Photos for Listing Site

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Which Photo ?

Poll ended at Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:33 pm

Hidden behind trees. Secluded.
7
32%
Nice detail, but is it inspiring ?
2
9%
YAPS: Yet Another Pool Shot !
1
5%
Internal
0
No votes
Something Different
12
55%
 
Total votes: 22

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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

I think #2 or #5 would do, but actually, none of them really jump out at me as "the" picture.

If everyone else has a pool shot, then you don't want to be the one person out there showing a blank lawn and implying (to those who don't read blurbs) that you don't have a pool. But a shot showing just the pool is, at least to me, overkill. You don't need to take up all those pixels showing blue water. Just a luscious corner of the pool would do.

So, if you can actually take more pictures, I would love to see a picture with less pool and more house. Maybe stir up the pool water to get those shiny light arcs. If a lawn chair is in it, stage one with a draped towel and a cold glass of iced tea. Some tree, some interesting part of the house, even some lawn as well (if possible), and you could (just maybe) get everything in one picture in a really gorgeous and alluring way.

But if the weather doesn't cooperate, I think I might end up going with #5.
Brooke
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

5 would have me looking further but I think 2 would be better than that if there's any way of taking a pic with the sun on it?

PS - Strangely enough we were in Carvoeiro last October, I will be replying to your PM Richard soon............ :)
Kathy
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e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

vrooje wrote:..actually, none of them really jump out at me as "the" picture...
Actually Brooke, I agree with this observation, but I've looked at many other thumbnails of similar properties and in general they are quite poor, so almost anything of high quality will have a good chance of standing out.

I'm going to give a lot of thought to your new picture ideas and see if I can compose something specifically for a 140 pixel wide mini-picture.

I'll be there at the end of next week, and have high expectations that the sun will be very co-operative :D
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

...and see if I can compose something specifically for a 140 pixel wide mini-picture.
That's definitely the key, isn't it? All those pictures look really nice when they're not so small... but it's easy to lose the important details in a thumbnail! :)

Good luck, and I hope the weather holds for you!
Brooke
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Jimbo
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Post by Jimbo »

e-Richard wrote:
Conventional wisdom says an external shot, but we're hidden behind trees from all angles
For any photo essay, the 'establishing shot' which sets the scene and shows the rabbit is an essential item. Faced with your problem, a pro-snapper would be thinking about height. In descending order of desirability (depending on budget), I would suggest you think about:

1. Photography from an aircraft. In you're in a resort, there's bound to be a pleasure flight company closeby (several here) where you could hire an aircraft for an hour. Get the pilot to sit above your property at around 1500 feet and come slowly down on a tightening spiral until you get what you need or you hit the ground (whichever comes first). Must be an aircraft with an overhead wing and - preferably - one where the window opens or a door can be removed.

2. Hire a lifting platform (cherry picker) for a couple of hours.

3. Climb one of the surrounding trees.

Good luck.

Jim
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

Hi Richard No 5[and you know how picky I am :wink: ] its sort of mysterious and makes you want to see more[which I spose is what your after] you sort of try to look round the corner to have a nose... :wink:

Your place looks great BTW :wink:
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

More thanks. I was certainly surprised that #5 got such attention - told you I was too close to the problem.

And Jimbo, I definitely appreciate your thoughts, but dare I say it - I tried all that too :cry: .

I have climbed onto the neighbour's roof (too many trees), I even went up in a plane but I had the wrong camera with me and at the time the trip was purely touristy, however, just for the fun of it, you can see my aerial shots here. The last picture could do with more "doctoring", but I doubt it would work at 140px wide. Pilot told me he couldn't/wouldn't go any lower as the neighbours complained about the noise (he is a friend and neighbour himself and does many trips). Now if I had an estate like Sir Cliff (see aerial pictures) which were out in the open, well I would not be here struggling.
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Gosh Richard - the villa is huge! I can see why you'd like to get that across in some way. Might it be worth another crack from an aircraft - it's not as if you'll be annoying the neighbours for long....?
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Jimbo
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Post by Jimbo »

Pilot told me he couldn't/wouldn't go any lower as the neighbours complained about the noise
Blimy Richard, your neighbours must have a low threshold of tolerance. Here we have regular microlites and pleasure aircraft overhead plus the French airforce seems to practice bombing runs down our valley (occasionally breaking the sound barrier with a tremendous crash). A couple of weeks ago, we had a dozen military helicopters flying at tree-top height like something from Apocalypse Now. Fortunately, guests seem to enjoy the airshow.

Jim
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Jimbo wrote: plus the French airforce seems to practice bombing runs down our valley (occasionally breaking the sound barrier with a tremendous crash).
Same here Jimbo - at least twice a week when we've been there! It's quite frightening as you almost hear the crash before seeing the aircraft!
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Garri
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Post by Garri »

Whilst all of them are good quality thumbnails, none of them are inspiring in their own right, let alone in the context of a listings site.

It's all about juxtaposition, and rental listings sites are most often than not workhorses, they don't seem to be designed to inspire people, so it's a massive challenge to stand out.

You may as well put a picture of a donkey on the beach, at least it would stand out and grab people's attention.

Or what about motor car in the swimming pool? A toy car, it's cheaper and less aggro!

Or some debauched tattooed rock stars jacking up on the sun-drenched terrace whilst sipping vodka martinis?

Naked chicks?

Aerial shot from a plane? Aerial shot from space? (just use a google map)

Or what about slapping the word 'censored' across the photos?

Ice cold beer in foreground, pool in the background?

You may as well mess around, especially on the free sites, see what works.

Isn't one of the 'USPs' of these sites, the selling point, that you can change your ad 'as many times as you want' ?
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

Garri wrote:..Ice cold beer in foreground, pool in the background?
Now thats something I could relate to :D

Thanks for the ideas Garri. I am actually off to Portugal (at 3.30am tomorrow morning :cry: ), so will definitely try a few of those ideas and maybe post some 'oliday snaps on my return.
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

I am actually off to Portugal (at 3.30am tomorrow morning ),
call that early piece of cake for me :)
Have a nice time Richard.
.Look fwd to seeing the snaps :wink:
Youre place looks amazing..I like Portugal.... friend has a villa there but havent been since we bought ours. :) ...
Do the drivers still have a death wish :?: [its the only place Ive been where someone went round the roundabout the wrong way :o and yes he was local :roll: ]
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

Big Sis.. wrote:Do the drivers still have a death wish :?
Oh yes they do, but one gets used it after a while. Dare I say it, but one even learns to drive like a local :oops:

Funnily enough, last month we drove from our Villa to Seville (2.5 hours) and while there is no real border crossing between Spain and Portugal, we certainly felt the difference on the roads within a mile or 2 of the border :shock: .
ravetildon
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Post by ravetildon »

So hard to make a decision. I like 1,2, & 5. Not a fan of the pool shot at all.
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