Real estate listings that feature great-looking photos attract more online attention and generate more buyer responses. But a good real estate photographer can do much more than simply snap a few shots with an iPhone and upload them to an MLS listing.
Photo-editing apps are useful for adjusting photos on the go, but professional photographers have access to more powerful software that can help with a variety of issues.
Getting Started
Real estate photography has never been more important in the marketing of properties. Studies show that 90% of homebuyers begin their search online, and if the property’s photos look dark and dingy they will likely bypass it in favor of another listing with better quality photos.
Many real estate agents think they can save money by taking their own listing photos with a cell phone or an expensive camera like the Canon 5D Mark III, but it’s not always that simple. If your goal is to sell an upscale property quickly and for the highest price possible, it’s worth the investment of hiring a professional real estate photographer.
Professional real estate photography is not just about capturing beautiful images, it’s about understanding how to set up the scene and how to work with light in a way that accentuates the property’s best features. It’s also about knowing your target market and planning the shoot around speaking to them, rather than just showing off how great the property is.
Getting started in real estate photography can be done by attending a professional photography school to learn the basics of shooting, lighting, and composition. It’s also a good idea to practice by photographing your surroundings often, and exploring different lens options in order to get an understanding of how to capture the perfect shot.
Lighting
For real estate photography, the lighting is key. Good light helps to bring out the property’s features and highlights areas that might not be as obvious. A professional photographer will know the best time of day to shoot interior photos, including utilizing natural lighting and supplementing with artificial light as needed.
Proper use of camera settings is also important. For example, using a wide-angle lens helps to keep the image sharp even at the edges. Also, using the manual exposure mode is helpful because it gives you the ability to control your shutter speed and aperture for superior images. Aperture priority is also useful because it allows you to select the aperture that works best for each shot and the camera adjusts the shutter speed for a consistent exposure.
Other essential real estate photography equipment includes a tripod, lens filters, flash units, film, and photo editing software. Depending on the needs of your clients, you may also need to rent additional equipment, such as a ladder for exterior shots or additional lights.
It’s important to understand the laws around copyright and intellectual property in real estate. While it’s the real estate agent who pays for the photographs, they don’t necessarily own the rights to them. Typically, the photographer retains ownership of the photographs and can sell or license them to others.
Camera Settings
Real estate photos can look dull and repulsive if they lack the proper perspective or background. The good news is that the right editing can remedy these issues and bring out the best in a property image.
A wide angle lens is essential for capturing the maximum space in each shot. This can help create a larger-looking space in photographs, as well as showing off architectural flourishes like large windows, long countertops or built-in shelves. However, these lenses are prone to distortions that can make straight lines appear curved or even warped. This issue needs to be corrected before any images can be used, and this is best done by a professional.
Another common editing technique is HDR (High Dynamic Range). This involves taking multiple exposures at different shutter speeds to capture a variety of light levels in the same shot. This allows for more flexibility when editing and can also reduce the amount of post-processing required.
Another simple edit that can greatly improve the appearance of property photos is removing small objects and other distractions. This is an important step as it ensures that the images depict property elements free of any disturbances. This is often not possible at the photography stage and can only be achieved with specialized editing software.
Editing
Whether you are a professional photographer or just starting out in the real estate photography business, you need to know about editing. The editing process in real estate photography can transform your photos into professional images that will grab the attention of potential buyers. Real estate photography retouching enhances the beauty of the property, improves image quality, and makes your photos more appealing to viewers.
Professional real estate photo editing services understand the importance of catching the buyer’s eye and increasing conversion rates. They have a well-rounded team of skilled professionals and a variety of tools and techniques to make your photos stand out in the marketplace. These services can help you remove objects from a shot, fix glare and reflections, adjust the lighting, and more. They also specialize in enhancing outdoor and indoor photos of properties.
The best real estate photography retouching services have a robust portfolio of before-and-after images, fast turnaround time, and positive customer reviews. They use state-of-the-art software to ensure a high-quality finish and can even work with RAW files. They are well-versed in a variety of real estate photo editing techniques, such as perspective correction and lawn restoration.