The first impression potential buyers get of your property when you list it for sale is the home pictures you provide them, so it’s essential to make sure that you give them the best possible view to spark their interest and make them want to visit your home in person. Most people can’t take amazing photos as professionals do, but there are some simple tricks you can use that will dramatically improve your photos and set your listing apart from the competition.
Essential Equipment
Whether you’re a real estate agent wanting to up your game or a homeowner wanting to sell your home without using a professional photographer, you can achieve pretty spectacular results with basic equipment and a little know-how. Here’s what you need:
1. A DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens will allow you to capture the entire room in one shot.
2. A tripod – This will keep your camera steady and avoid any blurriness in your photos.
3. A flash – This will help you take pictures in low light without sacrificing quality.
4. A reflector – This will help bounce light back into your subject, resulting in brighter photos.
5. A shutter release remote – This will allow you to take pictures without having to touch your camera, preventing any shake or movement.
6. Photo editing software – This will help you touch up your photos and make them look their best before you share them online or with potential buyers.
All these items are fairly inexpensive and widely available, so there is no excuse not to try it out! Even if you don’t have experience with photography, all of these items are easy enough to be mastered quickly with just a bit of practice.
Camera Settings
If you’re shooting with a DSLR, set your camera to aperture priority mode (A or Av on your mode dial). This will allow you to control the depth of field in your photos. For real estate photography, you’ll want a shallow depth of field so that the viewers can see the property’s details. Set your aperture to f/8 or f/11 and your ISO to 100 or 200. These settings will give you clear, sharp photos.
Additionally, ensure you keep the shutter speed at 1/250th of a second or faster. Anything slower than this will cause motion blur from the camera shake. When it comes to composition, just remember that less is more! Clean up clutter and add visual interest by framing shots tightly around a single object. Finally, use natural light whenever possible, as artificial light can create unflattering shadows on walls and other surfaces.
Focus on the Subject
To create truly eye-catching photos of your property, remember that less is more! You don’t want every inch of your house captured in each photo; instead, focus on showing off the most critical parts of the space (the kitchen, bathroom) from different angles. To do this, find creative and unexpected angles like shooting down into a room or out through a window to showcase the view outside.
The Creative Touch
As you may have noticed from most professional real estate photos, there’re often personal touches like flowers and candles to make the homes on sale feel homey and welcoming. The same goes for taking DIY pictures: Include some of your favorite pieces of furniture or things you love about your house by arranging them strategically around the room before snapping away! If you don’t have any items on hand, use a coffee table or bookshelf as a stand-in while you work on adding more decoration. Be sure to use a wide angle lens (18mm) if possible so that the space looks larger in photos than it actually is – this is great if you want potential buyers to get an idea of how large the rooms are without walking through them first.
Editing on Software
Investing in a good-quality camera is just the first step to taking great real estate photos. You also need to know how to edit your photos to make them really stand out. Editing your photos on software will allow you to change colors, crop, resize, and add filters and effects. Many photo editing programs available can be downloaded from the internet like Gimp, Photoshop, or PaintShop Pro, and more advanced alternatives like PicsArt Photo Studio, Fotor Photo Editor, or Picasa. To get started, take some time to learn about each program and figure out which one suits your needs best.
Real estate photography is more than taking a good picture. It’s about the many decisions and choices that need to be made to produce a great one. The key is knowing your goal and understanding how you’re going to achieve it, as well as being prepared with the necessary equipment and resources.
