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Introduction for Real Estate Photography

Introduction for Real Estate Photography

Hi my name is Alex and I will be taking you through a photographer training tutorial where you learn the principles and techniques of real estate photography. Make sure you have your camera and tripod on hand so you can change settings accordingly and experiment with some of the techniques intermittently as we go through different processes and ideas.<br/><br/><h2>Before we get started on the photography side of the job, we need to do a basic overview of best practices once you arrive at a property.</h2><br/>Firstly, it's important to remember that though there are formulas and rules of real estate photography that you'll be thinking about every shoot, every agent and broker has different preferences and goals, depending on their taste and the distinctive characteristics of the listing. Therefore after you've met the agent and gone through baseline introductions, ask them to give you a tour of the property so they can voice any specific shot ideas,angles are elements of the property they especially want to capture.<br/><br/>This will give you a good sense of their marketing goal and the layout of the house so you can mentally prepare for the forthcoming shoot. Don't hesitate to respectfully raise concerns if agent has a poor shot idea that you know won't work. In these situations you may want to take the shot and show them it's a bad idea rather than trying to describe why. Nonetheless, the ultimate goal is to give the agent what they want, so be compliant and experiment with bizarre ideas if necessary.<br/><br/>Sometimes you may even be surprised. After you've gotten a tour from the agent, start prepping the house for photos. This means turning on all light fixtures and lamps, pulling up blinds and hiding remote controls, Kleenex boxes, sponges and any other items inside that will show poorly in photos and make it difficult on your <a href="https://www.phixer.net/">real estate image retouching company</a>. For staged houses, you probably won't have to move anything out of the way but in properties where the homeowners are still living there, you may have to hide some personal items and declutter a bit. Remember you have a limited amount of time to finish the shoot, so if the house is overly cluttered or unprepared for shooting, ask the agent whether you should reschedule or if they're comfortable shooting the property in its present condition. There's only so much you can do and you're a photographer not a home cleaner/stager.<br/><br/><h2>Do not spend more than 15 minutes prepping the property.</h2><br/>Do what you can within that limit, however moving heavy furniture, decluttering every room, sweeping etc are not your responsibilities. If you have time, avoid including the following items in your shots; bath mats, small carpets or mats on the kitchen floor, modems and bundles of cords, the homeowner's personal photos, toothbrushes, shampoo bottles and personal toiletries in general, trash cans, bedside alarm clocks, home phones, dog beds, litter boxes and anything else that will negatively affect the marketability of the listing. Usually these items can be gently move to the outside of the frame of the photo, then returned once you finish capturing the space. A note on blinds, in general all window blinds should be pulled up there are few exceptions to this rule, so leave the blinds up if;<br/><br/>A. The view outside is really unpleasant, for example there's a dumpster and industrial refinery, a chaotic construction site or anything else that would devalue the listing.<br/><br/>B. If the agent and insists for whatever reason, on leaving them down, you are after all working for them.<br/><br/>And lastly:<br/><br/>C. If the blinds are broken and won't stay level or pull up entirely. Sometimes excessively heavy blinds can be problematic and it's best not to risk pulling them off the wall. Leave the blinds down and twist them open so light can come through the windows. Other notes on prepping the house; make sure you remove security signs from the front yard before taking exterior shots, also hoses should be either coiled or removed from view.<br/><br/>Garage doors should be closed and garbage cans either moved into the garage or out of view. In kitchen's especially, make sure you double check for cabinet under lighting and turn the stove lights on. Dining room and breakfast table chairs should be tucked in even and orderly. Fans, fireplaces, TVs in any other kinetic features of the listing should be turned off. These objects will appear blurry and disorienting once the disparate exposures are fused by your real estate photo retoucher into an HDR composite.

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Starting Your Real Estate Photography Business in 2020

July 6, 2020

Starting Your Real Estate Photography Business in 2020
Real Estate Photography

July 6, 2020

With the current global situation bought by the ongoing pandemic, several industries have been affected. However, many of them also boomed during this crisis, just like the other successful businesses we know today.

Let us talk about the photography business. There are different types of photography niches to focus on, but the real game is to keep it going in a time like this.

For some, it may seem unrealistic to start this given the current situation and economy, but who knows? It will help if you have a leap of faith to start your dream photography business.

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If you are undecided yet, why not try real estate photography as your focus? This industry has a lot to offer in terms of financial independence and your time. Most of all, if you want, you can work independently using your equipment and skills.

How to get started?

The most important thing to have when starting your real estate photography business is the interest in the niche. Doing something you like is the key to a successful career and business.

The next phase involves your equipment. It is vital to have a high-quality camera, lenses, and tripods. You need to invest in state-of-the-art photography equipment to make sure you get the best shots for properties.

You must have a good internet connection to access your digital tools and upload the photos on sites frequented by realtors or clients.

Building Your Real Estate Photography Credibility

The big challenge in the photography business is in proving your worth. Many realtors will probably ask you about your experience, so it pays if you start small before tapping big-time clients.

Try doing some free shoot for your realtor friends or connect with a local real estate agent to do some work. The point is that even if you do all of these for free, you build your portfolio.

You can also do self-promotion of your works online using varied social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Use these platforms as your marketing arm in promoting your talent.

Moreover, you must have a responsive and mobile-friendly website, too, for showcasing your works. Use can also use it as a portfolio medium to consolidate your best work. Lastly, try to add testimonials from your friends about your work.

Growing Your Photography Business Online

If you want to excel more in the photography industry, you must know the importance of digital tools and how they help you work more efficiently than the traditional ways.

Digital tools are anything you use to enhance your shots. It can be a software for editing photos such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom or the advanced technology incorporated in virtual home staging.

Note that some tools need premium subscriptions, but some can be available for free such as the universal virtual home staging apps. However, you must understand that not everything that is free yields outstanding results. For example, in the case of free virtual staging apps, some may give you unrealistic final images which may not look attractive at all when used on the property listings.

Moreover, here are some suggestions that can help you grow your photography business.

Working with Third-Party Companies

If you are not yet pro in doing finishing touches to your shots and have an extra budget, it is recommended to work with a real estate photo editing company. For one, such a company is there to help you achieve high-quality and professional-looking images that realtors love to use on their listings. Furthermore, you can save time and money on buying and learning how to use editing software, although it is also helpful to have a basic understanding as to how these tools work.

Opting to Virtual Home Staging

It is recommended to have virtual home staging if your client is into traditional home staging, which is costly and time-consuming. Try to pitch the idea to your client first; discuss its pros and cons, then let him or her decide.

Learning the Craft of Single Property Websites

Understanding how a website works is one thing, and learning how to build one is another opportunity to grow your photography business. It is like hitting two birds with one stone: you create the website and provide the photos at the same time.

In the end, what matters is your perseverance in building the business and proving your worth. It is never too late to start your own business.

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