Using the right camera and lenses can help you create photos that are more attractive to buyers. It’s also important to take the right shots at the right time of day.
A tripod is essential for real estate photography because it will allow you to shoot at a consistent angle. This will avoid distortion and other issues that can be difficult to fix in editing.
Composition
professional real estate photography has a lot to do with the ability to compose a shot and effectively manage camera settings. It’s a skill that can separate a competent photographer from a truly professional one.
When shooting a room, consider how each corner converges with the main subject. It’s a compositional principle called the rule of thirds, and it helps viewers naturally focus their attention on a subject when they view the image.
Another aspect of effective real estate composition is using perspective to your advantage. Many people equate this to how many walls you see in a photograph, but it’s actually more complex than that. Essentially, the best real estate photographers know how to use perspective to the client’s advantage. For example, a good real estate photographer might shoot from doorways to show how rooms flow into each other or use angles that make a room feel larger than it is.
Real estate photographers also often shoot vignettes to help clients daydream about living in the home. For instance, a vignette might showcase cozy seating areas or interesting art to inspire the imagination. These little details can be a great way to attract buyers. But don’t go overboard with these details – they can come across as gaudy and unprofessional. Instead, try to capture a lifestyle that is aspirational yet achievable.
Lighting
One of the biggest differences between DIY real estate photos and professional ones is lighting. While amateurs typically use the automatic “HDR” setting on their cameras, professional photographers know that shooting multiple exposures of each scene allows them to control light and detail in post-production. This is especially important when photographing homes with large windows.
Professional photographers will often open all blinds and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible. This will make a property look warm and inviting to prospective buyers. It’s also best to minimize the number of furniture pieces in a room and remove anything that could distract from the view.
Real estate photography can be difficult to master and requires many different skills and equipment. However, there are four basic principles that can help anyone take better photographs:
First, a tripod is essential for all real estate photography. It helps prevent or diminish perspective distortion and ensures that the camera is steady. Next, it’s helpful to use a wide-angle lens to capture more of a room’s features. Finally, a flash is an optional piece of real estate camera equipment that can be used to add more light to dark rooms. However, it’s important to note that flashes can have varying results depending on how they are used and that a photographer should never rely solely on these tools.
Equipment
Real estate photographers rely on a range of equipment, including cameras, lenses, and tripods. A quality camera with a wide-angle lens is essential for real estate photography, as it helps you capture large spaces and minimizes perspective distortion. Real estate photographers should also invest in a high-quality tripod, which helps ensure they get sharp images and avoid blurry photos. A tripod is especially important for interior real estate photography, where lighting conditions can be challenging. It allows you to use a slow shutter speed and focus on details.
A tripod is also useful for ensuring that you have the correct exposure when shooting multiple frames for HDR or Flambient lighting techniques. It is recommended to invest in a model that has a built-in self-timer or cable release to guarantee the exact same timing for each photo and eliminate image movement. This will help you achieve the best possible results in post-processing, and it’s a good idea to carry some extra batteries for each of your cameras as well.
If you are new to real estate photography, it may be helpful to start with a more budget-friendly model and upgrade your equipment as you gain experience. For example, professional real estate photographer Wayne Capili has a camera and lens setup that costs under $1000, and his work is ranked among the best in the industry.
Editing
Real estate photos need to be attractive, but they also need to accurately depict the property. That’s why many real estate photographers take the time to crop images and correct distortion. They also use doorways and angles to show how rooms flow into each other, and they highlight features like floor dimensions and outdoor spaces.
A good real estate photographer understands that the three functions of an image are to attract, inform, and convince. Grainy, blurry, or otherwise visually marred photographs can detract from the appeal of a home and make buyers reluctant to book an inspection.
To avoid this, professional real estate photographers often shoot their photos in RAW, rather than JPEG. This allows for a higher level of image quality and detail, which is especially important when shooting in high-contrast conditions or with bright sunlight. They may also use HDR photography, a technique that merges multiple exposures of the same scene to create a final image with a balanced level of lighting.
A professional real estate photographer should be familiar with a variety of software programs used in commercial photography, including Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. They should also know which ones are best for specific edits, such as correcting distortion, removing objects, adjusting color balance, and blending exposures. For example, Adobe Lightroom has built-in features that help with lens distortion and provides fast, precise adjustments.