Author: Rachelle Moore

With the current global situation bought by the ongoing pandemic, several industries have been affected. However, many of them also boomed during this crisis, just like the other successful businesses we know today.

Let us talk about the photography business. There are different types of photography niches to focus on, but the real game is to keep it going in a time like this.

For some, it may seem unrealistic to start this given the current situation and economy, but who knows? It will help if you have a leap of faith to start your dream photography business.

If you are undecided yet, why not try real estate photography as your focus? This industry has a lot to offer in terms of financial independence and your time. Most of all, if you want, you can work independently using your equipment and skills.

How to get started?

The most important thing to have when starting your real estate photography business is the interest in the niche. Doing something you like is the key to a successful career and business.

The next phase involves your equipment. It is vital to have a high-quality camera, lenses, and tripods. You need to invest in state-of-the-art photography equipment to make sure you get the best shots for properties.

You must have a good internet connection to access your digital tools and upload the photos on sites frequented by realtors or clients.

Building Your Real Estate Photography Credibility

The big challenge in the photography business is in proving your worth. Many realtors will probably ask you about your experience, so it pays if you start small before tapping big-time clients.

Try doing some free shoot for your realtor friends or connect with a local real estate agent to do some work. The point is that even if you do all of these for free, you build your portfolio.

You can also do self-promotion of your works online using varied social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Use these platforms as your marketing arm in promoting your talent.

Moreover, you must have a responsive and mobile-friendly website, too, for showcasing your works. Use can also use it as a portfolio medium to consolidate your best work. Lastly, try to add testimonials from your friends about your work.

Growing Your Photography Business Online

If you want to excel more in the photography industry, you must know the importance of digital tools and how they help you work more efficiently than the traditional ways.

Digital tools are anything you use to enhance your shots. It can be a software for editing photos such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom or the advanced technology incorporated in virtual home staging.

Note that some tools need premium subscriptions, but some can be available for free such as the universal virtual home staging apps. However, you must understand that not everything that is free yields outstanding results. For example, in the case of free virtual staging apps, some may give you unrealistic final images which may not look attractive at all when used on the property listings.

Moreover, here are some suggestions that can help you grow your photography business.

Working with Third-Party Companies

If you are not yet pro in doing finishing touches to your shots and have an extra budget, it is recommended to work with a real estate photo editing company. For one, such a company is there to help you achieve high-quality and professional-looking images that realtors love to use on their listings. Furthermore, you can save time and money on buying and learning how to use editing software, although it is also helpful to have a basic understanding as to how these tools work.

Opting to Virtual Home Staging

It is recommended to have virtual home staging if your client is into traditional home staging, which is costly and time-consuming. Try to pitch the idea to your client first; discuss its pros and cons, then let him or her decide.

Learning the Craft of Single Property Websites

Understanding how a website works is one thing, and learning how to build one is another opportunity to grow your photography business. It is like hitting two birds with one stone: you create the website and provide the photos at the same time.

In the end, what matters is your perseverance in building the business and proving your worth. It is never too late to start your own business.

There is a new hype in the real estate photography industry. Both the realtors and real estate image retouching companies are considering this the modern ‘holy grail’ of real estate marketing.

The concept of virtual staging has been the topic these days because it is easy to use and of its power to completely transform or improve home staging setups.

Virtual Staging Defined

Virtual staging is a new and advanced technology that can be used as part of home staging methods. It is proven to be cost-effective and the best alternative for the traditional staging of vacant homes.

We know that compelling visuals matter and play a critical role in the marketing strategy of realtors. While the usual photos of the property help, virtual staging produces more stunning, improved, and realistic images that capture a potential buyer’s attention.

How does it work?

In a nutshell, the enhanced images still employ real estate image retouching. However, the elements (e.g., furniture and interior decorations) seen in the space are all virtually arranged to help customers visualize the potential of the property being their home.

There are two different known ways to accomplish photo-realistic virtually staged images: 1.) by using a virtual staging app or 2.) by getting the services of a real estate photography editing company to do the work so you can focus on sales.

Using an app is a practical and easy way to create virtually staged images. You can probably finish the setup while on-site in just a few hours, making it the perfect choice, especially for a quick sale opportunity. Plus, most of these apps are available for free.

However, despite its advantages, the free staging apps have some apparent downsides too. They seem to generate generic and fake-looking pictures, plus the fact that most of these applications have relatively small libraries for available virtual furniture. This alone can ruin your design or style concept for the home.

On the other hand, the companies offering this kind of service work directly with photographers who give instructions about the perspective of the room and the style to use.

The stagers apply the necessary changes, and the finished images are inspected for final quality check before handling them to the realtors.

Practically, the advantages of this option are huge, considering that it not only gives you high-quality images for listings or clients but also lets you save up a few bucks since traditional home staging is quite costly.

Is it worth the hype?

Definitely, yes!

Realistic images are the first thing that potential buyers look into when checking properties online. The best way to get this done is through virtual staging.

Given the pros and cons, opting for this technology is the practical choice in terms of quality and cost. Why waste your time and resources if you already have the right solution?

Still, if you are someone who has the time to process good images the usual way, proceed. No one is forcing you to opt for virtually staged photos. Yet, if you are a realtor who dreams of expanding your business quickly, this can help a lot since it adds more value to your clients.

After all, spending a few dollars for something that can last for a lifetime is already an investment that you can continually use in marketing the business.

Remember that real estate is a competitive industry. If you are too slow in adopting the new changes, you will never be able to step up the game. Embrace this virtual home staging technique now and continue your business.

The use of compelling visuals in real estate marketing matters as it plays paramount importance to a property’s viability in the market.

As a photographer, you must know that there is no room for useless photos and that the clients always expect quality images from you. You want to make sure that the photos are high-quality and have the right quantity.

The Real Estate Photos Shot List

Most real estate photographers know that there must be enough images in a listing to give potential buyers a precise impression of the property.

The standard shot list for an average home typically includes at least 25 images. This number is enough to cover all the necessary parts of a home, such as the front and back exteriors, family room and kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

The 25 images are usually enough to use for multiple listing services or MLS, but clients or realtors can demand more if they are listing properties on other sites.

In general, the 25 images can have the following breakdown:

Allocate three (3) front exterior shots, including one head-on, angle, and a closeup shot to show the details. Then, another three (3) for the exterior back photos with a closeup and two shots from varied angles.

The family room can have at least five (5) shots. This number is enough to showcase this part of the house. Focus on another five (5) shoots for the kitchen area, which is another vital part of the house. Remember to always take shots from different angles.

For the dining area, one full shot is already good to show its connection to the central kitchen. After, allocate two (2) shots each for the bedroom and bathroom. Then, another two to three (2-3) for the guest bedrooms, and lastly, one photo for the guest bathroom.

Your shot list also depends on the size of the home. If you are shooting for a smaller house, taking multiple images of a specific room, for example, can be boring and is not recommended. Thus, you may need to reduce the number of photos to capture by discussing it with your client.

For bigger ones, it must not be difficult to secure the needed images since there are other rooms to feature in the photos such as the media and game rooms, and subdivision amenities.

Moreover, there should be a varied shot list when shooting images for the exterior and interior of the house. The approach may differ from one photographer to another, so it is crucial to have your strategy.

Exterior Shot List Pointers

The secret of getting marvelous exterior shots of a real estate property relies on the basic idea of doing it at the right time of the day – when the sun rays lead in front of the house. Otherwise, it will be hard to get the best visuals, and you will eventually need the help of real estate photo editors to beautify your shots.

For your shot list, take images showing the home’s exterior from a nice angle and best light. Most of the time, having shots of the frontside and backside is beneficial and preferred as they highlight the property’s unique style.

Besides focusing on the frontside’s details, try to emphasize the backside’s prominent structures such as the patio or porch.

Interior Shot List Pointers

For the interior shots, the vital thing to remember is to focus on individual rooms that require more shots. Most of the time, these are the main rooms of the house.

However, if you think the property is not big enough to secure all the needed photos, then try to stretch the numbers by looking for other parts of the house that can be featured in the listing, such as the garage or backyard.

Do you have what it takes to be a real estate photographer? Are you equipped with the important skills and unmatched creativity to stand out from the others? These are just two of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to out-rivaling competitors in this field. But more than skills and creativity, there’s no denying that the choice of camera equipment (and its accessories) is very important especially for aspiring real estate photographers.

The camera supplies and accessories largely depend on the photography niche you are into. Just like in real estate, having the most basic photography equipment could be enough for aspirants. For sure, as you go along with the real estate business system, you could upgrade to better equipment as your skills continuously develop.

Know First What to Avoid

Aspiring photographers accidentally commit errors that could affect the whole project. They are prone to mistakes that would have been checked before. Committing early errors is part of the journey of these beginners.

1. Aspiring real estate photographers could not use lines correctly. They usually converge vertical lines with the horizontal lines, and most of the time, they are not aligned properly.
2. Bad lines result into improperly framed angles that affect the interior shots.
3. The use of one-point and two-point perspective is weak. They sometimes forget to converge one-point perspective on a single vanishing point. Failure to do so makes the real estate image dull and unappealing.
4. Aspiring photographers could not use the contrast, both color and tonal. This is the result of improper use of light and dark tones.
5. Beginners are not aware of the inappropriate use of lighting sources at different temperatures that may result in an imbalanced image.

The Basic Equipment for Aspiring Real Estate Photographers

To surely satisfy clients with stellar images, the possession and the proficient use of photography equipment are basically what an aspiring real estate photographer needs.

1. Best Camera for your Budget

• Consider your budget
• Work with what you have at the moment
• Buy the best camera that’s within your budget

Budget is always the usual problem when it comes to acquiring high-quality cameras. There’s no need to buy the most expensive gear yet as you are only at the initial stage of your journey as a photographer. Although having your own gear gives every photographer an advantage, you can always work with what you presently have. The camera is the most crucial single equipment needed by every real estate photographer.

Good reads:

• Top 8 Mobile Cameras for Low-Budget Panoramic Photograph
• Top 5 Best Cameras for Real Estate Photography
• Top 7 Most Expensive Cameras for Real Estate Photography This 2020

How to Choose the Correct Camera Settings For Real Estate Photography

2. Wide Angle Lens

• Use lenses that are around 12-24mm or 10-22mm
• Realistic effect of using wide angle lenses
• Avoid converging vertical lines
• Make tiny spaces look spacious

As important as the camera, choosing a wide-angle lens is very advantageous when it comes to real estate photography. Using a wide-angle lens like 12-24mm or the 10-22 mm camera will let you shoot the whole perspective of the shot especially when shooting the interiors of a room. One of the effects using a wide-angle lens to the viewer is that it makes him feel that he is actually inside that room because wide angle lenses make small spaces look vast and spacious. Tilt-shift lenses can support you in preventing vertical lines to converge.

3. Effective Tripod for Real Estate

• An indispensable gear
• Keeping shots at camera level
• Avoids camera to shake when shooting in low light

In real estate photography, the tripod is an indispensable partner. It always keeps the shot at camera level. In buying the tripod for your camera, consider how long and how high it will go. Make sure that the tripod you are going to use doesn’t move the tiniest motion when the shutter is pressed. This will ruin everything.

4. Filters

• Protects lenses from damage
• Reduce haze
• Enhance color saturation
• Reduce reflection
• Wider apertures can be used
• Balance exposures

There are still a number of fascinating reasons why old school photography filters are very important in real estate. Filters are special camera glasses that can be used by aspiring real estate photographers to produce sensational effects. Camera glasses like the Skylight or UV Filter protect the lenses from dust, dirt, droplets, or any particulate that can damage the camera lenses. This type of filter can also reduce haze.

To enhance color saturation and reduce reflections, a polarizer must be used. An aspiring real estate photographer can also bring with him the Neutral Density Filter to enable him to use wider aperture. The Graduated Neutral Density Filter is used to balance exposures between two contrasting elements in real estate – a bright background with a dark foreground.

Resource:

A Home Beginner’s Guide to Photography for Social Media