Isolate and cut objects out of photos.
Remove every background by hand.
Enhance photos for a polished look.
Edit photos for creative effects.
Repair and revive damaged photos.
Remove difficult backgrounds.
Show clothes without the mannequin.
Turn images into scalable graphics.
Add realistic shadows to photos.
Correct and enhance photo colors.
Edit product photos for online stores.
Enhance your wedding memories.
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Are you looking to dive into real estate photography? Or are you looking to become better at clicking real estate photos? Then, you will benefit from the beginner real estate photography tips and tricks described in this article. These property photography tips help you improve your craft.
So, if you want to click stunning real estate photos, you’re in the right place! Real estate photography includes both interior and exterior photographs of the property. The real estate photography tips include the best gear, preparation guidelines, photography tips & tricks, and editing tips.
Read these real estate photo tips to become a better property photographer.
Before getting the top real estate photo tips, you need to understand what exactly real estate photography is.
Real estate photography is the creation of photos for a property listing. A real estate agent or business requires professionally shot photographs for their listing. In other words, real estate photos are placed on property buying and selling websites or the MLS (Multiple Listing Service).
The goal of real estate photography is to take creative, eye-catching photos that sell well. So, a real estate photographer will benefit from the property photography tips and tricks described below.
Let’s start with the main topic of this real estate photography article. These tips are meant to help you become more organized, efficient, and better prepared for outputting the best real estate photos for your clients.
Real Estate Photography Tips Are Divided Into 5 Sections:
Each part of the real estate photography process requires careful planning and execution. So, let’s explore the best real estate photography tips and tricks for each section.
Real estate photographers must invest in some important equipment and gear to ensure they get the best shots that impress clients. Therefore, follow these real estate photo tips to ensure you have the most appropriate photography equipment and gear.
A full-sensor DSLR camera is perfect for real estate photography because you can manually adjust the settings for the best shot. Furthermore, a full-sensor camera has quicker response times and you can easily view your shots as you take them. So, the property photography tips described assumes you are clicking RAW photos with a DSLR.
Finally, a DSLR gives you more options with regard to Real Estate Photo Editing.
What lens do you require for real estate photography? A must-have lens for shooting property photos is a wide-angle lens.
Wide-angle lenses are great for capturing images in tight or narrow spaces, like a small room. Photos clicked using a wide-angle lens also makes your room appear more spacious.
Another good addition to your lens kit is a tilt-shift lens. A tilt-shift lens helps you make your real estate photograph look as close to real life as possible.
For example, if you take a photo of a building from the ground, there will always be some distortion. Thus, a tilt-shift lens is used to shoot buildings while keeping the distortion to a minimum (straight lines).
A tripod is used to hold the camera in a fixed place. Having a tripod is important in real estate photography. For example, you can click photos of all the rooms with a consistent height by setting the camera up on a tripod. As a result, your real estate images will be clean and in focus.
Another reason for using a tripod is to take long exposure shots of the property’s exterior. A long-exposure image is taken over a lengthy period of time. Real estate agents love long-exposure shots which capture more of the sky and other details.
Real estate photography is often done with low shutter speeds to capture the most detail and light of the area. However, one problem with low shutter speed is that even the slightest touch can cause the image to be blurred.
There is a simple solution to this problem. Invest in a remote trigger for your camera. Thus, you can remotely click the photo in a touch-free setup.
Real estate photography is often done during imperfect, low-light settings. So, a flash is a good investment to compensate for the low light.
A good real estate photo tip is take bright and clean photos using a monolight or flashgun that triggers when you click the shutter button. However, if you do not have a flash with a built-in receiver, then you should buy a flash trigger that allows for remote activation.
If you have large flash units, you will need light stands to support them. A regular light stand is suitable for lightweight flashes. However, you will need to invest in rigid C-stands for bigger monolights.
Light modifiers are devices that help improve the lighting in photos. You can achieve the mood you want by using a light modifier. Furthermore, light modifiers help highlight important parts of the scene.
In most cases, shooting umbrellas are good enough for the job. Shooting umbrellas are small, lightweight, and portable. They are also suitable when photographing in small spaces.
I’ve given many beginner real estate photography tips with regard to camera equipment and gear. In general, all you really need is a camera, lens, and tripods. However, having the rest of this equipment helps ensure you capture the best real estate photos.
One of the best ways to take your real estate photography to the next level is to invest in a drone. Drone photography helps get stunning exterior images of the property from above, showcasing the entire property and its surrounding area.
Real estate agents can use aerial photos from drone photography to give potential buyers a full sense of the property. However, a drone is a pricey investment. So you may decide to invest in a drone once your real estate photography business is doing well. Furthermore, you can outsource aerial photo editing to experts to save additional costs!
That’s it for the property photography tips regarding equipment and gear! On to the next real estate photo tips, which is planning before shooting property photos.
After you have the necessary gear for real estate photography, you need to plan well. No matter how good your photography equipment is, unforeseen circumstances can wreck the photoshoot.
So, before shooting real estate photos, you must follow the following property photo tips:
Timing and weather are both crucial factors in ensuring great real estate photography.
For example, shooting too early in the morning or after sunset can result in poor lighting in interior and exterior shots.
Therefore, schedule the shoot when there is sufficient natural lighting. That way, you can also shoot the property’s exterior during the golden hour (before sunset), for some amazing real estate photographs.
Finally, an important real estate photo tip is to check the weather forecast to ensure there are no rain or storm clouds, which can wreck the photoshoot.
Another good beginner real estate photography tip is to set aside 30 minutes (minimum) to walk through the property to get a sense of it.
During your walk-through, you can note the challenges that may occur during the shoot, like an awkwardly laid-out room or tight spaces that hamper movability.
Furthermore, the walk-through provides you with the opportunity to judge the equipment you will need to get the best out of the situation.
This next property photography tip will save you lots of time and ensure you do not miss any shots. A shot list helps you stay organized by ensuring all planned shots are taken at the appropriate time. For example, a standard shot list for a house includes:
Decluttering is an important part of real estate photography.
A normal property has bits of clutter built up over time. However, these small items may negatively stand out in the real estate photo.
Therefore, this house photography tip helps ensure all clutter is removed and surfaces like countertops and desks are kept clean.
But all those small items that we don’t notice will stand out in a photo. Ensure that homeowners keep the surfaces as clean as possible—countertops, coffee tables, desks, etc.
A professional real estate photographer spends up to an hour decluttering and constructing the scene for the perfect shot.
Preparation is key in real estate photography. It is challenging when you go to a shoot and find that you’ve forgotten a crucial item. So, the next real estate photo tip is to prepare your equipment beforehand.
Some things to prepare include the following:
These are some of the property photography tips you can follow before shooting real estate images. Now, let’s move on to house photography tips to make the actual real estate photo shoot perfect.
Now is the time to finally click some photos! I have provided some essential house photography tips to follow during the photoshoot. Following these tips will help you make your clients are satisfied with the shots taken.
Ensure the best shots by following these real estate photography tips during the photoshoot:
The first and most important property photography tip is to always be adaptable and flexible.
You must be able to adapt to the situation. For example, you may have scheduled the photoshoot on a bright, sunny day based on the weather forecast. But, an unscheduled rainfall arrives. What do you do? You must have the presence of mind to click the photos that are possible. Then come back another day for the rest.
Thus, being adaptable and flexible is crucial to succeeding as a real estate photographer. Your clients will appreciate your ability to react to changes or surprises and come up with a great shot, no matter the circumstances.
Buyers are attracted to properties that are bright and warm. A low-light image presents a dark and hard-to-view image that turns off customers. Thus, as real estate photographers, you must ensure that the rooms are well-lit and bright.
You can increase the brightness of the property by opening windows and blinds to let in the maximum natural light. Another property photography tip is to avoid using overhead lights, as they make the lighting harsh. Try using only natural light and flashes for the best effect.
Shutter speed and white balance are your best friends to ensure a well-lit photo. Finally, keep the lighting consistent across the various rooms for a natural flow and professional look.
Try to always highlight the best feature of a room or area so the property looks impressive to potential buyers. How do you achieve this?
When shooting the property, ask the owners what the main selling point of each room is. For example, maybe the large window in the bedroom lets in lots of daylight and has an amazing view. In that case, you should focus your photography on that detail to increase its attractiveness.
Give your client the most options by shooting real estate photos from various angles. So, rather than shoot from one angle, you can mix it up. However, regardless of the angle, ensure the camera is stable and straight to prevent distortion. Furthermore, a standard height of 5 feet is perfect.
Some angles you can shoot house photos from include from the center, from doorways, and away from doorways.
A basic but crucial real estate photography tip is to shoot straight. No matter what angle you shoot from, a straight camera helps reduce distortion. Use a tripod and your camera’s virtual horizon to ensure a perfectly straight camera.
The ideal height for property photography is around 5 feet to strike the perfect balance between the ceiling and livable areas.
If you can afford it, a drone is an excellent choice for expanding your real estate portfolio.
Drones help click photographs with a unique perspective that was impossible or very expensive only a few years ago. For example, you can click photos of your property’s surroundings while keeping the house in the center. These real estate photos let you show off the amazing views while keeping the property in the shot.
So far, we have covered the photography aspect of real estate photos. However, no matter how good your photography skills are, there will always be some imperfections. Thus, the next property photography tip is to always edit your photos!
Some ways you can edit real estate photos include:
When you fire up your photo editing program, you should make some basic adjustments.
Some of the basic adjustments to make for real estate photography include:
One of the disadvantages of shooting real estate photos with a wide-angle lens is that it can create some distortion and make certain parts in an image appear warped or slightly off.
You can easily correct distortion using photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop. So, set some time aside for photo editing or outsource photo editing services.
The color of real estate photos is crucial to attracting customers. Sometimes, you may not achieve the ideal color during the property photoshoot. In that case, photo editing software like Photoshop can help you adjust and balance the light temperatures for a professional and polished look.
Use Photoshop’s Adjustment Brush to get the light temperature you want. For example, an interior photo taken using indoor lights can appear yellowish. So, you can use the brush to adjust the light temperature towards blue until it looks neutral and blends with the surrounding area.
Another important house photography tip is to create image composites in Photoshop.
What is an image composite? It is when you stitch two or more images together to create one seamless image.
How are image composites useful in real estate photography? You can display a large room in one photo by combining images from multiple angles. However, always ensure you use a tripod with a fixed height so the composite is seamless.
The next property photography tips are regarding sky replacement. Is the sky looking dull in your real estate photography? An easy fix is to replace the sky using photo editing software. For example, day-to-dusk conversion helps create amazing “golden hour” photos! The final result will be an amazing-looking property with a perfect sky.
Remember the earlier real estate photo tip about decluttering? Well, if you did not do it perfectly, there’s no need to worry! You can remove unwanted objects in post-production using Photoshop.
Phew, that was a lot of beginner real estate photography tips! However, I want to give one final tip regarding pricing your real estate photography. If you are new to the industry, you may be wondering how much to charge for your real estate photography services.
Follow these real estate photo tips to get paid your worth:
One of the most crucial property photography tips is to always sign an agreement with a client in writing before you start the project. The world of real estate moves quickly, so you can ensure you get paid quickly and timely by having a signed contract with your clients.
How do you draw up a contract? You must include an estimate of the time required, services offered, equipment used, and your rates in a contract. Then, get the client to agree and sign it ahead of the photoshoot. As a result, you can ensure there are no problems once the project is completed.
Another important house photography tip is to not just charge for the photos.
During a typical project, there are several things to factor in for the total cost, including:
There are two main ways real estate photographers charge their clients. First is the flat rate based on the deliverables, like 20 photos for a fixed price. On the other hand, the next way is to charge an hourly rate for the services, which may or may not include real estate photo editing.
One way to determine your fixed rate is to find the minimum living wage in your local area and add on extra for your gear and other expenses.
Another crucial property photography tip to maximize your earning potential is to set the pricing based on the property type.
Create a rate sheet with all the different property types you shoot and their pricing. Why should you do this? Not every property requires the same amount of work to shoot. For example, a studio apartment will be easier to shoot than a large multi-story apartment.
So, setting rates based on property types is effective because it considers the time and gear needed to shoot a bigger space, with more features.
You may be wondering why you should consider the time when you shoot the photo in your pricing? Well, some times are more difficult to shoot than others. For example, a sunset shoot to capture the property during the “golden hour” is a very short window with no room for error. So, it makes sense to charge more than during a regular time of the day.
Similar to the rate sheet for property type, you can add another option for shoots during various times of the day. Thus, this property photography tip helps you maximize the cost based on timing.
Well, this house photography tip is pretty obvious right? The higher-end property should be charged more than a regular house.
A high-end property selling for really high amounts of money will require better quality images to impress its wealthy clientele. So, you, the photographer, will need to invest more time, gear, and energy into making the high-end property look impressive.
Naturally, you should charge more for more work. Set your rates to reflect the high-end nature of the property photoshoot.
A drone is an additional investment to your photography equipment. However, you can also charge more for drone photography as it is becoming more popular. Furthermore, consider using the drone to take videos and offering videography and video editing services.
You can increase your rates quickly if you offer drone photography for your real estate clients. High-end clients especially require aerial photography to showcase their property’s surroundings and scenery.
Now that you have read and understood these real estate photography tips, I encourage you to apply them to your daily work. It may seem overwhelming to apply all these beginner real estate photography tips, so start small. Little things like ensuring your gear works and is ready to go don’t take too much time or effort.
Finally, I would like to share with you one final real estate photo tip. That is, start building your real estate photography portfolio! An online portfolio showcases your property photography skills and can bring in clients by the bucketload!
Thank you for reading these real estate photography tips! Please feel free to comment below on any further tips and tricks that you use. I am sure my readers will benefit from any additional tips!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Real Estate Photography Tips.
Improve your real estate photography by following these tips:Clear out any unwanted objects like telephone cables, trash cans, and slippers.Keep your interior photos precise and clean with vertical lines.Keep the height of your tripod at around 5 to 5.5 feet. Use natural light as much as possible.Showcase the set pieces of the home like the fireplace or windows.Take plenty of photos at different angles and exposures.
Professional real estate photographs have some common characteristics that you must follow:Keep the horizon level.Correct the vertical lines.Achieve even exposure.Use a wide-angle lens.Balance the white balance and color.Correct lens distortion and unwanted vignette.
Some of the settings to maximize your real estate photography:Shoot in manual mode – AV. ISO setting – 400.Aperture – F/8.Shutter speed – Adjust according to needs, like 1/100 (but use a tripod).
The ideal height for shooting balanced and natural-looking real estate photos is about 5 feet. If you go too high, you see too much ceiling and not enough liveable area. Any lower and you cannot see the ceiling.
The best time of the day to shoot real estate photos differs by location:East-facing properties – the morning is ideal.West-facing properties – the afternoon is great.North-facing properties – between 10:00 and 14:00 is best.South-facing properties – in the morning or before the end of the day.
That depends on your preference. For example, photos with the lights on look more welcoming and warmer. However, these photos have varying color temperatures that need to be adjusted in post-processing. On the other hand, leaving the lights on gives an even temperature but looks cold overall. Of course, you can always adjust the warmness in post to get the effect you want.
Real estate photos must be shot in landscape for most cases. The reason is that landscape photos capture more detail of the property and feel more natural. Also, online real estate websites don’t handle portrait photos well.
In general, you should use a wide-angle lens with a focal length between 12mm and 35mm. For getting a good balance of foreground and background, a focal lens of 22-24mm is best.
Yes, you should shoot RAW for real estate photography to capture the most image information. You cannot always capture the perfect real estate photo, so you will need to edit it using a photo editing program. Thus, you will leave yourself with more room to make adjustments to achieve the perfect photo.
This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 5:09 pm
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