As we already mentioned, real estate photography is very selective- only professionals are allowed to do it! That is why there are few professional level photographers in the industry – most people can’t afford their expensive equipment or their time to learn how to use it properly.
Luckily for you though, creating your own beautiful real estate photos isn’t too complicated and doesn’t require much money. In this article, I will go over some easy ways to improve your real estate photo skills while also giving you the tools to create your own pictures.
Photography has many different styles, so choosing which one to focus on is up to you! We will be focusing on lifestyle photography here but if you would like to try other types, don’t hesitate to look into them!
Real estate images are typically categorized as either staging photographs or home interior shots. Staging photographs are usually focused more on the house and its surroundings rather than individual items, whereas home interior pictures are just that–individual items.
This article will not be going into great detail about each type of real estate photograph, instead looking at some general tips.
Use the location to your advantage
While some people focus only on getting beautiful house pictures, there are more effective ways to use real estate photography. One of the most important things is finding the right setting for the picture!
The way that settings work as real estate photos is by creating interest. An empty wall or space can add value to your listing if it’s done well. A background full of rich colors like red or orange is very appealing, while white makes a good photo less interesting.
A common mistake that inexperienced photographers make with houses is using a back yard or street area that they have to pay to access. This costs money which may not be available unless you are in a high profile position as an agent.
Some agents don’t even feel comfortable having other people take their own pictures, so it’s best to find one that doesn’t pose as a professional before selling yours. Take your own pictures if you need to, but try to avoid it when possible.
Get to know your clients
As mentioned earlier, real estate photography is more than taking pictures of houses. It’s about creating images that appeal to your viewers and help them achieve their goals. Your client’s goals might be to sell their house or find a new home, but also maybe just to show off the beauty of their property or how well it fits their lifestyle.
The better you get at understanding who your clients are, the better you will do your job. This includes getting to know them beyond just what area they live in and whether or not they plan to list their house soon!
It’s important to ask if anyone else lives there, if they want to move in later, and if they have kids – all of these things can influence the style of photos you take.
If possible, try to meet up with your clients outside of business so you don’t only see the beautiful house-y side of them! They may talk about themselves less during non-work hours as well, so keep those quiet for optimum performance.
Be a good listener
A great real estate photographer is not only someone who takes excellent pictures, but also knows how to connect with their clients. They are aware of your needs and feelings at all times, which makes for some warm and friendly conversations.
Your property will probably get shown to several other photographers before it finds its way to you, so being able to relate to others’ properties and styles is important. Your photographer should be familiar with similar homes in your area and can speak about them intelligently.
They must show an interest in what you have to say, too! While they might take control over the camera when taking photos, you would like to feel that you were both working together to achieve beautiful images.
These people make a lot of money from you, so try to let go and enjoy yourself.
Look for the unique qualities in a home
As we mentioned before, most real estate photographers are not professional model makers or Photoshop wizards. That is okay!
That is totally acceptable to be just like everyone else when it comes to taking pictures of houses. But what about now? What if you want your house photos to stand out from the rest?
What if you wanted your clients to say “Wow, that photo made me feel so good” instead of “So what this picture really does well is make me feel stressed-out”?
Real estate photography is an art form. Just like any other artistic expression, there are different ways to achieve that goal.
And while being able to take nice pretty pictures isn’t enough, there are some extra touches that can help set yours apart.
In this article, we will go over 10 sneaky tips designed to trick people into feeling more positive emotions when they look at your house photos.
1) Use A Pattern
A patterned wall is one of the trickiest to do because it requires you to find a balance between having lots of patterns and having no patterns at all.
Too much going down creates a boring effect whereas too little makes it difficult to determine where the lines stop and start.
But once you find that perfect amount, it becomes very interesting! It draws attention without looking cluttered.
2) Add Plants
Adding plants to a room is another way to create new feelings.
Use your creativity
There are many ways to use real estate photography to create beautiful pictures that tell your story and emphasize important features of your home.
Many professional Realtors rely heavily on great photos in their business, so it’s an excellent way to get into the profession (or even be a successful photographer!).
There are several different styles of real estate photo-taking you can experiment with to see what works for you. Some people prefer formal, posed photographs while others focus more on capturing natural expressions and scenes.
Whatever style you choose, just make sure your images convey the truth about the property you’re shooting and give it your own personal touch!
You want to show off the beauty of the house, but at the same time, you don’t want to look too staged or artificial.
Tell your story
Even if you’re not marketing your house for sale, real estate photography is still important because it tells a story!
Your house will always be one step ahead of you in terms of telling its own story when there are no pictures of it. People love storytelling, so why not use that to promote yours?
It can tell potential buyers about the space, features, and lifestyle of your home — or lack thereof. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all, and we all know how powerful those ones can be.
Real estate photographers have fun capturing stories through their work, which is probably what motivated them to become professionals in the first place. If you’re passionate about telling stories via images, then this may be something you want to consider as an entrepreneur.
Be consistent
A good real estate photographer is not someone who has their favorite settings or styles, they are constantly changing and developing theirs.
As mentioned before, having your own style makes it much easier to capture beautiful pictures. But, being a master of other styles can be very helpful in giving you new legacies as a professional photographer!
Real estate photography includes different styles such as:
B&W (black & white) photos
Color photos
Landscape photos
Photo stories or album designs
Videography
Monochromatic photo layouts
So, how do you become proficient in these styles? By practicing, over and over again!
Practicing your real estate photography skills will make you into a pro-photographer that people look up to. Not only will you improve your talent, but also your self confidence as well!
Start by trying out one of the above styles to see what works for you. Then, add some more depth to the picture using additional photoshopping tools or investing in lighting equipment.
Offer your service and set your prices
As mentioned earlier, real estate photography is a very popular profession that grows more in demand every day. There are many ways to make money as a real estate photographer beyond just selling pictures.
Most experienced professionals will tell you that being able to capture beautiful, engaging photos makes up half of their business.
The other half is marketing those images to potential clients. Most people who buy a house use online resources and research before making a decision so having great quality photographs can help them do their due diligence.
That’s why it’s important to not only be a good photographer but to also know how to market yourself.
What most professional photographers don’t tell you is that they spend way too much time trying to find an audience for themselves and never seem to have enough time to put into marketing.
By offering your services to others, you create your own community which allows you to connect with others and get work done through networking.
