Airbnb Photography Manual

Airbnb 99 Rhode Island San Francisco, CA 1-855-4-AIRBNB photography@airbnb.com http://www.airbnb.com

WelcomePhotographs are the first thing that prospective guests look at when they consider renting an Airbnb listing. As a

freelance professional photographer for Airbnb, you are instrumental in helping our hosts put their best face forward.

The Airbnb founders understand the importance of high-quality photos, and in the early days they completed as many

shoots as they could on their own. Our photography operation has come a long way since those days. In fall 2009, we

began offering photography to select hosts in some of our key markets by hiring expert freelancers who also shoot for

publications like The New York Times, TIME , and National Geographic, among others. Today, we offer free professional

photography to any host in any location. More than 10,000 hosts and over a thousand photographers have benefited

from the Airbnb photography program.

This guide will introduce our photography tools and outline the responsibilities of an Airbnb photographer. We are excited

about the opportunity to work with you, and we look forward to having you shoot some of our amazing listings around

the world!

-AirPhoto Team

Airbnb Photography ToolsHosts on Airbnb are now able to request photography directly from Airbnb.com. You will be notified of new shoot

requests in your area via the email address linked to your profile. Jobs MUST be accepted or declined within 48

hours.

After you accept a job, you will be provided with the contact information of the host so that you may arrange a

photography appointment at a mutually agreeable date and time. Appointments should be completed within 7 days

of accepting a host request. (Some exceptions apply).

Getting Started1. If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to create an account on Airbnb.com using the email address you use

most. From your profile Dashboard complete a full profile by clicking on the “Edit Profile” link. Be sure to include a

profile picture, first and last name, phone number, current location (*ONE location only), and a full-face profile photo

of yourself, and a short biography.

*Important: The “Where You Live” box on the Edit Profile page helps our automatic job system determine which

requests to direct to you. Write out the full name (no abbreviations) of your current city, state or province, and country. If

you enter more than one location, our online system will be unable to send you any photography requests.

2. Email your recruiter to verify that you have completed these steps.

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Register to be PaidAirbnb will pay photographers within 2-5 business days after photo shoots upload. This time allows us to fully review your

shoot and send feedback, if necessary. Your photos will not appear on Airbnb until you are paid for that shoot.

In order to get paid on time, please add your payout information as per the instructions below:

1. Log in to Airbnb and go to your account at https://www.airbnb.com/account.

2. Click on “Payout Preferences” (https://www.airbnb.com/users/payout_preferences).

3. Add Payout Method.

4. Choose your country and follow the steps. Depending on your country, you’ll be able to choose between the following

payout methods: ACH Direct Deposit or Paypal.

5. Enter your payout information.

Accepting & Scheduling Reservations1. When a host requests a photography appointment in your area, you will receive an email notification. To accept the

assignment, log in to Airbnb and go to http://www.airbnb.com/photography/accept. You can also access this page

from a link on the left side of your Dashboard under Quick Links.

2. Assignments must be accepted or declined within 48 hours of notification. You’ll receive the contact information and

address for the host after accepting the job. Aim to have the appointment completed and photos uploaded to the

listing page within 7 days of acceptance.

3. Schedule the appointment by contacting the host to arrange a mutually agreeable time. We do realize that while you

may be able to accommodate the 7 day turnaround, the hosts occasionally cannot due to reasons including

renovations, fully booked listing, or vacation. Please schedule the photo shoot for the earliest date possible.

4. Once the schedule is confirmed, add the date of the appointment to your accepted jobs at https://www.airbnb.com/

photography/accept. If a host cannot confirm a photo shoot date within 30 days, please delete the job from your

dashboard and include the reason for the cancellation.

Note: It is your responsibility as an Airbnb photographer to arrange the appointment. Hosts will not have

your contact information.

Tip: Create a standard email to send to hosts the night before a photo shoot, reminding them of the appointment date

and time. Include your contact information. This reminder will help to prevent last minute cancellations, and prompt the

host to tidy their space before you arrive. Here’s an example:

Dear X,

I am writing to confirm our appointment at [address], on [date] at [time]. Should you need to cancel,

please let me know via [phone/email]. I look forward to meeting you and providing you with

professional, water-marked photos for your listing. Please have your home “photo-ready” (cleaned and

uncluttered) in advance.

Best Wishes,

[Your signature]

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Potential Scheduling Issues1. A host is unresponsive. Please contact the host once a week for 2-3 weeks. If they are still unresponsive, delete

them from your dashboard and use the message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted

job.

2. A host is no longer interested in the free photography offer. Delete them from your dashboard and use the

message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted job.

3. A host cannot schedule a photo shoot within the next week due to renovations, bookings/reservations,

etc. Try to pin down a date within the next month. If they cannot, delete them from your dashboard and use the

message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted job. Hosts are able to re-request

photography at a later date.

4. A strange or suspicious listing. Please let us know immediately, and we’ll take appropriate action.

Delivering the PhotosOur tools make it easy for you to deliver the photos to Airbnb directly.

1. Log in to your Airbnb account. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla. Do not use Internet Explorer. Make

sure you have the latest flash update: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

2. Go to http://www.airbnb.com/photography/accept.

3. Select the property that corresponds to the photos you’d like to upload.

4. Click the Upload button to begin.

5. Upload the photos (4200 pixels wide = 300dpi at 14” wide). We require

10-25 photos uploaded for each job.

6. Please choose the best photo to be the lead photo for the listing by

dragging it to the first spot. Put interior photos in the front and exteriors

photos at the end of your photos. Only use an exterior photo for the lead

if it is a truly spectacular exterior. For security reasons, it’s important

to make sure that NONE of the exterior photos show the house number or street name.

7. Enter your miles traveled in the “miles traveled” box in the bottom right hand corner of the upload page.

Photo Shoot Field GuideHow to Showcase the Space• Light it up: Brightness lends depth and color variance to the scene. Sunlight is best, so open up those window

coverings, and turn on the lights. Please use your flash only if necessary. Do not use a camera flash as your only

source of light

• Shoot into a corner: This helps show the range of space, adds dimensionality, and also makes the space appear

larger. However, please limit the amount of ceiling in each picture unless it contains special architectural

details or features.

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• Clean the scene: De-cluttering is key as it will make the space feel more livable/spacious. Extra objects in a room can

be distracting to the viewer. If you find a scene that could use some tidying up, suggest it to the host. Remind your

hosts to clean up the day before your shoot in your reminder email so that you don’t spend too much time waiting for

the host to organize their space.

• Exposure: Utilize a range of exposures for each shot. We suggest 3 stops up and down.

• Orientation: Shoot in landscape orientation only as this is how photos are presented on Airbnb.com. We cannot

stress this enough. (Note: Portrait mode should only be used under special circumstances, such as for small

bathrooms.) Make sure your lines are straight, and that everything is symmetrical.

• Post-production: Please go easy on HDR. We want the photos to look as natural as possible.

• Low-light situations: Please use a tripod, as interiors may require longer exposures. Any camera with a shutter of 1/30

or longer will have camera shake if hand-held.

• Color correction: Before you shoot, adjust the white balance setting on your camera. If you cannot adjust this, please

color correct in post before uploading your photos or they will be rejected.

What to Shoot• Living Rooms

• Kitchens

• Bedrooms featured in the listing

• Bathrooms

• Exterior

• Common spaces

• Noteworthy views

• Significant artwork or furniture

• Interesting details that make the dwelling unique

• Profile photo and/or headshot of the host if they would like

What NOT to Shoot• House numbers (This is a security issue.)

• Street signs (This is a security issue.)

• Toilets with the lid up

• Any room on the property that is not included in the listing (e.g., a host’s personal bedroom if listing is individual room)

Technical Specs• JPG files only

• 12.1 Megapixels or more

• Deliver 10-25 of the best photos, touched with a size that is at a minimum of 4200 pixels wide* (NOTE: NO FISHEYE

LENSES)

*Given the increases in screen resolutions across the technology industry as well as the future plans for the design of our

site, we need very large photos. We have optimized our site to handle these large files and it is essential that you send

the files as requested.

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The Golden Rules• Respond to an assignment in 48 hours.

• Complete the assignment within 7 days of acceptance (some exceptions may apply).

• Use good lighting. Use daylight whenever possible, and minimize flash unless necessary.

• Shoot in landscape only. 4200 pixels wide minimum.

• Make sure to select your best shot for the first position when you upload to the listing. Group each listing’s photos in

order of living rooms/common spaces, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom(s) and exterior.

• Hosts are only allowed 4 listings to be photographed. Please be conscious of this when a host asks for you to request

another listing, or if they should ask you while on-site to shoot another of their listings.

• Most importantly: Please remember you are acting as an Airbnb ambassador. It is likely that you may even

be a host’s first interaction with an Airbnb contractor. Please be responsible, considerate, and friendly. It is

crucial that you be professional in all your communications with our hosts.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact photography@airbnb.com and one of

our photography managers will be in touch shortly.

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FAQs Q: What if the host is no longer interested in the free photography offer?A: Delete them from your dashboard and use the message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted job.

Q: What if the host does not answer me after multiple attempts to contact?A: Please contact the host once a week for 2-3 weeks. If at the end of that time period, they are still unresponsive, delete them from your dashboard and use the message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted job.

Q: What if the host is having renovations or the property is booked and they cannot schedule a photo shoot within a reasonable amount of time?

A: Try to confirm a photo shoot date within the next month. If it’s not possible to schedule the shoot within 30 days, delete them from your dashboard and use the message box to let us know the reason for which you’ve deleted an accepted job. The host will then be able to re-request photography when they are ready.

Q: A host asked for copies of the photos. What do I tell them?A: Airbnb owns all rights to the images taken of our listings by our professional photographers, and is unable to send them to the hosts directly. We offer photography free of charge to our hosts so that those watermarked images will remain on our site. You may not send unwatermarked or raw images directly to the hosts, and will be terminated as an Airbnb photographer if you do so. Please let us know if a host requests this from you, and we will take appropriate action. If a host would like to contact us directly to inquire about the photos, please direct their inquiry to photography@airbnb.com.

Q: I just received an email job alert. However, when I went to my dashboard, it was not in my pending jobs. What’s the problem? A: This means that a job was deleted or reassigned to another photographer. This is nothing to worry about, and it may happen occasionally. Please only contact hosts whose requests you have accepted, and whose listings are in your dashboard.

Q: What do I do if the uploader is really slow?

A: 1. Install Chrome 2. Update your flash player at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. 3. Refresh. 4. If this doesn’t work, let us know: photography@airbnb.com

Q: What if the job is further than 30 miles from where I live?A: In some cases we will pay all travel expenses (e.g., if the listing is a spectacular one, such as a castle, treehouse, villa, etc.).

Q: When do I get paid?A: You will be paid 2-5 business days after uploading photos. Your work will not appear on the site until you are paid for the shoot.

Q: I clicked on a listing, and I got a message that says “This listing no longer exists”. What does this mean?A: This message simply means that the listing has been turned off due to lack of photos. As soon as you upload photos, we will be able to turn the listing back on.

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