A Guide to Better Real Estate Photos

Dec 1

Are you a Real Estate Photographer? Do you want to impress your clients with some quality photos?

“Homes with professional photographs sold for far more on average than those shot from cheaper, point-and-shoot cameras” -REALTOR.org

Here is what you will need to pull this off:

LIGHTING TIPS

Let there be light! Before getting started, open all the blinds and turn on all the lights in the house. There are a couple reasons for this:

More light will make it easier for your camera to “see”. Our eyes are much superior to even the most expensive cameras in the ability to see detail. Help your camera help you.
No one likes a dark dingy photo because it doesn’t resonate with the comfort of home. Bright interiors make more of a positive impression on the prospective buyer.

Flash helps fill in areas where natural light doesn’t reach. Some rooms are darker than others because the windows don’t let in as much light or perhaps there are no windows at all. All the lights in the room are on but it still doesn’t cut it. In this case, use a flash to help brighten things up.
Don’t forget about white balance. The white balance setting in your camera helps compensate for different color casts so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Sunlight, overcasts, tungsten, fluorescent and flash each contributes a unique color cast to the photo.
Avoid mixing different types of light. A camera’s white balance setting can only compensate for ONE type of light. Mixing different light sources can cause photos to have uneven color casts and the result is unpleasant.

COMPOSITION TIPS

Wider isn’t always better. Avoid unnecessary dead spaces that take up too much of the frame. Real estate photography is about showcasing the best features of the home so keep this in mind when composing for shots.
Sellers know best when it comes to the highlights of the home, talk to them. Be more efficient by showcasing parts of the home that will attract more buyers and save time on shots that may not receive as much attention
Avoid framing shots around furniture pieces. Furniture definitely adds to the overall feel of a room but that furniture will often go with the seller. Focus instead on things that will remain once the house is vacant.
Go with the flow. Buyers like to visualize themselves walking through a house. Pictures should reveal how one room flows into another. Remember the main goal is to provide a visual tour.
Remove any visual distractions. The buyer’s attention should be focused on the home itself and not on the stuff piled in the corner. Before snapping the photo, double-check to make sure no unwanted items are in the frame.
Use a tripod with a level. This ensures any vertical lines in the picture stays vertical. If the camera is at an angle when the picture is snapped, the house can look like it’s falling over. This is not a desirable effect.

GENERAL TIPS

Take time to prepare a home for photos. Go to www.realestatevisual.ca/downloads to get a FREE copy of our “Home Preparation Checklist”. Good lighting and thoughtful composition is only half the battle, the second half. Getting professional quality results starts with having a clean and tidy home.
Remove personal items, keep the house looking neutral. It’s important that a buyer feels like they are in their next home and not in somebody else’s. For this reason, a generic space caters to a larger group of prospective buyers and increases the probability of a successful sale.
Shoot the primary exterior with extra care. This is the most important photo since it is often used as the thumbnail of the property on MLS. It has to make a statement that says “look here, you won’t be disappointed”.
Optimize picture resolution. For print purposes, picture resolution should be at least 300 dpi. For online viewing, use at least 72 dpi.

Still confused? Call us at (403) 477-3636. Our professional photographer is always here to help!

Emmanuel Ly