Last Updated on April 8, 2021
When I began doing real estate photography the tech was not nearly as advanced as it is now. Cameras used to be loud and a huge limitation was the maximum number of pixels allowed.
I remember my first camera and the pictures were not great for many reasons but mainly because I did not take any pictures that had any life. And if you want to sell more real estate, you do it with amazing real estate images.
Simple Tips To Improve Your Real Estate Photography
And in this article I will let you in on the tips that will help you achieve amazing images that will have buyers calling you to come and see that property that is for sale.
- FLASH OR NO FLASH?
It is really a personal choice, but in most cases I would recommend using the flash because it will eliminate any darkness in the room. And if you want to add some brightness to the room then use a reflector instead of flash, this will even out the brightness throughout the picture.
- WHAT TYPE OF CAMERA SHOULD I USE?
Personally, I would recommend a DSLR instead of a compact camera because it is much easier to adjust shutter speed and aperture. And this will give you amazing control over how your images will look.
- WHAT IS THE BEST APERTURE AND SHUTTER SPEED FOR REAL ESTATE IMAGES?
If you are in a very bright room like the kitchen then you want to use a smaller aperture like f/8 or f/11. And if you are in a dark room, then you want to use a larger aperture like f/2.8 or f/4.
- WHAT IS THE BEST SHUTTER SPEED FOR REAL ESTATE IMAGES?
Again, it is different for every picture, but I would recommend a shutter speed of no less than 1/500 sec and no more than 1/1000 sec because these are the most common shutter speeds for real estate photos and will give you amazing images.
- WHAT IS THE BEST SETTING FOR ISO?
The best setting for ISO would be 400 in normal situations because it is a setting that works well in both bright and dark situations. And if you want to take pictures in very dark rooms then I would recommend using a slower shutter speed so the ISO could drop slower to make sure the picture was not too dark.
- WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN THE BACKGROUND OF MY REAL ESTATE IMAGES?
If you want to have a nice big house as the subject of your images then I would recommend having the background as plain as possible. If that is not an option, then you could put in a big plant or some other type of decoration. But again, make sure it does not take away from the main focus of your image.
- WHAT OTHER GEAR DO I NEED?
I definitely recommend using a tripod to make sure your pictures are not blurry. And if you want to eliminate any background noise or movement I would recommend using a remote or external trigger and then taking the picture when you have the subject on its own.
- WHAT OTHER TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHERS?
Well, what I have had the most success with is using different kinds of lighting for the different rooms. For example, if you want to take a picture in your kitchen then I would recommend natural light as opposed to using artificial light.
- WHAT LENS SHOULD I USE?
I would recommend using a wide angle lens because it will make your pictures look more interesting. And if you need to take the picture very close, then I would recommend using an 85mm lens to get great close up images.
- SHOOT AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY
When you shoot, make sure it is at the right time of day. You do not want to shoot in the middle of the day and instead should shoot them in the morning or the evening. And if you shoot in the afternoon, then be sure to use a flash or reflector so your pictures do not look dark.
- BE CREATIVE AND USE THE WHOLE ROOM
Make sure you are always trying to think of ways to take better real estate images than the next person. For example, if you want a picture of your bathroom, then don’t just take one straight on, try taking pictures from different angles like up high and down low and side to side.
- SHOOT SOFTER
If you want to stand out from other real estate photographers, then I would recommend shooting softer images than what is typical for real estate photography. For example, in the pictures I took of the house for sale, I used a wider aperture and longer shutter speed to make the images look softer and more pleasing to the eye.
- AVOID PEOPLE IN YOUR REAL ESTATE IMAGES
If you are selling real estate with pictures, then I would recommend avoiding people in your images or if you must use them then shoot from a distance and have their faces blurred out.
- BE CREATIVE
To make sure you are taking better pictures, be more creative than the next real estate photographer. For example, you could shoot your pictures in black and white, or with infrared film or maybe use a different kind of film like one of the old expired formats. Or maybe you want to try shooting panoramas and other images that other real estate photographers have not tried yet.
Conclusion
Well, I hope you can use these tips to improve your real estate photography skills and to stand out from the crowd. If you have any questions about anything else related to real estate photography, please feel free to use the contact form and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Also, if you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends so they can enjoy these simple but effective real estate photography tips too.