Photographers, regardless of their niche, are aware of the varied photography techniques they should know to do their jobs well.
One of these techniques is the use of the “flambient method.” In real estate photography, techniques like high dynamic range (HDR) and flambient photography are quite useful in shooting the perfect real estate images.
In learning the “flambient” technique, it is vital first to understand its principle and how it is applied during real estate photo editing. The “flambient” method involves combining both flash and ambient light in shots. It is one of the fastest-growing techniques for shooting real estate images.
But, why shoot flambient? As you may know, there are always pros and cons to utilizing varied photography techniques. For example, shooting in ambient light yields the most natural-looking images, but often results in walls that have shifted or lost most of their color and shadow areas that are a little too dark.
On the other hand, shooting using pure flash can result in an image that looks fake, with shadows pointing towards the windows instead of away. This is when the flambient method becomes significant. It recognizes both the strengths and limitations of shooting all-flash or all ambient. It is the solution to get the best of both worlds.
If you are interested in doing flambient photography, here is a quick guide on using this technique to capture great shots that highlight the best features of homes and other properties.
Take shots thrice
The rule of thumb is to take at least three photos of the room when shooting using the flambient style.
Perfect the ambient shot
Remember not to use flash when using this technique. Just utilize the natural light coming off the room. Make sure to expose in the middle of the room, so you get a nice overall picture. Also, shoot in RAW, so you maximize the use of dynamic range later on. Here is a classic setup to follow: If you have a room with an extreme dynamic range, you should shoot a bracket of 3 images. These photos should also have 0 as the “if only” exposure, then add -2 and +2 shots to allow room to capture the shadows and highlights.
Master the flash shot
A flash shot is usually meant to get a well-exposed image. In doing this, it is better to set your flash off-camera below a lovely white ceiling pointing straight up. Try holding the camera at 18 inches to 2 feet from the top. Then, leave the flash on the camera to get the best exposure to the room.
Focus on the window shots
When you have a nice window view, you want to capture and include in your real estate listing, and it is recommended to shoot thrice specifically for the windows. Ensure enough exposure for the windows and always point a high powered flash directly at the window frames. Doing this will make the blending process during real estate photo editing significantly easy. Always experiment in shooting images at varied angles to secure a shot with at least flash reflections. You can also choose to eliminate them, but turn off your flash and shoot one without the flash. Just make sure not to adjust the camera exposure at all.
These are four useful tips in incorporating the flambient method in your real estate photography. If utilized well, this strategy can help leverage real estate listings and attract more potential buyers using professional and compelling images. Always make sure to invest in quality images for your properties by choosing a great photographer and editor at the same time.
