Real estate photography tips to help your photos stand out!
Seven seconds. That’s how long a listing has to capture the attention of a homebuyer. Are your listing photos grabbing the attention of viewers or are they passing by? Buyers look at photos to make a final determination. If your photos show things like the bathroom with the toilet seat up, bedrooms with piles of laundry in the corner, a kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink, the turn-offs are instant! Immediately the value of that property drops. You have a duty to provide the seller with the best price and marketing possible.
Tidying up the house is the easiest and the first thing you should be doing so you can provide photos that attract buyers who are not predisposed to pay less before they even look at the property in person.
Agents know about staging a room, but what about staging a photo shot? It means finding the best angles and paying attention to lighting.
Here are some real estate photography tips:
- Use pictures with a purpose
Avoid displaying too many similar pictures just for the sake of having a lot of pictures. If you take each shot so that it communicates the look and feel effectively, the buyer gets the information they want. Another secret: a wide-angle lens used correctly can display the entire room and avoid the fisheye look.
- Put extra effort into the primary exterior shot
This shot is the virtual equivalent of curb appeal. The main exterior photo should present the house in the best possible light, literally. If buyers don’t like what they see, they won’t click further. Here is where you want to pay attention to lighting, shadow, and time of day.
If the home isn’t framed properly, if it sits too far back in the photo, or the brightness and clarity makes it difficult for the buyer to fully see and appreciate the home’s style and features, you won’t hold their attention. Remember the seven second rule–your photo, more than the caption remarks, is the first reason the buyer will stop. For this reason, use larger photos in your advertising. The photo should draw them in to want to learn more.
- Don’t block the shot
Is the house hiding behind a tree in the center of the photo? Is there a reason you’re hiding the property? Move cars out of the way, pull the ‘For Sale’ sign out of the yard, or move anything else that detracts from the house. Instead of a straight shot of the front of the house, try standing off to the side, paying attention to the foreground. Watch out for your reflection in mirrors as well. The focus should be on what you are selling, not a close-up of the nice table.
- De-clutter or rearrange the furniture
When you want to show off a room’s best features or make it seem more spacious, the time you put into staging before you snap photos can pay dividends. Collectibles, knick-knacks and toys aren’t your selling features. You may suggest to your seller that they begin boxing these treasures up in preparation for their move.
Finally, lighting, lighting, lighting! Finding the right balance is key. Open blinds and curtains, turn on lights, but be careful about bright spots throwing off the balance. Consider talking with a professional real estate photographer and review your digital camera manual to ensure you are using everything available to take great photos that bring buyers to your listing.
Additional real estate photography tips:
