Don’t Spare to Get the Perfect Listing Pictures
When presenting a luxury listing, you want more than one picture. You also want the right photos, shot in the right way, by the right person: an experienced pro who knows how to photograph high-end properties. With more and more people starting their search on the internet, your photos must be flawless.
When it comes to the adage “a picture’s worth a thousand words,” Luxury Home Experts change it to “a picture can be worth a million words.”
Don’t Skimp on Photography.
Don’t spare the expense; hire the best real estate professional photographer. Here’s why:
Based on poor photography, potential buyers will often immediately eliminate your listing from consideration. If you have to skimp on marketing your listing, professional photography is not the place to do it.
You will not get results if you shoot photos with an ordinary point-and-shoot camera. However, some agents still use such images. An inferior camera will give you pictures of dark rooms with big blinding spots where the windows are, which is unacceptable. For the absolute best effects, hire someone who knows how to operate a sophisticated camera with a wide-angle lens and high resolution and one who especially understands the dynamics of light.
A professional photographer (and sometimes a talented agent) can work a camera so you see a room’s interior and the scene outside the window. That requires equalizing the interior and exterior light with a manually operated camera and usually one or more external flashes. You can’t do that with your automated point-and-shoot camera.
Another process that allows for a fantastic depiction of a room and the exterior views is High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. This method can eliminate the need for a high-powered flash to light up a large room. The photographer takes up to nine photos of the same shot, each at a different shutter speed. This is also referred to as bracketing. Many high-end cameras are programmed to take the nine shots automatically.
When the photos are downloaded to a computer, the best elements of the nine photos will create one perfect shot for each scene. This method is a little labor-intensive and requires a professional, but the results are stunning.
Take Photos at Optimum Times.
It’s usually impossible to photograph a whole house in one “sitting“ because the sun lies in different positions in the sky at certain times of the day. You never want the sun shining at the camera when shooting. The photographer (either you or a professional photographer) should look around the property and devise a photo plan that answers the question, “At what time do I need to come here to photograph which side?“ Shooting the front elevation in the morning and the back in the afternoon might be necessary.
A good photo plan also includes knowing the best time of the day and season of the year for shooting quality photographs. Our Cape Cod market needs help taking exterior photos in the autumn. As we enter the early fall months of September and October—no matter what time of day—we can never get a good shot of houses, especially if trees are present. The front exteriors of the homes always look dark because the sun is low and the shadows are long.
On the other hand, if your yard has no trees, beautiful shots are possible in autumn because the light is a golden hue and the sky a vivid blue. In your area, fall might be the best season for shooting. Be aware and act accordingly.
If you have more questions about breaking into the luxury market, don’t hesitate to reach out or consider joining Luxury Real Estate Unplugged!
