Real Estate Photography

Hi,

I've been asked by a real estate friend to take some photo for real estate. I appreciate any pointers you could give me. I'm an experienced amateur, but haven't done real estate. I have a 7D with a 10-20mm, 17-50m, 70-300L, and 3 flashes and tripod. I also have LR3 and CS5. I haven't done HDR but it seems it could be useful in some cases if done reasonably. Thanks.

One of the first things I would do is research different Realtor's ads for samples of styles you need to know, then I would consult with the person you are going to work with and determine what types of images they require. You seem to have it covered gear wise and I doubt not having HDR experience would hinder you.

Get details and expectations nailed down as its only a "good" deal when both parties are happy.

You can do this!

There is not a section here devoted to real estate photography, but there is a thread:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=902973

The first poster, Mike Kelly, has done some very interesting work and it would be worth getting involved in that thread!

Thanks guys for the tips. If I do a good job, he'll hire me for more jobs. That Mike Kelly is awesome!

chantu wrote in post #13232925
Thanks guys for the tips. If I do a good job, he'll hire me for more jobs. That Mike Kelly is awesome!

Yes, he's done some great projects! He was recently featured on a well-known photo website, I just don't remember which one!

You're going to want to use something wide, in this case, your 10-20, to be able to capture the whole room... however, you will need to avoid blowing out highlights... so either investing in strobes or shooting 3 exposures to combine into an HDR is more ideal...

A few photographers on Flickr that might give you some direction;

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/26020525@N02/

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/scotthargis/

Scott Hargis's work is amazing and he has some great information on his site.

http://scotthargisphot​o.wordpress.com …equently-asked-questions/

dannequin and Christina -- thanks and thanks! I'm psych'd about do this. May be make some pocket change on the side.

tonylong wrote in post #13233006
Yes, he's done some great projects! He was recently featured on a well-known photo website, I just don't remember which one!

if that's the guy who did the video on light painting the wood house, it was on fstoppers

Shadow on the Door wrote in post #13237123
if that's the guy who did the video on light painting the wood house, it was on fstoppers

.. And on strobist.com:
http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com …elley-two-speedlight.html

Christina wrote in post #13236837
Scott Hargis's work is amazing and he has some great information on his site.

http://scotthargisphot​o.wordpress.com …equently-asked-questions/

Thanks for the link...good stuff.

I recommend Mike Kelley as well...he's brilliant at sharing his hard-won experience!

As a homebuyer I was immediately drawn to any home that were photographed with the following qualities:

-Well Lit (no blown areas, no deep shadows)(also means golden hour during a romantically beautiful day)

-Colorful but not clowny. Has to look upbeat, have energy, etc.

-No distortion. Obvious barrel distortions or perspective distortions just look unprofessional for photographing a structure which, most likely, was designed to have straight, even lines in every direction. When the home is designed around curves, adjust accordingly.

-Well Staged. Get the cars out of the way unless it is a car that portrays the right image (Sports car, luxury car etc.) If the car works, it better be detailed to the max. Mow the lawn, trim bushes, brush off walkways etc. No trash anywhere, minimal personal belongings, put away that nasty old person furniture or crap your grandma has in the basement. It should be clean, sleek, and neutral. The list could go on and on, but attention to detail is key.

-Thorough. Cover everything. I wouldn't go see a house that had no pictures of the bathrooms. What does that say? I'd rather see an outdated bathroom and say "well looks like this room needs updating, but I like the rest" than see nothing and wonder how bad it really is.

-Watch HGTV on a regular basis to see what the latest trends are, see what people are drawn too.

At the end of it all, I chose based on the physical inspection and viewing of the home. BUT how did I narrow down my search? I certainly didn't visit every single home within a 20 mile radius of my workplace and within my budget. It was the pictures. Make every one count.

Does it sound like this is way more than just a photographers job? Yeah, but if real estate agencies in your area know that you understand and can do other basics of design/landscaping/etc​., or can direct a "less qualified" home stager/landscaper to do a better job, you'll get hired more. Diversity can sell your product in a more challenging market, and real estate is hurting pretty bad right now.

Thanks for the this perspective. I was wondering if others have views on what draws their eye in homebuying

NatDeroxL7 wrote in post #13250602
As a homebuyer I was immediately drawn to any home that were photographed with the following qualities:

-Well Lit (no blown areas, no deep shadows)(also means golden hour during a romantically beautiful day)

-Colorful but not clowny. Has to look upbeat, have energy, etc.

-No distortion. Obvious barrel distortions or perspective distortions just look unprofessional for photographing a structure which, most likely, was designed to have straight, even lines in every direction. When the home is designed around curves, adjust accordingly.

-Well Staged. Get the cars out of the way unless it is a car that portrays the right image (Sports car, luxury car etc.) If the car works, it better be detailed to the max. Mow the lawn, trim bushes, brush off walkways etc. No trash anywhere, minimal personal belongings, put away that nasty old person furniture or crap your grandma has in the basement. It should be clean, sleek, and neutral. The list could go on and on, but attention to detail is key.

-Thorough. Cover everything. I wouldn't go see a house that had no pictures of the bathrooms. What does that say? I'd rather see an outdated bathroom and say "well looks like this room needs updating, but I like the rest" than see nothing and wonder how bad it really is.

-Watch HGTV on a regular basis to see what the latest trends are, see what people are drawn too.

At the end of it all, I chose based on the physical inspection and viewing of the home. BUT how did I narrow down my search? I certainly didn't visit every single home within a 20 mile radius of my workplace and within my budget. It was the pictures. Make every one count.

Does it sound like this is way more than just a photographers job? Yeah, but if real estate agencies in your area know that you understand and can do other basics of design/landscaping/etc​., or can direct a "less qualified" home stager/landscaper to do a better job, you'll get hired more. Diversity can sell your product in a more challenging market, and real estate is hurting pretty bad right now.

That would depend on the experience of the buyer...in my case, I carry a flashlight and check out the furnace/water heater/breaker box, etc first, while other uneducated buyers look at the cosmetics.