Doing photography for real estate can seem a little tricky.
But with these few simple real estate photography tips, you’ll produce beautiful, consistent photos. These will have your buyers calling you back!
1. Prepare your cameras and accessories the night before the shoot
There’s nothing worse than being at a shoot and finding that something isn’t working. A dead battery is a dead shoot. You may be knowledgeable enough to keep going forward. But having a few items fail means that you need to work on your feet a little more. Take your charger, and if you have a secondary camera, take that too. Prepping your gear will include things like charging all batteries, formatting your memory card, packing up your bag.
2. Declutter
Make sure that homeowners keep the surfaces as clear as possible. Countertops, coffee tables, desks, etc.
If you want some decorative items, leave 1-3 items. In shooting interiors, closets aren’t photographed unless they’re especially spacious or customised. At most times, a closet is a perfect spot to stash those small items until the photoshoot ends. Sometimes you’ll arrive at the home and there’s still clutter that you know will not look appealing in the photos. There’s nothing wrong with suggesting that a few extra things be hidden.
3. Walk through the home before you start shooting
Each home is different. Getting a feel for the space before picking up the camera will give you an idea of how you want to shoot it. You’ll start to mentally note the best angles and what small items may need to be moved. This also gives you the opportunity to ask the homeowner to move items. Additionally, it lets you know which spaces are ready for you. And which spaces may need a few more minutes of tidying up. Knowing this will let you know in what order you’ll want to start taking real estate photos.
4. Lights on or light off?
There are valid points for having the lights on or off. Turning lights on tends to make the space feel warmer and more welcoming instantly. But it introduces varying light temperatures. You will need to balance these when post-processing. Leaving lights off gives you an even light temperature. But it also often gives off a cold feeling in interior photos. Whatever decision you make, be consistent throughout the entire home!