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You’ve decided that hiring out your home or property as a photo location is a great idea to earn some extra income. You also quite like the idea of seeing your house filled with beautiful objects in a stylish magazine shoot or glossy brochure.
As a location owner, you might feel the best way to maximise the money you earn is via a do-it-yourself approach. You could reach out to magazines and photographers and let them know what you have to offer. You might even think about putting together a website and experimenting with other marketing options to draw attention to your fantastic location.
You then begin to think through all the practicalities. The legal aspects and the administration. How should I take the best photographs to appeal to potential clients? How can I protect my property from damage? The more you look into it, the less appealing the do-it-yourself option feels and you begin to wish there was someone that could do it all for you. You start to think that paying to use a location agency is an excellent idea.
Location Agencies know the industry inside out, and they already have the right contacts. They also think of every little detail involved, many of which wouldn’t cross your mind – from parking permits to smoking policies. Their job is to make your life as a location owner a smooth and enjoyable experience.
They Market your Property
Location agencies will already have marketing systems set up to ensure your property reaches the widest possible pool of potential clients. User-friendly websites, stylish newsletters and active social media profiles together with established client relationships, will advertise your location to the right audience.
“Light Locations have always been the most proactive and creative with their marketing, advertising and everything generally” Jemima Sanders – Owner of Kingsley Place
“Light Locations really do work hard to promote your property and have a great selection of clients” Katrina Baer – Owner of Dower House
They Know the Clients
Most Location Agencies have established relationships with their clients, giving you peace of mind about who will be in your house. For new clients, a location agency will always go through a vigilant appraisal of client suitability.
“We have had a fantastic stream of clients at our home, all of whom have been extremely considerate and a delight to work with” Caroline Pitman – Owner of Cotswold Barn
They Cover all the Legal Aspects
Having shoot teams in your home can be a stressful experience, especially on the rare occasion that something goes wrong. Agencies will ensure everything is in place to protect you and your property.
At Light Locations, we won’t book a shoot unless the client has all the relevant public liability in place. We also have a legal contract with the client confirming every detail from fees to timings and from house rules to cancellation terms.
“I always know that they’re protecting my best interests and I’ve yet to have any ‘nasty surprises. If anything has cropped up, then they have been brilliant at resolving things” Jemima Sanders – Owner of Kingsley Place
They Take Care of the Administration
There are lots of small jobs involved in a location shoot, that can add up to a lot of administration time. Diary management, organising paperwork, chasing payments and making sure your property is returned to its original condition. And because agencies do this day in and day out, they are time efficient and professional at all these tasks.
“It is such a joy not to have to worry overpayments and admin. This is all managed and processed quickly and seamlessly by Sophie and the team on each and every job” Jane Cumberbatch – Owner of Palace Road.
They Keep you Safe
Like many industries, COVID19 has led to changes in processes and procedures for the photo location business.
At Light Locations, we have put in place shoot guidelines to ensure everyone involved in a shoot is safe. For location owners, this means clean and ventilated environments and minimal physical contact with clients. For clients, this means reduced shoot crew sizes and ramped up hygiene measures.
Organising a photoshoot can be a stressful experience, but using a location agency means it doesn’t have to be. At Light Locations, we do everything we can to make our photo shoots run smoothly. If you are thinking of registering a location, read through what makes a great photo shoot location.
