With this series we take a look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of real estate photography. Our ‘Wall of Shame’ features the bad (…and oh yes, the very ugly…) photos that some agents are using for their listings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, our ‘Wall of Fame’ features some of the most stunning photography agents are currently using to market their listings.
A little side note… on the weeks we’re not featuring the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we’ll be providing photography tips designed to help you stay off of the Wall of Shame! 
WALL OF SHAME
It was definitely a bright, bright sun shiny day in California the day this was taken! Not shooting directly at the window would definitely help when photographing this $499,000 listing.
Ok, fairly certain that doesn't belong there...and that having it there wouldn't be a huge selling feature. So why focus the photo directly on it (or take a picture of it at all for that matter)?? This is a $125,000 listing in Nevada.
Not sure if the camera was dropped while snapping this shot or if the agent was running through the room while taking it (lol!)... but I think it's safe to say this probably isn't the best way to showcase this $1,299,000 listing in Georgia
Now it’s your turn to sound off! Tell us which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think is the worst and why!
WALL OF FAME
This beautiful home in NYC is listed for $525,000 by Froso Beys of The Corcoran Group. Please click the photograph to view more of this listing.
They've taken a smaller space and have made it look spacious and attractive with a great (and very clear) presentation of that never-ending view down Lake Shore Drive! This home is listed for $319,999 by Jean Ward of Chicago Lakefront Properties. Please click the photograph to view more of this listing.
This dining area is beautifully captured, really highlighting the great selling features of this $1,850,000 home. This property is listed by Janet Williamson of Frank Howard Allen. Please click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Tell us what you think! Let us know which of these (top, center or bottom) you think is the best and why!
This week’s photography tip isn’t about actually taking or editing the photos, but instead about preparing the home before taking the photos– which can make a world of difference!
Preparing your Listing to be Photographed:
Interior
• Clean up the clutter! Anything that you would not find in a traditional model home should either be put away or temporarily stored out of site.
• Try to clear out as many people and pets as possible before the photographer arrives or before you begin taking photographs.
• Make sure the property is well lit. Turn on all of the lights / open all of the blinds. Include oven hood light, and spot lighting for artwork and cabinets.
• All bedding, comforters, pillows and bed skirts should be properly aligned.
Exterior
• Keep lawn trimmed and edged around driveways and sidewalks.
• Remove all cars from the front of the house and trash cans.
• If your MLS does not allow you to have signs in your photographs, please remove them prior to the photographs being taken.
Have we missed any? Send us your favorite ‘preparing your listing for photography’ tips- we’d love to hear from you!
It’s that time again…time to showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly of real estate photography! Our ‘Wall of Shame’ features the bad (…and oh yes, the very ugly…) photos that some agents are using for their listings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, our ‘Wall of Fame’ features some of the most stunning photography agents are currently using to market their listings.
Enjoy!
WALL OF SHAME
Yes, lets focus on the tiny, crowded closet... buyers aren't looking for a lot of closet space anyway, right? 😉 Seriously, why not just shut the door (or better yet, skip this all around bad photo all together!). This is a $404,000 listing in Hawaii.
LOL! Ok, I get that hot tubs are a selling point... but really?... a close-up of that nasty green water is looking far removed from a relaxing spa...more like a huge, gross headache! This is a $950,000 listing in California
Oh my. We get that things sometimes happen that prevent some photos from coming out exactly right. But there's no excuse for actually uploading it and KEEPING it there, looking like THAT, to market a listing (and in case you're wondering, no this is NOT a foreclosure)! This is a $235,500 listing in Colorado.
Sound off! We want to hear which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think is the worst and why!
WALL OF FAME
WOW! Gorgeous photography marketing this Minnesota home. It is listed for $675,000 by Dennis Flahave of Edina Realty. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
A lovely living room with floor to ceiling windows is beautifully featured in this Florida home. It is listed for $995,000 by Lynn Feuerman of Corcoran. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
The view of Atlanta is perfectly showcased in this beautiful living room. This home is listed for $325,000 by Carrie Faletti of Harry Norman. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Sound off! We’d love to hear what you think of the Wall of Fame this week! Let us know which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think is the best and why!
I was always told a key principle in life to adhere to was to K.I.S.S. (“Keep it simple, stupid!”) That principle holds true to my photo tip of the week, plus, I am going to use the same acronym with a different meaning. My tip of the week is K.I.S.S. “Keep it straight, stupid!”
One of the most common themes I see when looking at real estate photography is that of crooked photos. It’s almost dizzying to continually preview photos that appear off kilter. You are probably saying to yourself, “Duh, this is a no brainer.” If that’s the case, why do I feel sea sick after viewing a majority of the DIY photographs I see on real estate search sites.
There are some simple fixes to this off-center issue. First recommendation, purchase a tripod. Whether you have a point and shoot or fancy DSLR, tripods can be the fix all for straightening photos. If you just have a point and shoot like me, doing a simple Google Search populates innumerable tripods to choose from. Most importantly, they are not that expensive and come in all shapes and sizes.
If you are a DIY’er you can find various sites that show how to create your own Tripod. I created one for myself using a water bottle (3/4ths full of water to hold the camera weight) and screwing a nut and 1/4″ bolt in the cap, sticking out of the top. You can check your camera manual to see what size of bolt to use but 1/4″ seems to be pretty universal for a lot of point and shoots.
Tripods help relieve the stress of trying to hold the camera straight and those annoying camera shakes. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to play around with staging while keeping the perfect composition. Along those same lines, if you have followed any of our previous photography tips, you can use the tripod to set up the perfect shot and then employ all of our tips without ever setting the camera down.
For those who do not want to create their own or buy a tripod you can use any level surface that you can set your camera on as a straightening tool. However, you want to be careful to not allow the surface of whatever you are setting the camera on, to intrude in your shot. In other words, set the camera towards the edge of the level surface. If none of these things are available for you, try to do your best and remember that there is a lot of free software out there (Check out our free editing software reviews) that can help you correct these sort of issues.
This is a simple thing to remember but one that many forget is extremely important. You don’t want prospective clients to view your photos and think the house your trying to sell is not structurally sound. Always keep this tip in the back of your mind and KISS will take on a new acronym, Keep it Straight, Smarty!
Every other week we’ll be featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly of real estate photography. Our ‘Wall of Shame’ features the bad (…and oh yes, the very ugly…) photos that some agents are using for their listings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, our ‘Wall of Fame’ features some of the most stunning photography agents are currently using to market their listings.
A little side note… on the weeks we’re not featuring the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, we’ll be providing photography tips designed to help you stay off of the Wall of Shame!
WALL OF SHAME
Shooting this photo of the master bath with a focus on the door more than the actual room or any of its features probably won't have buyers begging for a showing...the room most likely looks much smaller than it probably is and from the small glimpse of the bathroom features we do see, they look pretty nice, so why not show it off the right way? This is a $579,000 listing in Illinois
This is one of those "why even bother" photos that we see all too often... but if you're going to bother shooting this and actually posting it to the MLS, you should maybe try to at least get far enough up the stairs so they're not the focal point of the photo! This is a $699,900 listing in Tennessee
LOL!! Love how the seller is just hangin' out, waiting for the photo to be taken so he can get back to packing or cleaning or whatever it is that he's doing. Shooting the kitchen WITHOUT featuring the seller, or whoever that is, is probably a better way to market this $1,299,000 Georgia listing
Sound off! We want to hear which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think is the worst and why!
WALL OF FAME
The view and hardwood floors are beautifully showcased in this Chicago condo. This $229,000 home is listed by Tracy Dillard of Koenig & Strey. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
This Georgia home features a stunning living room with floor to ceiling windows. It is listed for $649,000 by Randy Gottschalk of Coldwell Banker Atlanta. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Wow-- the open layout between the 'breakfast nook' and living area in this luxury Florida home (not to mention all the great windows!) are showcased in a way sure to attract luxury buyers. It is listed for $4,200,000 in Stuart, Florida, by Sailfish Point- Sothebys. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Sound off! We’d love to hear which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think are the best and why!
If you are anything like me, you have most likely run into some photography flash issues in your day. One common occurrence that arises with flash photography is the appearance of harsh lighting or over exposed/blown out subjects. When dealing with real estate photography, I have come across plenty of photos with harsh flash results and extremely blown out or hot areas. Kind of like a bad hair day for portrait shoots, not always the most appealing look.
There are several techniques you can apply to overcome these flash issues. One easy fix that I would recommend is using a diffuser for your flash. Essentially a diffuser dilutes the light for a softer look with less hard shadows. This can create a warmer look to some over lit or dimly lit rooms.
Now, don’t get ahead of me yet. You probably are thinking, “Well, I don’t have a fancy DSLR with an external flash.” You don’t need an external flash. You don’t even need a DSLR. There are some simple around the home items that you can use to diffuse your point and click flash. Items I tried out: Paper Towel, Wax Paper, clear plastic film case, and a coffee filter.
All worked pretty well. I walked around my office and shot a couple darker rooms that may cause some issues. I used the coffee filter the most. I had a lot of filters laying around, me being a big coffee drinker and all. By folding the filter over once and wrapping around the camera, over the flash but not the lens, I created the effect professional diffuser would create.
Below is a mild sample of what a coffee filter can do for diffusing some bad lighting situations.
(Conference Room shot using normal flash settings)
(Same shot using a coffee filter as the diffuser)
If you look at the samples, the differences are not outwardly apparent. By looking at the back of the chair that is in the forefront of the photo you can see with normal flash the blown out effect and the opposite with the shot with the diffuser. The walls also act as reflectors that can send back a lot of light and with the diffuser the shot appears more warm and natural. The diffuser works wonders for rooms that may have a lot of reflective surfaces.
Here’s my tip of the week. Hope it helps. Try this technique and let me know what you think. If you have any questions feel free to comment and I can hopefully answer any questions you have.
Every week we’ll be featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly of real estate photography. Our ‘Wall of Shame’ features the bad (…and oh yes, the very ugly…) photos that some agents are using for their listings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, our ‘Wall of Fame’ features some of the most stunning photography agents are currently using to market their listings.
WALL OF SHAME
What's hiding behind that lamp and plant? Oh... it's a living room! This is a $365,500 listing in California
Wow...not sure what the thought was behind this picture (though I guess that's pretty common with our wall of shame posts :)). You're not seeing much of the outside (and from what you can see, it doesn't appear that there's much going on out there), and you're definitely not seeing any of the inside! This home lists for $349,000 in New Mexico.
Oh my... a crooked photo complete with a thumb in the upper left corner... probably not the best way to market this $999,000 Long Island listing!
We want to hear your thoughts! Tell us which of these (top, center, or bottom) you think is the worst and why!
WALL OF FAME
Beautiful photography really helps set this Georgia listing a part from the rest. Love that they captured the view of the trees in this lovely dining room. This home is listed for $279,000 by Roy Crook of Coldwell Banker Atlanta.
WOW! Talk about a stunning view! Showcasing the view in this way really makes an impact. This Florida home is listed for $675,000 by Judy Hansen of Coldwell Banker.
This gorgeous Chicago condo (which, like our other two Wall of Fame posts this week, is complete with amazing views) is listed for $1,895,000 by Jeff Lowe of Prudential Rubloff Properties.
For this first week of January, we’re celebrating the new year by sharing our top 5 luxury properties of 2009… all of which, of course, had some of the most stunning real estate photography of the year!
Next week we’ll be back to looking at the bad and the ugly as well as the good. But to kick off the year on a positive note, we thought this week could be all about the good Let’s make 2010 a year full of awesome real estate photography!
Top 5 Luxury Properties of 2009
This stunning Naples, Florida, home was listed by Frank Petras of John R Wood for $7,999,500. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
This beautiful Las Vegas home was listed by Shapiro & Sher of the Prudential Americana Group for $4,050,000. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Floor to ceiling windows and an amazing view really bring this New York home to life! This property was listed by Jon Capobianco of The Corcoran Group for $6,500,000. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Featured in our very first Wall of Fame, this lovely Minnesota home was listed by Mark Grieger of Coldwell Banker for $3,100,000. Click the photograph to view more of this listing.
Complete with gorgeous lake views, this Chicago home was listed for $2,195,000 by Katie Haggerty of Baird & Warner- Gold Coast. Click the photograph for more on this listing.
Happy New Year to everyone! I thought it would be nice to have something to read over, what is hopefully, vacation for you all.
For this week’s free photo editing software tip, I took a look into PhotoScape. At first i was not sure what to think of Photoscape. It looked to have a lot packed into one program, and mostly things that would most likely be above a beginner. Photoscape is jam packed with features but the Editor is the bread and butter of this program. When I got to the Editor I realized why this program was recommended to me by my peers.
Like the two software reviewed before it, Photoscape, offers some nice auto correction tools. This may be all you need.
- Auto Level – With the click of the button you can correct the color levels of your photographs. Typically, this will make your colors appear their true color.
- Auto Contrast – With one simple click, the contrast and mixture of your colors is corrected.
- Sharpen – This will sharpen the focus of fuzzy/blurry areas in your photos. Be careful not to use too much of this tool, or your photo will start to look like a cartoon and will come out extra grainy.
I also found the “Bright,Color” fairly useful. For the beginner, you may get carried away delving into this manual tool, much like I first did. It is convenient because it does offer an auto brighten function, which allows to you to chose from a range of low levels to higher brightness levels. This button also offers manual tools that affect the brightness and coloring. Once you play around with this, you will get the hang of it.
Below is a Living Room shot from a DIY’er that I edited in PhotoScape. It may be a little on the bright side (personal preference), but it gives you a great idea of what you are capable of doing.
Things look a little dim.
Things are looking a little better and brighter these days!
In my opinion, Photoscape, while not for the beginner in most aspects, has taken the cake for best free photo editing software. As I just mentioned, the con of Photoscape is that the organization and photo management tools are not as straight forward as some of the other programs I have looked at.
Check out PhotoScape and tell me what you think. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly will be back next week due to some site maintenance we’ve been completing this week. We’ll be celebrating the start of the New Year with some absolutely stunning photographs– the best of 2009!!
Have a very Happy New Year and we’ll see you back here next week!
