PHOTOGRAPHY FOREVER

Since its inception, photography has made progress by leaps and bounds. In the modern world, there are countless specialized fields in the industry and no limit in view of what it can achieve. The Internet has allowed photographers to showcase their work for a wider audience. This ease in the exhibition has made it one of the most profitable as well as dynamic work.

One of the nascent specialized fields of photography in real estate photography. In recent times, it has gained much momentum, owing to the boom in the housing and real estate market. That is why many photographers have devoted their energies and other resources in this category to make fame and big bucks. Overall, it is a good start for anyone who wants to start earning right away because there are just too many houses that are looking for a new owner.

No matter how lucrative it seems, you need to know basic, governing premises of the industry for stable income and career security. To arm you with the latest knowledge regarding this new field in photography, we have discussed the topic at length in this article. Make sure you read till the end for complete understanding.

If there is one sector in the economy that has always been on the radar of investors, governments, and other individuals, it is the housing industry, or more precisely, it is the real estate economy. People look for a profitable way to capitalize on their savings, governments regulate the market through selling and purchasing land in the strategically growing areas, and the investors want to earn big bucks for themselves and the stakeholders in the transaction of these estates.

Becoming a photographer that will give you the opportunity to earn money in a dynamic industry. Your role as a real estate photographer is to facilitate both the parties, those who are looking for a property, and those who are selling it. You are free to move from other fields of photography, such as showbiz and others once you set your foot in this sector. It is because comparatively, you will have a much easier time in this industry as compared to the cut-throat competition of la-la-land.

Due to the great scope in this sector, many photographers end making real estate photography their full-time career.

Real estate agents are also active players in this game. They always look for avenues to outdo the competition by securing more deals. The demand for high-quality real estate photos is always through the roof!

You can, literally, open new doors for your career by switching to real estate photography. If you check all the boxes and provide excellently, you will start earning a decent, dependable income within no time. In recent times, many photographers have come to acknowledge the potential in the field. It has some competition but there is still some wiggle room for you to showcase your skills. To get long-term success, you need to outsmart the competition through your skills and dedication.

This guide will cover all the bases for you so that you have all the necessary knowledge about the field when you are done with this article.

What Is Real Estate Photography?

Real estate photography is one of the latest additions in the field of photography. It involves taking pictures of houses and properties for better prospects. A photographer takes photos of both interior and exterior of the house, making wide-angle shots to highlight the qualities of the land or the building to potential buyers and renters.

The most widely used shots in this line of photography are the wide and detailed one. It is of vital importance to give out precise and clear information of all the unique features of a property, including lighting, space layout, and other key features.

The complete scope of a real estate photographer is not limited to taking pretty photos of the property. There are many cases where the photographer worked in conjunction with the designer for property preparation, negotiations over the contract, and photo editing.

For photographers, the market is primarily composed of freelance work. There is also a way to capitalize on your work by selling it on stock photo sites like Shutterstock, or else, posting on the blogs.

A real estate agent aside, there are other parties in a given deal of a property that can use the services of a master real estate photographer. These other parties include:

• Interior & Landscape Designers

• Architects

• Contactors

• Decorators

• Magazine Publishers

Want To Become A Real Estate Photographer?

Before we start to pick apart each and every aspect of the photography landscape, you should know how to break into the business of real estate photography. There are many established professionals in this field that will give you priceless insights about how the industry works, how to secure clients and referrals, especially how to master your skills and make progress in your craft. One of these photographers is Lizzie Pierce. You will get many useful lessons in the field of real estate photography by browsing through the YouTube channel. This will put you on the right footing, so you can start making money in no time!

One of the main focus points in these videos is interior photography. If you want to read material on this topic, you will definitely find exciting articles and blogs on this over the internet.

The concept of real estate photography, on the grass-root level, is the same as other fields and sub-fields of photography. Thus, you need to have ample basic knowledge about the industry to successfully break into it. You need to have a fundamental understanding of the techniques and necessary equipment for the vocation to nail your assignments.

Generally, you will need the following equipment to take impressive snaps of real estates:

• A photographer’s camera

• Wide-angle lens

• Lighting equipment

• Computer with photo editing software

There could be other things that you might need, based on the work. But overall, you will have these tools and a creative mind to capitalize on your art!

As stated earlier, you need to invest time and money, if you have to, to learn basic photography skills and techniques. Only this way, you will stand out from the crowd. There are many free and paid courses online that will get you clear ideas about the terms and techniques that will come in handy in the field of real estate photography.

If you already know about general photography skills, you do not need to go through the same learning process for this industry. It is, obviously, up to you to learn specifically about this niche, because with basic photography skills, you can crack into the field on your own and hone your skills as you go along.

Ideas & Inspiration For Real Estate Photography

There is consensus in every field of creative work about looking into the work done by established professionals, both for inspiration and ideas. The first natural step in this is to hunt down maestros of the industry and go through their portfolios. As stated in the earlier lines, artists showcase their work online at multiple platforms for exposure and economic benefits.

There are many dedicated sites like Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and many more, where you can follow real estate photographers for the latest developments in the field.

Now, everyone can enjoy the views and panoramic shots that could make them fall in love with the property. As a photographer, your work is different. There is a checklist to keep in mind whenever you are browsing through the work of professionals in your field. Here it is:

• Keep tabs on common camera angles

• General trends and techniques in the industry

• Different ways to shoot a different kind of land and buildings

You work as a disciple does not end by enjoying great footage. You can learn more from these materials if you recreate some of the best shots from the original source. Only change the location and work.

One of the perks of this industry is easy ess to projects. You can practice your craft for free in potentially any house that says “For Sale”. This will give you the real-life experience of what the field is all about and you can secure clients if you could woo them with your photographs. This unlimited access could be a game-changer for you as a novice in the real estate photography.

There are certain things that you need to ensure:

• Ask before entering the premises. It does not seem nice to barge into a house just because it says open house

• Be respectful to the privacy and properties.

After taking photos of the lands and buildings, track your progress from day one to the day of examination. Look for the shortcomings in the camera angles, lighting, and overall quality of the photos with that of the established photographers. This will give you a clear picture of what you lack and what you need to improve. If you stick to a regimen like this, you will be able to hone your skills and secure clients and referrals more easily. The process is continuous and dynamic, so you should not stop after nailing the first step. You need to keep the practice and success going!

Before we dive into the specifics of the real estate photography, we will discuss some of the tips and tricks that you need to keep in mind before going to a site fophotoshootoot.

Tips & Tricks

These are tricks for those photographers who have managed to secure clients. This could help them in getting the best shot using proved techniques. Even if you are a newbie, you can still try them whenever you get a chance.

Following are the tips:

• Tripod is a great accessory that could be termed as one of the “closest friends” of a photographer. This relieves the photographer from the labor of holding the camera and always carry its burden. It comes in handy when you are booked for hours of shooting and photography.

So, for both convenience and the quality of work, always carry a tripod, even when you think you don’t need it. They are extremely helpful in shooting low-light rooms as well as in HDR mode. Having it around has certainly some perks that cannot be overlooked.

• You are not alone if you fall in love with exterior shots of a property. Many buyers have reported that they make their decisions based on how a house looks from the outside.

To capture the best shots of the exterior of a house, you need to work around it during the golden hours. This means, during the sunset or in the early morning. This will ease your work and give you perfect exposure for excellent photography session. During daytime, the light from the sun is too bright that could interfere with your camera settings. So, don’t forget the golden hours for covering the exterior of a property.

• Again, flash is a tool that can help you in filling the light gaps in the frame. From one to as many as you need in a specific environment, you can count on a flash to light the shot. Keep in mind that as far as the interior shots are concerned, you can count on only one flash. In many cases, this will work like a charm.

• There are certain areas in the property that you should not document in your frames. They could the part of the property but you should ask explicit consent from the owners before including them in your photos. This includes:

1. People

2. Vehicles

3. Animals

There are other things that could fall into personal category, so you need to be very attentive about such little details.

Best Gear & Camera Settings

A career in photography requires a minimum investment in gear and equipment. You will have these special tools to work with if you want to crack into the realm of professionals. Seriously, you cannot shoot great pictures with a mobile phone camera, no matter how good it is.

As for the real estate photography, there is a great advantage. You do not need to have top of the line equipment and gear to get started. For those who are just getting started, this could not be more exciting to know!

Essentially, real estate photography deals with stationary objects. This makes the subjects of the industry to be static. From the point of view of a photographer, this makes it easier for him. To some extent, he has power over the objects he needs to shoot in certain conditions. This also suggests that contrary to motion picture photography, a real estate photographer does not have to invest big bucks in specialized equipment and advanced photography rigs.

For great quality shots, a professional-grade camera and a wide-angle lens setup will just do the trick. Of course, you need to learn how to use both of the pieces, as we discussed earlier in the post. Apart from that, you definitely do not need to waste money on advanced items like speed tracking, infrared, high frame rates, and so on. Stick to the basic and grow from their as you progress in the field.

To make it clear, you do not expenan sive, latest models of camera to take shots of the interior and exterior of properties. All you need is:

• A camera

• A wide angle lens

• A sturdy tripod

Real Estate Photography Cameras

Camera is the ultimate tools that you will use for your craft in the line of real estate photography. If you are out in the market looking at the aisles after aisles of shooters, it would make your head spin. As far as you must know, the majority of baseline cameras have the essential features of exposure bracketing, remote, and others to get you started in the industry.

For the digital cameras in the same range, they allow you to have multiple focus points in the frame. You can choose which parts should blur and which should be pronounced for better effect. Also, you should have a standard wide-angle lens to cover more real estate in a single shot.

Real Estate Photography Lens

The craft of photography has a lot to offer once you get to know the basics of all things. Certainly, the work does not end at clicking the shutter button once you get to a frame. There are accessories that can enhance the result of your efforts.

A wide-angle lens can come in handy while taking shots of the interior of a property. Its property to make the small spaces appear bigger and more spacious makes it an ideal type of lens to have in your gear bag.

It serves greatly for the exterior shots as well. To give a panoramic view, a wide-angle lens will cover more area and make room for extra features to be added in one frame. If you do not know the idea focal length for wide-angle cameras, it is around 10 to 24 mm.

Tripods

No matter how steady your hands are, you cannot beat the firm-footing and stability that a set of tripods provide. They are great to have for slow-speed exposures as well as when you are using a telephoto lens. For maximum stability, they are the best tool that you can get your hands on. They cost only a few bucks, so they should not put a dent on your wallet whether you are tight on your budget or just getting started. It is a must-have piece of equipment for a real estate photographer.

Settings

Owning sophisticated pieces of technology is only the first part. What really works if you can use them. So, there are some settings for the pieces and other variables that will make your work more promising in the real estate photography industry.

For the primary camera settings, light comes at the first place. Every frame you shoot, light plays the most important role for what it will look in the real world. You can get efficient lighting by investing in a camera flash. This will allow you to assume different angles and positions in the pre-shoot stage without a hassle. You will know for sure how a photo will look. More precisely, you can see the picture before it is shot.

If you were thinking about why we stressed at having a tripod by your side whenever you get to a location, this is it. The camera angle and its height from the ground plays an important role in the quality of the shots. It does not require any mentioning that you need to keep your camera still and straight. See, this is where a tripod doubles as the shooter and come to your aid. To keep the camera at a specific height, 1.5 meters or 5 feet approximately, tripod is the best tool you can get.

The straight and steady camera helps you capture the perfect shots without blurring the image, whereas the height offers a balance and natural look to your pictures.

The essential settings are definitely not limited to that, but they were of the general category. There are other type settings that more depend on your specific project and conditions. Some of them are:

• Image Clarity

• Highlight Reduction

• Shadow Brightening

Real Estate Photography

Now, we have come to the point where you have a clear idea of the basics about both real estate photography and professional photography in general.

So, if you are ready to crack down the industry, you need to get absolute command over the basics. These are some of the fundamentals that you need to nail to get usable photos:

• Exposure

• Sharpness

• Contrast

• Framing

For the exposure, do not overdo it and definitely do not stop under the baseline. You need to find the optimal exposure level for each frame and stick to it. Sharpness is what makes your photos come to life. Employ a small aperture like f/5.6 (or any higher f-number) to get all the features in a frame sharp and crispy. A real estate photographer does not require fancy, gimmicky effects like shallow depth of field or a bokeh background. You need to focus on the sharpness to get a clear and fluid photo.

If you personally think that vignetting is a great idea for real estate photography, abandon it. The dark corners in a photograph are a thing of the past and does not hold much water against simple straight-forward shots that mean business. The expensive lens today does not pose such problems to photographers. But if you do not have them, you can always change the aperture and try to find the perfect point for your shot.

Tips & Tricks For Real Estate Photography

To capture great photos that serve the purpose of art as well as your clients, you should follow these tips and tricks for quality real estate photography. They are not limited to only this field but they serve it really well.

Here is the rundown:

Focus On The Best Features

If you need to make a bankable collection of pictures that can earn you money, you need to look at every shot as an income generator. The best shots come from those frames where you determine a central point. This is the best feature of a building or some piece of land.

For instance, you need to shoot a room or a house, pick a key feature that will make the room stand out from other ordinary rooms around the world. It could be a wall, the window, or a painting, or a combination of more than one of these things. Make it the center of your photo and work around it. The premise is to amplify the unique feature of the room and make it irresistible for the potential buyers or general viewers.

Steer clear from irregular or awkward framing adventures. Some of the examples of those could be:

• Walls shot unevenly

• Doors cut-off mid-frame

• Lack of a focal point

One added benefit of real estate photography is that you can easily choose a focal point for your shots. Again, for instance, if you are shooting a living area with a cozy fireplace or a mahogany paneling, what would you choose to be the center of your shots. It is obvious now!

Exterior Beauty

As stated earlier, man buyers base their decisions of buying a particular property based on how it looks from the outside. As a real estate photographer, it should be at the top of your to do list to have great shots of the outdoors, even if you need to do some really hard work for it. Again, the best feature of the exterior should be the central point and then cover the surroundings as much as you can.

For example, if you need to highlight a garden shed with seasoned lumber, there is no better way than showing it alongside a well-manicured garden leading to that shed.

A note of caution for outdoors shooting – keep away from overexposing your photos to harsh light. As discussed earlier, you can get excellent exterior shots by working in the golden hours. This will give you just the light to capture the essence of the exterior with excellent shots.

Pre-Shoot

Before you get to the real work, it would not hurt your work and time to have a look around the property and get to know it better, when you can. Go through all the nooks and crannies of the property and take some photos of every room and garden, if possible. After you are done from preliminary shooting, take some time and study those pictures carefully. This will allow you to find out special features of each room so that you will have the central object already for almost every room. With the samples, you can also workout for thst camera angles for excellent shots.

The trick lies in studying a space and find out what the unique feature of that space is. Make it the focal point of your shot and you have got yourself a winner. Again, you need to have some working experience or knowledge on how to capture the essence of the exterior of a property in the best way.

Natural Light

There are many artificial gadgets that can help you in getting the perfect lighting for the shot, but natural light still sits higher than the expensive pieces of technology. It saturates shadows, provide great exposure, and give a natural look to the object or place you want to shoot.

When shooting, make sure you open all the doors and windows to let the light come in the room. Of course, if it is not enough, you can always use LEDs and reflectors to enhance your needs. This can help you in magnifying minute details in the furniture or ornaments made of metals, etc.

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