Photography Tips to make you look like a Pro!
So you want to save some money and take your own photos like the pros do? But you don't want to spend a fortune on a DSLR camera and take classes on how to use it! Read on.Too many times when a Realtor gets a listing, the first thing they do is grab their camera (or worse, phone camera) and run out to the property and snap away! They don't even care if it's raining out as long as they get something in the MLS immediately! So they take a bunch of bad photos and then they never go back to take better one's or if they do, they never replace what they originally took! Raise your hand if you're guilty! LOL!
Well here are a few tips on how to take better listing photos even if you're using an el-cheapo point and shoot camera!
- KEEP your vertical lines VERTICAL! Stand back, squat down, do whatever you need to do to make sure the vertical lines on the kitchen cabinets are lined up with the Vertical lines in your viewfinder! Do this for all rooms in the house and your pictures will look 100% better!
- For interior shots turn on all the lights and lamps and open the blinds when there is something of significance to see outside (pool, yard, etc). Set your Flash to Always ON or FORCED FLASH...not Auto!
- Now here's the trick so you don't end up with a blast of light washing out the window shot: Aim your camera lense directly out the window and press the shutter button half way, hold the shutter button halfway down and move your camera into position to take the shot you want. Then fully press the shutter to take the shot! The flash will fire to fill the room with light and the window shot will still be clear! Now go grab your camera and try it out in your living room!
- Go to the property and take photos at various times of the day....morning, noon and evening.
- Have a plan when you get there: Go inside first and open the blinds and turn on the lights. Go back outside and take the photo of the front from the street, then walk up to the door and take a picture of the entryway, then open the door and take a photo looking inside, then move to the other side of the room and take a photo looking back at the Foyer.....get the picture? Buyer's don't want to see 12 pictures of the living room! For bedrooms and small rooms, always stand in the doorway as far out as possible without including the doorframe in the shot.
- Take photos of the community marquis, pool, clubhouse, golf course, fitness center, etc.
- If you don't have any photo editing software try using something FREE like Adobe Photoshop Starter Edition. A simple one click fix with the Auto Fix button can do wonders for a dark photo.
- Finally, if you are putting your photos in the MLS and you
are not a Showcase Realtor, then the first 4 photos you put in
the MLS are the 4 photos that will appear on Realtor.com. Make
sure these 4 photos are the best 4 photos of the property!
Dan McAllister is the owner of FirstCoast360 and a Realtor with NEFAR. Dan has been shooting virtual tours for NEFAR Realtors for more than 5 years.
