Photography has never been more important to selling real estate than it is today. With markets rebounding this means more sellers and agents looking for the best photographers to showcase their properties. Here are some tips for completing the two most important parts of the photography process: Capturing and Editing.
Have the Proper Equipment
The first tip is to have the proper equipment: cameras, lenses, tripods, remote triggers, and light stands are all essential to the capturing of photos. While it would be impossible to discuss each element at length, we will go over the most important. Any manual, full-frame DSLR camera will work fine. In terms of lenses, wide angle versions tend to capture tight spaces the best, which is perfect for home interiors. Finally, using a tripod will be especially useful for shooting long exposure shots and keep the perspective consistent across photos.
How to Approach the Property
Two of the most important, yet overlooked steps, are to clean up the home before shooting and to take a walk through the property to strategize. Firstly, it is important to strike a balance between decoration and minimalism. It is advisable to leave 1-3 decorative items for each scene but they should not inhibit a prospective buyer’s ability to imagine their own furniture in the home. Considering that each home has its own flow and feel, it is essential that the photographer take a stroll before they begin shooting to note the best angles and spaces.
Proper Lighting
Lighting can be separated into two categories: exterior and interior. When it comes to exterior lighting, it is a good idea to use a digital tool like Google Maps to determine whether the property faces the sun, and thus when are the best times to shoot. When it comes to interior lighting, however, this is where creativity comes into play. Inside the home, there are far more variables that can either help or hinder your final photos. The photographer must carefully consider the interplay of the following three factors—light, windows, and furniture—in order to determine the best layout for the shot.
Correct Distortion
Our final tip comes in regards to the editing process. As with any photo-taking, distortion is a necessary evil. Distortion can be defined as any warping or changing of an image due to changes in perspective. In whatever post-production program is being used (whether it’s Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom) the editor should always apply a lens correction and carry on with adjusting highlights and shadows and sharpening the necessary lines and edges.
These 4 essential tips cover all the important parts of the photography process including equipment, post-production, and even mindset tips for planning and organizing a project. These tips range from basic to advanced and draw upon our team’s extensive experience in real estate photoshoots.