A picture is worth a thousand words. The old adage is certainly true when it comes to real estate. Surveys suggest 80% of house searches start online therefore it’s vital your listing pictures make a good first impression. If your budget won’t stretch to a professional photographer, there’s no reason why you can’t do a creditable job yourself. Here are 10 useful photography tips to keep in mind.
1. Show as much of the room as possible
For interior shots position yourself in a corner or doorway and use a wide angle lens in order to capture as much of the room as you can.
2. Photograph the front of the house at an angle
It helps to convey the building’s depth.
3. Use natural light
Light makes a space look inviting, it highlights texture, colour, depth and contrast. It also makes photography look more professional. So go bright, open all the curtains, turn on all the lights, use the lamps strategically, make the house as sunny as possible.
Avoid using the camera flash, it won’t distribute light evenly like overhead lights and it will reflect off surfaces in an unflattering way.
4. Remove clutter
Nick-nacks might a house feel homey but in photos they make rooms look small and untidy. Take a box along to the shoot and clear items off surfaces before you photograph.
5. Think about framing
Try to avoid door frames, pipes, and unsightly structural issues. Pick a central item for the picture then frame everything else around it.
6. Use a decent camera
Camera phones have come a long way but a purpose-built camera will still do a better job. A point-and-shoot camera will likely have more megapixels, a wider angle lens and better light sensors which will produce better quality images. Better still is a digital SLR. With an SLR you can adjust everything from the light exposure to shutter speed, to depth of field.
7. Don’t cheat
Don’t use an ultra, wide angle lens to make the space look bigger than it is, visitors will just be disappointed when they come by.
8. Use a tripod
A tripod will remove the risk of camera shake, will help you capture crisp pictures even in low light conditions, and the spirit level will keep your framing perfectly horizontal.
9. Include unique details
If there’s a great fireplace or some particularly nice cabinet doorknobs, move in close and get a picture. Visitors are less likely to spot the small things when they walk through so now’s the time to show them off.
10. Take tons of photos
The more pictures you take, the more choice you’ll have when picking the best ones. Also, online browsers like to get as detailed a picture of the house as possible so the more listing photos you take, the more they have to work with.
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