Real Estate Photography Tips

Taking good pictures of a house up for sale can be challenging, especially when trying to make your home standout against all the other homes on the market. A good picture portrays your home in a great light and tends to make your house look attractive to prospective buyers. Some home sellers hire a professional photographer to take high-resolution pictures; others may opt to take the photos themselves. Whether you're a professional or a novice, utilizing the following tips will help you capture the best photos for your real estate listing:

Use a High-Resolution Camera

Your camera is the most important tool in your arsenal. No matter the technique or angle of the shot, without the resolution-backing power of a high-quality camera your images may fall short. DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras are relatively inexpensive and provide a large range of operating options to suit your photography prowess, no matter what it may be.

Rearrange and Organize

Before beginning your home photo shoot, you may want to make sure the aesthetic is pleasing to the eye. Tidying up a room by putting items away, making sure the surfaces are properly dusted and cleaned, and even rearranging a few things to fit into a geometric space with plenty of negative space (space without any items) may aid in making your home more appealing.

Use Good Lighting

Lighting can often make or break a picture. If you opt to use natural lighting, make sure the weather is favorable to avoid any unwanted flares or shadows. Consider starting your photo shoot in the morning or early evening when the sun is not overbearing but still provides an adequate amount of natural light. This way, your property is not directly under the sun. If you decide to use artificial lighting, look at the colors in your home and decide if you'd like a warmer atmosphere or more radiant one. Soft white light will give your home a more homey feel, whereas bold white lights will highlight everything underneath them.

Stabilize Your Photos

Blurry images distort what prospective buyers see when they look at your house. A way to avoid blurry photos is to use a stand specifically designed for the camera you've opted to use. You may also use a table or steady your arms across a larger piece of furniture, depending on what you're snapping at the time. Many cameras also have a stabilization feature that allows them to remove or minimize the movement of the operator.

Pictures speak thousands of words. Get the right images for your home listing by following these tips or hiring a professional real estate photographer to give your home the best, glowing, visual reference on the market.