Real Estate Photography – Tips From The Pros
Are you a complete beginner when it comes to real estate photography? If you plan to sell your house, allow me to share some wisdom from real estate photography professionals. Let’s get started!
1. Invest in a wide angle camera lens to emphasize space and create a sense of depth.
Tip #1: Always use a wide angle camera lense to capture the full essence of a space. This allows for a wider shot which gives a true sense of both depth and detail.
Tip #2: HDR(high dynamic range)photography allows you to stand out from the crowd. HDR takes several exposures of the same photo and combines them giving you professional photographs that look rich and full of dynamic shades. When potential buyers are looking at photos online, HDR leaves a memorable note due to its unique a polished look.
2. Analyze Great Real Estate Photographs to See Why They Work
One of the best ways to learn how to master real estate photography is to analyze great pictures to see why they work. Over on Placester’s Real Estate Academy they have an excellent write up on what to look for when assessing great real estate photos. Recommendation on how to use artificial and natural light to your advantage, don’t forget to highlight the views, or the community amenities in a suburban setting.
3. Compose Your Pictures to Emphasize Space and Natural Light
Space and natural light are two qualities that home buyers are always looking for. That’s why Leah Brown recommends keeping space and natural light in mind when composing your pictures.
4. Avoid vertical orientation at all costs. Use landscape orientation for optimal viewing
Shoot your photographs in the horizontal or landscape orientation whenever possible. The human eye sees the world in a roughly a 4:3 aspect ratio, though the standard ratio is moving to 16:9. So our brain finds the horizontal/landscape view more pleasing, NOT that smartphone vertical picture I keep seeing more and more!
5. Please hire a professional photographer
Don’t skimp on the cost of an experienced real estate photographer. This industry is littered with agents who take photos of properties with their smartphones. Having professionally-taken photos is truly the key to marketing and selling the home. If You’re Shopping for a New Camera, Forget Megapixels and Buy a Full Frame Camera
Sensor size, not megapixels, is the most important criteria to consider when purchasing a new digital camera. Generally speaking, larger sensors mean better image quality, better low light performance, but more importantly, a wider field of view, which allows you to capture more of the room in your picture.
6. Be prepared to dedicate several hours for your photoshoot.
A professional photographer will orchestrate the shoot room per room. A decent shoot takes about 2 hours for a 3000 square foot home. Emphasize the best feature in each room, and declutter.
A professional photographer would be able to take photos that emphasize each room’s selling point, whether it is the natural light in the room, the spaciousness, or the little nook in the corner that will make buyers curious to see more. Prepare Every Room You Plan to Shoot
Preparing the Kitchen for a Photo Shoot:
Remove everything from the top and doors of the fridge. This includes magnets, business cards, photos, etc.
Clear and wipe off the counters. Clean counters look great in photos.
Hide dish soaps, sponges and paper towels.
Set up the kitchen or dining table with nice set of dishes.
A bowl of fruit or bouquet of flowers presents nice on the photos.
Preparing Bathrooms for a Photo Shoot:
Put down toilet lids.
Hide any toiletries that are in the shower or bath, as well as on the counter.
Clean mirrors and any glass surfaces.
Remove old towels from doors, showers and bathtubs. Hang a new set of towels that coordinate with the paint or tiles.
Depending on the space, a flower or plant can add a nice touch.
Source: http://fitsmallbusiness.com, Ivan Ciraj, Mathew Bushery, Leah Brown, Blain Handley, Chris Feltus, Giovanni Farinacci,