Category: Real Estate Photography

Photographers, regardless of their niche, are aware of the varied photography techniques they should know to do their jobs well.

One of these techniques is the use of the “flambient method.” In real estate photography, techniques like high dynamic range (HDR) and flambient photography are quite useful in shooting the perfect real estate images.

In learning the “flambient” technique, it is vital first to understand its principle and how it is applied during real estate photo editing. The “flambient” method involves combining both flash and ambient light in shots. It is one of the fastest-growing techniques for shooting real estate images.

But, why shoot flambient? As you may know, there are always pros and cons to utilizing varied photography techniques. For example, shooting in ambient light yields the most natural-looking images, but often results in walls that have shifted or lost most of their color and shadow areas that are a little too dark.

On the other hand, shooting using pure flash can result in an image that looks fake, with shadows pointing towards the windows instead of away. This is when the flambient method becomes significant. It recognizes both the strengths and limitations of shooting all-flash or all ambient. It is the solution to get the best of both worlds.

If you are interested in doing flambient photography, here is a quick guide on using this technique to capture great shots that highlight the best features of homes and other properties.

Take shots thrice

The rule of thumb is to take at least three photos of the room when shooting using the flambient style.

Perfect the ambient shot

Remember not to use flash when using this technique. Just utilize the natural light coming off the room. Make sure to expose in the middle of the room, so you get a nice overall picture. Also, shoot in RAW, so you maximize the use of dynamic range later on. Here is a classic setup to follow: If you have a room with an extreme dynamic range, you should shoot a bracket of 3 images. These photos should also have 0 as the “if only” exposure, then add -2 and +2 shots to allow room to capture the shadows and highlights.

Master the flash shot

A flash shot is usually meant to get a well-exposed image. In doing this, it is better to set your flash off-camera below a lovely white ceiling pointing straight up. Try holding the camera at 18 inches to 2 feet from the top. Then, leave the flash on the camera to get the best exposure to the room.

Focus on the window shots

When you have a nice window view, you want to capture and include in your real estate listing, and it is recommended to shoot thrice specifically for the windows. Ensure enough exposure for the windows and always point a high powered flash directly at the window frames. Doing this will make the blending process during real estate photo editing significantly easy. Always experiment in shooting images at varied angles to secure a shot with at least flash reflections. You can also choose to eliminate them, but turn off your flash and shoot one without the flash. Just make sure not to adjust the camera exposure at all.

 

These are four useful tips in incorporating the flambient method in your real estate photography. If utilized well, this strategy can help leverage real estate listings and attract more potential buyers using professional and compelling images. Always make sure to invest in quality images for your properties by choosing a great photographer and editor at the same time.

Doing real estate related work is never easy, especially when it comes to real estate photography. For one, taking pictures of properties is not just for the sake of it. It has a purpose, and it needs to be done professionally.

In photography, having a niche is imperative. While most photographers may be able to capture different types of images, niching allows them to practice and hone their skills, particularly in only one subject. Hence, some only specialize in weddings, fun shoots, corporate events, real estate, etc.

Photographers are also expected to be pro editors. They should know how to improve their shots and have a good mastery of the craft. Yet, in reality, not all photographers practicing in the real estate niche are expert editors. Sometimes, they still need the help of a real estate photo editing company to polish the images.

That is why knowing some useful photography hacks can help photographers to capture images that need minimal editing or even edit-free photos. Here are a few handy tips to get awesome shots.

1. Determine the exact area to shoot

Some clients do not want to capture the whole area, especially if some of the space is unattractive. It is best practice to ask the owner if there are any furniture or areas of the property that should be excluded from the shoot. This will help you save time in the editing process, either by yourself or through the help of a real estate photo editing company.

2. Use a wide lens

Using a lens that is at least 12 mm wide will yield more realistic results. It will make the interiors look more significant than they are. One tip to consider is to check with the realtor if some areas should look spacious to lure more interested buyers.

3. Feature attractive furniture and decorations

When shooting images for a home or any properties, it is best to show its most appealing side, including the furniture and the ornaments. For example, you can highlight a vintage chair or dining set to show intricate pieces of furniture. You can also highlight elegant staircases, accent windows, and walls.

4. Experiment with angles and heights

If you are unsure about where to start shooting or what aspect to use, try testing various angles and heights to make your shots stand out. Take note of photography fundamentals. For example, do not shoot directly at walls because it can make the photo look flat. It is always better to shoot from corners to create depth in the images. On the other hand, the use of low angles is useful, especially in kitchens. Shooting at eye or shoulder level is not always recommended. Moreover, when shooting the exterior of a house, aerial shots are favored to capture more property features.

5. Open all doors and straighten all curtains and cushions

Make it your goal to have neat shots. However, it is a challenge if the room has multiple entrances. The best hack to do is to open all sliding doors because it always creates depth in shots. Hence, you get a “huge space” impression. On the other hand, shooting kitchen and living areas tend to be difficult because of the furniture. The best hack to make this easy is to straighten all essential items such as the kitchen stools, cushions on sofas, books, dining, and outdoor chairs, including all the curtains.

Those are only five of the many hacks you can practice while taking images of a property. Take time to learn the skills, and eventually, you will get the hang of it. We hope these hacks can help you out!

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.

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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.

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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

Real estate photography is a significant marketing tool that has the power either to attract potential buyers or drive them away. This strong influence to make or break a deal, epitomized in images, brands real estate photographers as important to realtors, making this business a profitable one.

If you are a newbie who wants to earn big bucks in the world of real estate photography, yet you have zero knowledge and skills in the profession, you might feel a bit discouraged. But, worry no more because here are 12 tutorial guides to kick off your journey towards becoming an expert real estate photographer.

1) Introduction to Real Estate Photography

Before delving into the photography side of the job, you need to learn first the best practices to be done once you arrive at a property.

Firstly, although there are formulas and rules of real estate photography that you will be thinking about every shoot, you have to keep in mind that every agent and broker has different preferences and goals, based on their taste and the distinct features of the listing. Immediately after you’ve met the agent and done brief introductions, ask them to give you a tour of the property so they can share any specific shot ideas, angles and elements that they want to highlight. Doing this will give you a good sense of your client’s marketing goal as well as the layout of the house to aid you in mentally preparing for the upcoming shoot. You may also use this situation to raise your concerns if ever your client has a poor shot idea, which can be politely executed by taking their desired shot and showing them it’s a bad idea. Nevertheless, your ultimate goal is to give the agent what they want, so be flexible and experiment with bizarre ideas if needed.

Then, start prepping the house for the shoot by turning on all light fixtures and lamps, pulling up blinds, and hiding items that will show poorly in photos and negatively affect the marketability of the listing. Remember, you should not spend more than 15 minutes prepping the property since it is not exactly your responsibilities. If after the said duration, the property still seems unprepared for shooting, ask the agent whether you should reschedule or if they are comfortable with shooting the house in its present condition.

A general rule on window blinds is to pull them up in every shoot but there are some exceptions to this rule, so leave the blinds down if the view outside is unpleasant, if the agents insists on leaving them down for whatever reason, and if the blinds are broken, unstable or won’t pull up entirely. Excessively heavy blinds are usually twisted open so light can come through the windows. Other practices that are best to remember are removing security signs from the front yard when taking exterior shots, removing hoses and garbage cans out of the view, and keeping the garage doors closed.

2) Camera Settings

After you’ve prepped the house, start setting up your camera equipment and make sure your camera settings are dialed in. In no particular order, set your file of numbering settings to continuous to ensure that your photos are organized sequentially when you transfer them to your computer, so it would be an easy task to send them to your real estate image editing company. Set the photo quality to small raw files ideally at about 5 megapixels.

Go to live view/movie function settings and make sure you are in stills only or exposure simulation live view. Furthermore, you should set your lens to manual focus and dial in manual exposure mode to control both shutter speed and lens aperture or F-stop that should be set between 7 and 10. Before every exposure set, it is wise to set your focal point half the depth of the room, which you can accomplish by using your live view zoom feature for precision focusing. Lastly, set you ISO as low as possible, usually at 160 or 100 for exterior shots.

3) Basics of HDR and Flash

HDR or high dynamic range photography is a popular photographic technique that allows real estate photo editors to fuse different exposure photos of the same scene captured at various shutter speed, and then do a composite photo that consists of the best light information of each exposure, creating a balanced tonal spectrum. This means that for each image you take, you will have to shoot between 4 to 7 separate exposures, or more if necessary.

You will manually bracket these exposures from darkest to mid to brightest, by changing the shutter speed in your camera. Do not change the ISO of the F-stop mid bracket. To ensure that each exposure is crisp and align, you can use a shutter release cable and make sure your tripod is stable and completely still throughout the exposure set.

Moreover, you have to take a good flash out of the room after you complete your exposure set so get familiar with your flash. As you capture more photos and get more familiar with your on camera flash, you will develop a better sense of what ISO setting you’ll need according to the lighting conditions of the space that you’re shooting. Be gentle while switching the flash so as not to shake the camera out of position. Ultimately, you want the flash shot to line up perfectly with HDR bracket of exposures.

4) Front Exteriors Photography

After going over some basic techniques, principles and compositional rules, let’s talk about specific types of shots you’ll take nearly every shoot you do, and shots you’ll come across often in real estate photography. The Multiple Listing Service requires an exterior shot to be the cover photo of every listing, so you would have to make sure that you get at least one outstanding shot of the front exterior.

The best way to do this is to back up across the street, if possible, and zoom in to frame the house closely since the more of the composition the house takes, the larger it will appear. Remember not to cut off the edges of the structure unless you’re shooting a vignette detail of the front door or another distinctive architectural feature of the front porch.

In shooting a two-point perspective shot, it’s recommended that you shoot from opposite the garage to have grass and greenery in the photo’s lower foreground instead of the pavement. Lastly, do not shoot directly into the sun, but if it’s unavoidable, place your hand over the lens to block the glare, and prevent lens flare.

5) Backyards Photography

Backyards vary a bit in layout, landscape design and space so it is best for you to gather shots of different angles to exhibit the space from varying viewpoints. One common and effective angle you can take is from the house deck or patio area out into the yard from a two-point perspective. You can also shoot from the corner so you can capture a comprehensive sense of the space and fit as much as possible in the frame.

Another effective shot is a view from the back of the yard looking towards the house, usually a two-point perspective shot. When there is nice patio furniture in the yard, you can take a vignette shot with the furniture in the foreground and the yard behind to prompt prospective buyers to envision spending time in the yard. While you can decide what shots to take, it is prudent and safe to take multiple variations so your client will have a set that they can choose from.

6) Entryways and Staircases Photography

It is typically only worth capturing the entryway if there is a decorative front door, French door or a dramatic entryway space. You can approach this section of the house by taking a one-point perspective shot with the French door swung open that will lead your view into the entryway spaces.

Just like entryways, you only have to take photos of staircases if they are a distinctive selling feature of the property for example, big rounded staircase often photograph very well. In doing so, you would have to prop your camera up higher than usual since you are basically shooting two different levels at once with no ceiling obtruding on the upper part of the composition.

7) Living Rooms Photography

Living rooms can also vary dramatically in scale and layout but in shooting this part of the property, there are few general considerations. Typically, living rooms display best in two-point perspective shots but if the room is extremely organized and symmetrical, a one-point perspective shot can be employed. Since this is usually a main selling feature and one of the larger interior spaces of the house, it is ideal for you to shoot between two or three shot of this section. In addition to this, you should take at least one shoot of the living room facing towards the windows because this type of shot are primarily more inviting and colorful, making your photo stand out.

If the living room has a fireplace, you have to get one shot facing towards it given that fireplaces are also a strong selling point for prospective buyers. Considering that couches can often be obstructive or hard to negotiate with a camera, you can solve this by either shoot over the arms of the couch so the viewer sees the space from a more intimate inclusive viewpoint (subjective approach) or shoot from the corner showing off the whole room with the back of the couch in frame (objective approach). However, it is best for you to take both to give more options to the agent.

8) Kitchens Photography

You can take the trademark real estate kitchen shot from outside of the kitchen and with the countertop island looking towards the cabinets and windows, which is typically a two-point perspective shot. But, kitchens are where one-point perspective can prove to be very effective and aesthetic. Examples of this are the shot of the stools lining the countertop island horizontally with the wall side countertops and cabinets in the background, and the shot taken down the corridor between the island and the countertop.

You can also shoot from inside the kitchen looking out into the space beyond so as to bridge between two spaces, putting emphasis on the layout of different sections of the house and their relation to each other. Always remember to take at least two or two different angles of the kitchen so that your client has options.

9) Dining Rooms Photography

Before shooting this area, you have to double-check to ensure that all the chairs are tucked in and evenly spaced so that the display looks orderly and neat, and to declutter the table and surrounding area. You can take photographs of the dining rooms best from a two-point perspective backed up as far as possible and shooting towards the windows. In doing so, you have to make sure to prop the camera up high enough to get a view over the top plane of the table.

10) Bathrooms Photography

In shooting bathrooms, you have to focus more on the sink and mirror than the toilet. But, if the toilet fits in the frame, make sure the lid is closed. To get a good shot of this area, you will have to place your camera at the fulcrum of the door to get as much of the space in the frame as possible. Try to avoid capturing the camera’s reflection in the mirror. For half baths, where you need to focus on sinks, counters, and baths, you would have to prop the camera high enough to see the sink concavity, as well as the previously mentioned techniques.

10) Bedrooms Photography

Since bedrooms vary less than other rooms, most bedrooms display best from a two-point perspective looking towards the bed and windows. You can do this by backing the camera up, if necessary, into the doorway and zoom in to frame the space excluding the third wall. Another approach in photographing bedrooms is to shoot from the back corner of the bed looking out into the room, which only works when there is enough space to back away from the bed so that it isn’t taking up much of the composition. This shot provides a view similar to what you might experience waking up in the room and is a great one if there are windows with exceptional view of the exterior landscape opposite the bed.

11) Porches, Views, and Panoramas Photography

Porch photos are primarily two-point perspective shots. You can shoot this section by backing up the camera through the sliding doors to capture more space while also taking into consideration the sun placement. When touring a property with a view, you have to take note of which vantage point will best highlight the view.

For view shots, you will need to switch to your zoom lens in order to focus on the most remarkable section of the view. You might find that if a view is so expansive that one photograph doesn’t do it justice, the agent will order a panoramic photo. This is taken just like any other view shot, expect it is repeated across the horizon line 3 to 5 times. In executing the panoramic photographic process, you must make sure that there is at least one third of each subsequent composition overlapping with that of the previous one since the real estate photo editing company will be stitching together your separate HDR photographs to create a successful panoramic shot.

12) Agent Review Process and Conclusion

After succeeding to capture all the angles of a particular listing, the last thing you need to accomplish on site is to do a review of your photos with the agent. This is crucial in avoiding unhappy clients and a revisit to the property. Once you’re done with the review, count the photos for the agent so they know how many they will be paying for. This is your opportunity to sell the angles you decided to take, so explain and articulate why you like particular photos.

Having read the 12 essential guides, you already have all the general knowledge necessary to begin shooting beautiful real estate photographs. However, keeping these all in mind is not enough to start your career as a real estate photographer— you have to internalize these principles and techniques through constant practice. If you need to build up your confidence first before taking any actual shoots, try photographing your own living spaces or those of your family and friends to gain experience. Just keep in mind that the most important thing is to start applying these lessons as soon as possible and to continue honing your photography skills because you never know when a deal will be struck to jump-start your career in this industry.

Top Realtors Talks About using Smartphone for Real Estate Photos

Real Estate Agent:
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin – Wanda Can!
So Utah Residential, Referral & Relocation REALTOR
St. George, UT — Red Rock Real Estate
Independent Brokerage
http://www.buynsellutah.com
St. George Utah Area REALTOR Insights – Wanda Can!

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: Hiring a professional photographer is the best decision an agent can make. I have seen way too many amateur attempts and that is a disservice to sellers, in my opinion.

 

Services for Real Estate Pros
Bob “RealMan” Timm
Owner of Ward Co. Notary Services, retired Realtor
Minot, ND — Ward County Notary Services
Ward County / Minot Notary Services

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: My advice is just DON’T!!! Hire a professional photographer. I don’t care what phone you have, how expensive it is, it’s not a substitute for a professional.

Services for Real Estate Pros
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
Carpinteria, CA — Napa Consultants
http://www.napaconsultants.com

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: I love my phone with the latest and greatest features….And I have taken some nice photos and we have made a few videos with it.

I am not a professional photographer or videographer, so we are not recommending that agents take their own. There is so much more to point and shoot. Cheap and DIY are two words I would not recommend in marketing real estate, even if the property is a double wide….A

Real Estate Agent
Rae Dolan
Real estate agent serving the Katy area
Katy, TX — Roots & Wings Realty Group / Champions Real Estate Group
Roots & Wings Realty Group | Katy Realtors

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: My two cents is to hire a professional photographer.

 

Real Estate Broker/Owner
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Expert
TOP LISTING AGENT ALONG THE BEACH
Santa Rosa Beach, FL — PrimeSouth Properties
Mobile: 850-517-7098
Office: peter@bucketlistbroker.com

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: I have not read any other answers prior to answering your questions but I am sure that the majority of the experienced, successful agents use a pro to get pictures taken. Phone photo’s can be of good quality but really, is that the best you are offering to your client?I am an amateur photographer and do own a “expensive camera” I do use photo shop. Adobe light room. but it is for marketing purposes.Your clients deserve a pro.

Real Estate Agent
Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor e-Pro, CRS, RCS-D, Vets
& Host of Postcards From Success Podcast
La Jolla, CA — Big Block Realty 858.232.8722
http://www.ThomasJNelsonRealtor.com

Phone #: 858-232-8722
Email Address (optional): TJN@ThomasJNelsonRealtor.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ThomasJNelsonRealtor

As professional REALTORS, I firmly believe we hire should hire professional photographers to help our clients have the best opportunity to get their property sold. iPhone and android phone photos are obvious and they’re often poor quality, poor lighting, not always the best angles and often times shot incorrectly and vertical instead of horizontal. They make the home look less than desirable as there’s an amazing difference between professional and amateur photos. Unless you yourself are a professional photographer with professional equipment; it’s a disservice to your client and a violation of your fiduciary duty to cut corners.

1. What smartphone are you using to take real estate photos?
– I do not, I use a professional photographer for all published photos well I’ll use my Apple iPhone for photos during a walk-through just for my own personal reminders.

2. Do you have a professional camera? What is it and when is the best time to use it?
– No

3. How important is it for you to beautify the photos for real estate?
– Occasionally I’ll use virtual staging for empty properties and I always want the lighting adjusted but, we do not tamper with the photos as to modify them from truth and we do disclose virtual staging when we advertise.

4. Do you upload your photos without editing them on your website and to other listing channels?
– All my photos are professionally edited before uploading that’s part of the service I paid for with my professional photographer.

5. Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?
– I’ve been a photographer all my life and I do know how to edit my photos however I do not get paid to do so, so I spend my time where it earns money and I hire professionals to edit my photos as part of the service of them taking the photos.

6. Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?
– YES

7. Can you share your editing software or apps which you use in editing your real estate photos?
– Since I use a professional photographer the only photo editing tools I use are the ones that come standard with any windows PC

Real Estate Agent
John Juarez
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN
Fremont, CA — The Medford Real Estate Team
Keller Williams Realty Inc.
http://www.JohnJuarez.com

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: We use a professional to take quality, magazine quality photos.We eschew cell phone mls photos.

 

Real Estate Agent
Bob Crane
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671
Stevens Point, WI — Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, Keller Williams Fox Cities
Keller Williams Realty Inc.
http://woodlandmanagementservice.yolasite.com/

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: I see a lot of good photos and bad, having a RE license or not does not seem to be the determining factor.

Buying an expensive camera and going into the picture business, does not guarantee good photos either.

Generally it is a matter of following a few simple rules when shooting the pics, taking plenty of photos, then separating the good ones from the bad.

If enough photos are taken you will have 50 great photos worthy of publication.

 

Real Estate Agent
Roy Kelley
Gaithersburg, MD — Realty Group Referrals

LinkedIn

Question: Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?

Answer: This is a good blog topic for you. Every photograph should be edited. I use iPiccy.com. It is free.

 

Real Estate Agent
Debe Maxwell, CRS
The right Charlotte REALTOR!
Charlotte, NC — www.iCharlotteHomes.com | The Maxwell House Group | RE/MAX Executive | (704) 491-3310
RE/MAX International Inc.
Charlotte’s Most Popular Home Search Site

Question: Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?

Answer: I run across agents doing their own virtual tours and always wonder why sellers are okay with that…and they’re not professionals or semi-professionals either – they’re just you and me – agents.

My photographers are professionals and their shots and videography take less than ½ the time to take than they do editing. They are at the house for 2.0 hours (at a minimum – without drones) so, if they spend 4.5 – 5 hours editing, I think of the 7 hours they spent doing my shots & editing…and how much prospecting I can do in that 7 hours!! LOTS!  I’m not stopping prospecting to do something that I can easily pay a professional to do. Same with measuring.

Real Estate Broker/Owner
Olga Simoncelli
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management
New Fairfield, CT — Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate
Real Estate Services, Consulting, Risk Management

Quote: Good luck with your project! Many smart phones have resolutions superior to some cameras. Also, many professional photographers are over-rated.

Real Estate Broker/Owner
Scott Godzyk
One of the Manchester NH’s area Leading Agents
Manchester, NH — Godzyk Real Estate Services
http://www.searchnhhomesnow.com/

1. What smartphone are you using to take real estate photos?
– Iphone xs max

2. Do you have a professional camera? What is it and when is the best time to use it?
– Yes, mostly indoors, wide shots, close ups and when fine detail is needed

3. How important is it for you to beautify the photos for real estate?
– Every time. It is a must to make sure my photos are bright, vivid and eye catching

4. Do you upload your photos without editing them on your website and to other listing channels?
-I usually edit all photos. some it is just cropping. Some need brightening.

5. Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?
– I edit myself

6. Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?
– I am a professional. 34 years experience taking photos that garner viewers eyes

7. Can you share your editing software or apps which you use in editing your real estate photos?
– Most every day editing is done right on the iphone that takes pictures as good as some of the best cameras.

 

Real Estate Agent
Doug Dawes
Your Personal Realtor®
Georgetown, MA — Keller Williams Realty – Topsfield, MA
Keller Williams Realty Inc.

FB | LinkedIn

1. What smartphone are you using to take real estate photos?
– Pixel 3XL BUT I use a photographer

2. Do you have a professional camera? What is it and when is the best time to use it?
– No but the photographer does

3. How important is it for you to beautify the photos for real estate?
– Beautify? The photographer does his magic

4. Do you upload your photos without editing them on your website and to other listing channels?
-Before the photographer, I use I did.

5. Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?
– Not anymore

6. Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?
– Yes, I do

7. Can you share your editing software or apps which you use in editing your real estate photos?
– I don’t have any

Real Estate Agent
Jeff Pearl
Full Service Full Time Realtor
Lovettsville, VA — RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA
RE/MAX International Inc.
Search Entire New and Expanded MLS Here

Quote: I don’t use a smart phone for photography at this time, but the cell camera technology has improved so much, I wouldn’t totally ignore taking photos with a smart phone. There are numerous photo editing apps available now.

Real Estate Broker/Owner
Joan Cox
Denver Real Estate – Selling One Home at a Time
Denver, CO — House to Home, Inc. – Denver Real Estate – 720-231-6373
Denver Real Estate – Search for Homes

Quote: A listing sells with the photos — I would never have a listing without a professional photographer.

 

Home Builder
Jerrill Ewing
Builder
Eatonton, GA — N & J Lake Properties, LLC

Quote: phone photos means you need a new agent

Real Estate Broker/Owner
Ryan Huggins – Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties
Thousand Oaks, CA — https://HugginsHomes.com
Independent Brokerage

Phone #: 805.905.4000
Email: Ryan@HugginsHomes.com
My website | LinkedIn

Yes, I use my phone to take pictures. It’s camera is on par with man of the super expensive standalone cameras and I know a thing or two about composing shots.

1. What smartphone are you using to take real estate photos?
– Google Nexus 6P

2. Do you have a professional camera? What is it and when is the best time to use it?
– No. Looked into the DSLRs that Costco has. Have a mid-range point & shoot with manual settings. Have used the Point & Shoot in conjunction w/my camera phone and have preferred the camera phone’s photos.

3. How important is it for you to beautify the photos for real estate?
– Not sure what you mean by “beautify”. Where needed I’ll do some minor editing (removing people from mirrors, touching up grass, adding a sunny sky, using HDR tune-ups).

4. Do you upload your photos without editing them on your website and to other listing channels?
– No, all photos are reviewed (I usually take multiples of a room) and the best ones are kept. Of those, not every room needs to be in the MLS or website.

5. Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?
– Yes, I know how to edit my photos. Youtube has many great instructional videos on this.

6. Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?
– No. I’m from the old days before there were professional photographers and when you had to wait three days to get your photos developed at the drug store or drive-through photomart. We learned then how to take good pictures.

7. Can you share your editing software or apps which you use in editing your real estate photos?
– On the phone I’ll use Snapseed. For anything more involved I use GIMP, which is a free and open source Photoshop clone.

Real Estate Agent
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Santa Clarita & OC Laguna Nigel
Valencia, CA — RE/MAX of Valencia (Hall of Fame) 30 year Valencia Resident
RE/MAX International Inc.
http://www.TonyLewis.com

Quote: Use a professional Photographer and Videographer. Let the public know that you are a professional.

Real Estate Agent
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ
Palm Harbor, FL — ReMax Realtec Group
RE/MAX International Inc.
http://www.AnnetteLawrence.com

1. What smartphone are you using to take real estate photos?
– iPhone 9. Hey, it was the ‘new thing’ when I got it. Cell is used ONLY for temporary web posting. Be aware web optimized images do not have the same requirement as print. A cell is more than capable however the one holding it may not have the ability.

2. Do you have a professional camera? What is it and when is the best time to use it?
– Canon 80D. Needed when an agent does real marketing in print. Preferably leveraging CR2 formats. If all they do is stick a sign and put in mls, the cell is all they need.

3. How important is it for you to beautify the photos for real estate?
– Knowing the capability of the tech and one own skill levels, post editing is the secret sauce. 90% of the corrects needed by a conscientious agent requires only minor adjustment. However, egos require a bigger investment.

4. Do you upload your photos without editing them on your website and to other listing channels?
– Upload without editing? That’s like publishing with clicking ‘spell check.’

5. Do you know how to edit your photos or do you hire an editor to do it?
– Naaa….I just like to talk about it.

6. Do you hire a professional real estate photography to take your photos?
– When the tech I own won’t to the job I hire those with the big guns.

7. Can you share your editing software or apps which you use in editing your real estate photos?
– For web stuff I use the native edit stuff free with Microsoft. For the good stuff I use Gimp, Gravit, RawTherapy and Inkscape. Video is Wondershare…. Hmm, NA.