage the photo, it's done for practical purposes, so we know everyone has what they need. The flowers on my dining room table are fake, the ones they find on arrival are fresh. If the arrival is very late, I set the table for breakfast, otherwise it is not set, but in effect, I am using the photo to show the contents of the cupboards without taking a photo of the inside of the cupboards. The same applies to the saucepan I have placed on the stove top in the photo of the kitchen, it shows the quality of pans I'm providing. None of this has anything to do with dressing something up for the sake of dressing, and I wouldn't put a throw on a couch unless that's what the couch looks like on arrival. So I'm sorry snail, but I think you've missed the whole point of what we're doing here and I think everyone's photos look lovely, with towels, and even soap on top of towels, if that is what they are providing.

[Sallys Chateau]

No, sorry going to have to disagree with you Joanna, everybody's photo's do not look lovely, however I am going to bow gracefully out of the debate until I have completed my own. Fraise's presentation of towels is brilliant however.

[Hanorah]

I am probably guilty of all these sins but must admit I am in no hurry to change them at the moment. Sometimes I think it is the fact we are not total professionals in every area that makes us special. My site looks very much home made and I hope that is part of the charm. I am told time and time again by guests that my villa far surpasses the photos they have seen on the web which in my book is a bit of a bonus as it is a nice surprise for them. Saying that the current photos do not not seem to put guests of either. They are also round two after taking excellent advice off of this site ie standing on chairs so are far better than my first offerings which were frankly terrible.

[garlic]

I think my pictures are pretty bad! They were taken in the two spare minutes we had before our guests arrived and so really were the best I could do...At least they are an honest representation of what my guests find...I like Hanorah have had guests say that it looks much better in the flesh than in the pictures and a pleasant surprise has to be better than disappointment...We're all doing different things I think and for me a pair of muddy wellies in shot would be quite in keeping with what I offer...I'd love more guidance on taking good pictures...I've got the idea at the moment that having a sort of seasonally revolving set of pictures would help to sum up the moment and help to keep the website fresh...For example in summer there is nothing like crisp white cool bedlinen but for winter I think a warmer fluffier option would be more in keeping...

[Hells Bells]

No soap on my bed, I only use liquid soap, as I hate soggy bars messing up the sinks.