As the opportunity for digital listings opens, a lot of properties for sale are now available and easily searchable online. This makes it easier for buyers who cannot visit the property for sale physically and only have time to scroll on their phones.
With that being said, the way real estate images turn out can be a factor that can make or break listings. The reason is that prospective buyers online base their reaction to stock photos. Their first impression would heavily rely on that so if the photos are not good enough to catch their attention, the chances are they’re just going to scroll away.
As the competition in the real estate industry becomes more strict, companies should really up their game in taking effective real estate photos not just to remain competitive in the market but to also gain more prospective clients. That is why real estate photography exists.
What is real estate photography?
Real estate photography is the art of taking pictures of various vertical and horizontal properties for sale or rent, such as houses, commercial buildings, apartments, condos, and among others.
It aims to showcase properties in the most attractive way to effectively capture the eyes of its target market. The images will then be used for different promotional advertisements such as listing.
For some, real estate photography only requires simple shots without taking things into consideration. However, the lighting, composition, angles, and staging help a lot in highlighting the key features of the property establishing an atmosphere that makes the audience curious and interested. The higher the quality of the real estate photos, the higher the chances that it will capture prospective buyers.
Buyers will be able to perceive the value of the property as to how it is projected.
Why is it important?
Why is real estate photography important? Does it really help or will it be only added costs?
And to answer that, real estate photography is highly necessary in order to gain clients. In today’s digital age, how people see things on the internet can determine their willingness to take action. If the photos turn out excellent and clearly show the whole vibe of the house, then the next action for the curious buyers is to visit the property onsite. If not, no attention will be paid at all.
When used effectively and efficiently, developers, homeowners, and real estate agents who invest in this will be able to record higher sales and return on investment all while also gaining and attracting numbers of potential buyers.
So, to create more appealing real estate images for your listings, here are some tips that can help you capture the best home photos yet!
Tips for taking photos of your real estate property for listings
Invest in equipment and materials
In order to create high-quality photos, photographers should also invest in high-quality equipment and materials. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with using smartphones for taking pictures there are devices nowadays that can capture quality images. However, to ensure better performance and output, the usage of equipment such as tripods, DSLR cameras, lenses, light boxes, etc., is suggested for a more seamless result.
Organize and declutter your home
When marketing a property for sale, it is not a good look if the house is full of clutter. Before the day of the shot, make sure that the property is organized and aesthetically pleasing. Clean the whole house and make sure that nothing dirty and messy will be seen once the photographer clicks the camera.
Plan a shot list
Days before the shoot, assess the house and plan a shot list that works best for the property. Doing so will allow photographers to save time. Aside from that, researching for the perfect shot lists will allow the photographers to determine the best part of the property to showcase.
Shot at the right time of the day
When capturing images not just for real estate but in photography in general, lighting plays an important role in how photos usually turn out. Pick the best time of the day when there’s plenty of natural lighting. Good lighting can make wonders as it can help uplift the whole vibe and atmosphere of a property. To add more life to the photos, reflectors, and softboxes can be used.
Take staging to the next level
Staging is the process of arranging the whole house into a more appealing look. This is done by organizing the furniture, adding more displays, and basically designing everything the way your potential buyers would do. Through staging, potential buyers are given the chance to visualize themselves living in the property.
Pick the most appropriate setting
The settings of each photo vary in the way the photographers do it. In order to create one-of-a-kind real estate images for effective listing, photographers can play with the camera settings specifically the exposure triangle which includes the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. This is to make sure that the results will be up to the preferences.
Highlight key home features
In marketing a property online, it is best when photographers highlight the best parts of the home. Capturing the house’s selling point increases the chances of attracting potential buyers and them visiting the property. Aside from that, this will allow potential customers to separate the property from the other. Moreover, highlighting unique key features will make the property stand out.
Shot in different angles
In taking real estate photos, it is not ideal to only take them from one angle. Be playful and don’t be afraid to try. Shoot different angles per area to determine what works best. Each shot with a different angle can also give a new perspective and depth. Photographers can try low and high angles, wide shots, and others to have more choices in the editing process.
Take editing and post-processing seriously
The process of capturing real estate images ends with the post-processing and editing of raw pictures. Editing the pictures helps further enhance the output by adjusting exposure, improving the lighting, adding presets, etc., to create a consistent set of photos that will be used for listing and will then attract potential clients.
