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SCHEDULING
DELIVERY
NAMING
PHOTOSHOOT OVERVIEW
EQUIPMENT
LIGHTING
Outdoor
Indoor
Amenities
Detail
What a perfect photoshoot looks like
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HomeExchange Photoshoot

V 1.0 - 2021.12.27

OCUS LOGO

HomeExchange Collection is a private community of luxury homeowners that exchange and lend each other their home. As the most trustworthy community of home exchanges, HomeExchange Collection offers the opportunity to live like a local, in a high-standing home, for authentic luxurious vacation. Their members believe real luxury is about feeling at home anywhere in the world.

SCHEDULING


How to schedule a photoshoot


If you are scheduling for the first time and are not sure of the correct process, please follow the instructions here to ensure that you follow the correct protocol with the business owner.


By accepting this assignment, you will be representing OCUS in the eyes of our client. We count on you to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in your coming interactions.


If a photoshoot already has an appointment scheduled, please respect this appointment and only assign yourself to the photoshoot if you are available at this time.

DELIVERY


When and how to upload my images


Your priority is capturing excellent photos. To ensure consistency, OCUS is handling the post-production internally. Please respect the following requirements to make sure that we can deliver the best outcome to our client.

- Don’t edit any of your pictures (no crop, no edit). - Don’t erase your metadata. - Select your best shots and don't send more files than required. - Follow the naming convention below (take some notes during the photoshoot to keep all the needed information).

NAMING

XXX.jpg, e.g: 003.jpg

- Please make sure you upload your media in the correct category. - Don’t forget to validate your assignment after uploading your files.

/!\ Validate the photos you will upload with the host or on-site contact at the end of the photoshoot. if the host did not want to validate the pictures, please mention it in your dashboard. /!\ Send your pictures the same day than the photoshoot before midnight. /!\ Keep your RAW files until your mission is validated.

PHOTOSHOOT OVERVIEW

HomeExchange Collection does not offer houses with hotel services, but real inhabited & imperfect houses. Photos must help future guests to see themselves living in the property, as if they were here. Style is relaxed, nuanced, and imperfect. It draws our attention towards objects from our everyday lives within the property, without looking messy. Each house have a great asset: a unique view, a beautiful swimming pool, a small garden in Paris city center, or just the charming luxury of very British country side: your pictures must highlight it and spread that feeling. It's not about real estate photos. Each room has its own personality. The purpose is to make the photos communicate this unique feeling. Key Points 1) Quantity: check your OCUS Dashboard. It’s the minimum of images required for a shoot. If you provide less than you’re asked for, you will be asked to reshoot the space. If you think the property deserves more images because of how extraordinary it is, feel free to take more pictures and to adapt to your surroundings. 2) Selection Please select and validate photos with the host or on-site contact at the end of the photoshoot. if the host did not want to validate the pictures, please mention it in your dashboard. 3) Keep in mind the ratios which the pictures will be seen (square or panoramic). 4) Ensure to respect all specific instructions for each type of pictures. We understand that there are a few unexpected situations that can happen while you are shooting, but please have some common sense, and don’t forget to leave a comment to explain your issues when uploading your photos onto the OCUS platform. And also leave a comment if the house owner has validated the images that you are uploading with you or was not available for the validation. /!\ Validate the photos you will upload with the host or on-site contact at the end of the photoshoot. if the host did not want to validate the pictures, please mention it in your dashboard.

The list below is a recap of all the photos that have to be taken during your photoshoot

EQUIPMENT

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Full frame or APS-C

General settings:

  • ISO 800 max

  • Aperture priority

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16-50mm (full frame)

General settings:

  • Aperture: f/4 - f/16

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Accessories

  • Tripod

  • polarizing filter

  • Reflector

  • gray card

LIGHTING

- Open curtains if needed, prefer using natural light.

- Don’t use flash.

- Turn ON the lights inside.

- Bracketing -2/0/+2 mandatory.

- Photos must be bright, attractive and warm.

- No hard shadows, nor hard lights.

Outdoor

For each homes, shoot an upfront picture from outside, showing the entirety of the house and its surroundings.

- If photographing a flat, shoot the facade of the building or of the main entrance.

- If the door will be on the photo, please make sure it’s open so the house looks more welcoming.

- If the view is stunning, please take a picture of it.


Quantity

Check On Site


Do

- Frame with a straight on view.

- Open the entrance door.

- Shoot the surroundings of the house/facade.


Don't

- Don’t include people or animals.

- Don’t include trash or rubbish.

- Avoid shooting when there is bad weather (rain, fog, snow…) or at night.


Camera settings

  • Camera Mode: Aperture Priority

  • 16-35mm (full frame)

  • Aperture > f/8 - f/16

  • ISO 100 - 200 max.

  • Tripod

  • Horizontal

Indoor

Capture authentic photos that show the property perfectly: take pictures of the main point of interests!

❏ Kitchen

❏ Living Room

❏ the main bedroom (3 max)

❏ Bathroom

--> stunning view behind the window.


Quantity

Minimum 1


Do

- Take photos at an horizontal wide angle (in cases when you don’t have a choice, such as shooting a very narrow bathroom, you can shoot in vertical).

- Take at least one picture per room.

- All curtains and shutters must be opened.

- Try to hide cables in rooms.

- You can put up a few decorations to make the space look homelier (eg: an opened book on the living room’s armchair).

- Select pictures with your onsite contact.


Don't

- Avoid extreme wide angles.

- Don’t include more than one space in one frame.


Camera settings

  • Camera Mode: Aperture Priority

  • 16-35mm (full frame)

  • Aperture > f/58 - f/16

  • ISO 100 - 800 max.

  • Tripod

  • Horizontal