You’ve probably heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
It might sound like a cliche, but nowhere is this adage better illustrated than in the real estate industry. People respond better to visual content, which is an integral part of the AIDA marketing model.
Stunning photos immediately catch potential clients’ attention.
After viewing them, they become more interested in what you have to offer. Interest leads to desire, and finally, the action in the form of a commitment to rent or purchase.
So how can you capture photos that immediately arrest the viewer’s attention?
1. Invest in a tripod
For interior images, it’s advisable to shoot in neutral perspective and keep the camera around waist height.
Despite many modern digital cameras having anti-shake features, you still run the risk of shooting some blurry images.
A tripod prevents this by maintaining a stable height, which produces more professional shots.
2. Use drones
Drones were barely known outside military circles a decade ago. Today, their explosive popularity has seen them being used in commercial and civilian photography.
For real estate purposes, drones add a particular perspective that a human photographer never could.
They can capture spectacular exterior photos from various heights and angles.
Clients are more likely to respond to such listings because they can see every nook and cranny of their potential new home.
Drones also show a wholesome image of the listing. Clients can see precisely how driveways, swimming pools, trees, and lawns complement the house.
They also capture the full neighborhood and show them some of the available amenities.
Compared to the past, when you had to hire a helicopter pilot to shoot aerial real estate photos, drone photography is remarkably affordable.
To learn more about using drones for real estate marketing and to find out which drones are the best, read our in-depth real estate drone buying guide.
3. Include props
Although the main aim is to showcase your listing, photographing a vacant house might make it look dull.
Consider adding some furniture, books, and pets to give it a more homey feel. This gives potential buyers a practical idea of how their new home might look.
Remember not to overdo the props to the point of taking attention from the rooms you’re showcasing.
4. Get the lighting right
This is probably the essential aspect of photography. Lighting can make all the difference between excellent and bland real estate photos.
Natural lighting produces some great results. The best time to maximize its potential is between 10 am and 3 pm.
Turning off interior lights gives rooms a more neutral look. You may use LED panels or reflectors to get rid of shadows.
If you must showcase interior lights, edit the photos to lower their intensity and prevent them from taking center stage.
For exterior shots, consider setting your camera to shoot in HDR mode. For every snap, it takes three pictures in different light settings. Image editing software then highlights the best aspect of each photo and processes the most outstanding result.
HDR is suitable for shots that entail contrasting lightings such as landscapes and sunlit locations. It’s not ideal for photos that have moving objects because the results might be blurry.
5. Consider different lenses
Real estate photos should generally showcase more of the rooms and make them look larger. Using different lenses allows you to capture various angles and details. A 35mm lens is capable of capturing wide perspectives without distorting shots.
If you want genuinely high-quality real estate photos, you should invest in a full frame camera. It captures wider angles in higher quality than primary digital and smartphone cameras.
6. Invest in editing software
Even the most talented photographers need to edit their images for one reason or the other.
Using preset editing functions in Photoshop, Lightroom and other software can save you a lot of time.
If you find this option hectic, numerous professional editors can tweak your already awesome photos into stunning works of real estate art.
7. Incorporate SEO
You’re probably wondering what search engine optimization has to do with real estate photos.
Given how competitive the industry is, SEO gives you a much-needed advantage. It makes it easier for search engines to find your listings by scrutinizing your photo details.
Save photos with helpful information.
For example, you could change “DSC9876.jpg” to “5bedvillaLA.jpg”.
That way, search engines are more likely to find it when someone looks for information on five-bedroom villas in Los Angeles. Add captions to photos, and image alt text to further explain what they’re showcasing.
Make sure the context is always correct. When describing a bedroom, for example, the photo should always show a bedroom.
If fully optimized, these tips will make your listings the most popular for certain real estate-related keywords.
8. Hire a professional
As a real estate agent, you might lack the skills required to shoot your high-quality photos.
This is a great time to hire a professional.
The results are likely to be much better than those taken using smartphone cameras.
While a pro takes care of the photography, you can concentrate on your core business of marketing your listings.