Whether you are a property owner, real estate developer or agent, making small rooms look bigger in photos is often essential. The roomier they appear, the more likely buyers and guests will show interest.
The key to making small spaces look bigger is to know the editing techniques that the pros use. Once you understand how to make small rooms look bigger in photos, you can apply it to all your properties, today and in the future.
So, which techniques work? Here’s our top five photo editing tips for small rooms:
1. Use A Wide Angle Lens
Your top priority is to use a wide-angle lens. These allow you to capture more of the room in one shot, giving it the impression of size (and making it feel less closed-off).
Wide angle lenses are available for most DSLRs and broaden the light coming into the lens from the sides. The camera then processes this information, allowing it to expand the boundaries of the room and create more depth.
However, you need to be careful when using a wide-angled lens. Distortion around the edges can make rooms appear unrealistic because of the excessive bending of straight lines. Therefore, keep the wideness of the angle within the envelope of what the image will allow.
2. Use The Rule Of Thirds
Real estate photo editing for small spaces should also make proper use of the rule of thirds. Segmenting rooms into three equal shares adds balance and makes even the smallest spaces look functional and useful.
The best way to apply the rule of thirds in most rooms is to pick a key feature and build the rest of the image around that. For example, you could focus the shot on the kitchen island in the lower and middle thirds, and then use the sides or the top of the image to capture the remainder of the kitchen.
Applying the rule of thirds unconsciously can take time, but most cameras have a grid overlay function. This feature overlays the image with lines divided into thirds, showing you the location of all the objects in your room relative to the shot.
3. Leverage Height
Another way to make a small space appear larger is to take your shots from elevation. Shooting rooms from higher angles gives the impression of size (since most people aren’t accustomed to viewing rooms at these angles).
High angles work well in storage spaces, for example. Taking shots from above gives you a better vantage point and lets you show buyers and clients the functional or practical layout of the room.
High angles also allow you to show the full expanse of the floor. This detail is often missing from conventional real estate photos, but could sway their decision one way or another.
To capture more of the room in a single frame, use a step ladder. Make sure it is sturdy and you can hold the camera motionless while you take snaps.
4. Use Leading Lines
If you want to make a room look longer, you could also try using leading lines. These work by drawing the eye in one direction, creating a path through the room.
For example, you could use a kitchen counter as the “leading line” and then use a rule-of-thirds shot where the edge of the counter creates a sense of distance and depth (even if the kitchen is shallow). You can also do the same with furniture in the living room, even if the outline isn’t perfectly straight. Even regular floor patterns can work sometimes (especially if you have fishbone wood flooring or tiles).
Some real estate developers use architectural features in the doorways and window frames to provide additional leading lines. These work best in period properties with striking features and entryways.
5. Use Vignetting
Finally, you could explore vignetting to make small spaces look roomier. Adding elements, like the sky, can extend perceived space and roominess.
You often see real estate agents performing this trick on balconies where physical space is limited. Emphasizing the surrounding environment makes the available space feel larger. Another approach is to take exterior shots of rooms with the doors or windows open to increase the implied square footage — an option for garden rooms and conservatories with bi-folding doors.
Conclusion
These techniques should provide you with a solid basis for using photos to make small rooms look larger. The more you get used to incorporating them, the more attractive properties and rentals will become to your audience.