This is a fascinating thread. Let's take a step back to make sure our photo/video shoot is storyboarded to tell a story that evokes the emotions and call to action we want to stimulate.
Talk with your photographer/videographer about what you want your guests to feel when they step through the front door, then move through your property.
What can their lifestyle be like during their stay? What are the big things, and what are the small details, you want to show on and off of your property? What are the camera angles, and what is the mix of wide angle, medium, and closeup images or shots? For video, discuss sound effects and music beds.
Okay, good!
If you want to include people in your photos/videos
Define your ideal guest target audiences, age ranges, and appearance/wardrobe styles.
Do you want honeymooners? My mom remarried at 86 years old. She and her 90-year-old new husband honeymooned for two weeks in Fiji and New Zealand. While this is extreme, remember honeymooners exist in multiple age brackets.
If a segment of your ideal guest target audience is age 50+, cast adults who resemble your guests
but look 10 to 15 years younger. Decades of scientific research for the ad industry affirm adults age 50+ feel much younger than their chronological age.
We also need to consider diversity and inclusiveness in our photos.
If you're not ready to include people in your property photos
You can stage with
evidence of people. This is the deck table set for breakfast, flip flops and beach towels arranged by the pool steps, a handwritten list of a day's activities held down with a 3/4-full coffee cup with a spoon.
Perhaps in
@Jens case, stage fishing gear with adult and child-size Wellies by the back door, a table set for 12—or holding piles of wrapped gift boxes.
Our goal is to help people feel they can step into the photos or video and be at our property right now. We also want them to share these images with "This is where we're going!"
Why we shot our videos the way we did
For our two videos (thank you for your praise,
@JStevens!), we chose to include people to help answer the prospective guest question, "What will my experience be like?" while evoking specific emotions and moving viewers to a call to action.
We shot our maid preparing for guest arrival (arranging flowers, smoothing a bedspread, setting beach towels by the pool); guests getting a massage on the sea-view terrace; diving into, or dangling feet, in a pool; and exploring our Mexican beach pueblo. Models were deliberately shot to not dwell on their faces, but capture activity, body language and conversation snippets.
As others have recommended, we did not portray people in intimate spaces. We want our guests to hold the fantasy they are the first guests to stay at our property. Of course they know they aren't, but we want to help them suspend this reality.
A word of caution
Pro photos and videos require much post-shoot time in Photoshop and editing. Be sure your photographer/videographer will go the distance.
Create a written agreement for signature (yours and hers) that outlines the scope of work (who does what), timetable, and how many rounds of edits/revisions you get (two rounds are reasonable).
If the photographer/videographer is local, include a clause for returning to shoot some shots if/when necessary. If your video includes music, make sure you have the rights to use it. If you use models or even friends, insist on model releases. Do not limit your agreement to the shooting only.
And put the toilet lids down!
