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The least you can do with your Real Estate photos, is get them straight!

Award of Merit Here's maybe the most useful tip anyone could give you to instantly improve your MLS real estate photos . . . get lower.

That's it! Just get lower.

Take a look at this photo from a home in Calgary, Alberta . . .

Room with distorted walls

As a real estate photographer, I have seen this a thousand times. The walls are flaring out, which is even more exaggerated with the wide angle lens. How does this happen?? When we remain at standing height, most of us tend to aim the camera down to zero in on the main attraction of the room. It's the tilting of the camera that causes the verticals to no longer look vertical.

So what? Well, it just looks amateur-ish. When we are in the room, our wonderful, magical brains can keep track of perspective and experience everything as straight, even when we are askew in looking at the scene. Translate that viewpoint into 2 dimensions, however, and something just feels off.

Rarely will you see this "mistake" in a professional trade magazine, for example.

Compare it to this shot . . .

Straight walls

A lower perspective allows us to view into the room and experience it with more intimacy (I'm on my knees here). The feeling of detachment is gone, inviting the viewer to be more a part of the space.

And when selling real estate, isn't this what we want to achieve with the photos? The photo story shouldn't just be a documentary of the property. It should pique the interest of the viewer enough to want to go see it in person.

Choose a lower perspective, and your photos will be transformed!

Stay tuned for correcting skewed verticals and barrel distortion (curving verticals) after the fact.

Deena Cottingham

GreenApple Staging & Images
Serving Calgary and Okotoks, Alberta

©GreenApple Staging & Images, 2010
All information is copyrighted and may not be used, borrowed or copied without written permission.

Posted by Deena Cottingham, Home Stager & Photographer on 01/12/2010 10:10 PM

Comments (112)

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112 Comments on The least you can do with your Real Estate photos, is get them straight!

JAN

2010

Deena, I try to remember to do this all the time, for some rooms it is the only thing to do! The older I get the harder it is to get lower for the photos, LOL.

I love the way you displayed this information, thank you!

Right on! great post good information! Thank You for a well thought out explanation of how to do it right!

Now that is some very useful advice, I spent a ton on the camera, but now don't know how to use most of what it does and don't have the time to learn

I also like the dragon in place of the ladder. The angle does makes big difference!

Hi Andrea - Thanks for stopping by! Yeah, I know . . . the knees and the back . . . oy!

Glad it was useful info for you Debra!

Rob - no kidding. Knowing how to use the equipment is more important in my mind, than having expensive equipment. Don't get me wrong . . . good equipment really helps, but it does nothing if you can't make it work for you!

Deena,

Great tip! I am 6'5" and always point the camera down.

Recently started using a tripod that puts the camera lower, much steadier than I can hold it there.

Great, simple tutorial. I too noticed the dragon. :)

Deena,

Thank you for sharing! I will keep this tip in mind when taking my next photos and refreshing older ones.

Hi Deena! Thank you so much for sharing this tip! Believe it or not, I hold mine as high as I can, thinking that would capture more of the room. I'm SO glad you shared this! I will put it to use with my photos tomorrow and compare mine too. Thanks again!

Have a wonderful Wednesday...

I'm naturally short, so we shouldn't have a problem!

Never thought it mattered... thanks for the tip and I think I will definetely subscribe to your blog for more hints!

Deena - Hmmm thanks for the information off to look at some of my listing photos to see how good bad they are .... from what I see here you are right.

Thanks for the reminder, Deena! You always offer such great topics.

I've found that one of the easiest ways to start taking much better photos is to simply use a tripod. Most tripods at the highest setting is only about 4.5 feet tall...or just about the perfect height. Tripods also eliminate the angled to one side photos, too. Can't wait for the next post!

I don't many photos. I live it to the professionals. But, I am glad I came across this information just in case. Thank you for the tip.

I have tried being up high and down low to get the best pictures. This definitely shows that a lower angle can work better.

I am glad you've emphasized this. I think I was getting there naturally but you've pointed out the essential ingredient and I'm sure I won't soon forget it.

You're right Deena. It really doesn't take much to get a good picture. In this digital age there's really no excuse as one may take as many pictures as they desire and do with them as they wish. No cost to develop these days!

Thanks for the quick and easy tip!

Having a great photo can make a huge difference in the presentation. Photo 2 is far better... Also.. how did you mark your photos ?

Hey, I'm guilty of making those mistakes. thanks for bringing them to my attention. Look forward to your next blog

Hi Deena,Guess what? Any featured photobogger member post that ActiveRain features is automatically featured in our group. Congratulations.

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I saw someone do this last week in our MLS. It makes a huge difference!

My husband is a professional photographer. He gets to take the photos. My favorite camera was bought from another agent. It had 3 megapixels and a wide angle lens. It was the only camera I ever got along with. But, if he's not available for my next listing, I'll keep in mind this great tip and demonstration that you gave us.

JAN

2010

Thanks Deena. Never having taken a photography course, I welcome all the tips I get -- here and elsewhere.

Deena, that is a brilliant tip! Congratulations on the Feature!

Thanks Deena for the great tips. I don't usually have this problem as I'm only 5'3" and don't tend to tilt the camera down. The second pic is so much better with the ladder gone and other items brought forward more. Thank heavens for digital cameras and the ability to take many, many pics and discard the useless!

Sue of Robin and Sue

I've started being more creative and experimenting with my angles, just wished I'd done it years ago!

Deena -- great tip! I've just started using a tripod and found that it really helps .... have a lot more practicing to do!

A good photo shot makes all the difference. Aiming right and shooting in the proper light.

The first picture, especially compared to the second picture, looks like a wide angle shot. That's part of the problem with wide-angle lenses.

Thanks for the tip! I'm forwarding this post to my photographer for him to take a look at it. Great idea.

It's dramatic how much of a change just lowering the camera can make. Looking forward to your tips on fixing wide-angle distortions. Thanks, Deena!

I will keep this in mind. I will try this out today. Thanks for the tip on getting low for a bigger picture.

Deena: Good tip. It always amazes me how poor the photos are on listings!

Deena, good tips. The distortion you mention happens quite often when folks do not know how to use or position them selves when using wide angle lenses...

Helping you help others live their American dream...

Deena, Excellent Tip. I will try this today on a new listing and then revisited other listings to improve the photos. Thanks.

Barbara Calwhite Deema: Thanks for the post. My pictures need all the help they can get!!! What a simple fix when you know the secret. I am anxious to try it out.

Barbara Calwhite

Awesome tip, I did not realize the difference on a photo according to the level being taken.. thanks

Hi Deena, Being a self-admitted horrible photographer I welcome all of the tips I can get. Thanks very much for this post -- kneeling down is something I'm usually too tired to do after staging a home, but I'll be photographing some "afters" next week and will definitely do this. Looking forward to your future posts on this topic.

Deena,

Thanks for the tip. When I'm in a room with a cathedral ceiling I put my camera on a monopod and take the picture looking down. Makes the room look huge.

Rich

Deena, I like the advice and I'll certainly try it. I'm short as well so I'm not sure how much lower I should go but I should get some different angles and see what works the best. Congratulations on your feature!!!

I guess this is for advance agents, because with all those listings in the MLS with only one photo or even no photo, it's time to make a post blog about the advantages of putting them in the MLS in the first place...and a MLS tutorial while we're here :-)

Wow! Amazing how something so simple can make such a huge difference. I've taken my share of photos with the camera over my head trying to fit everything in and they ended up looking "off". Now I know why, and better still, I know what to do about it. Thank you!

I can honestly say that I have never taken pictures in a home that I was listing on my knees, but I can sure see the benefit. Of course, getting up may be a challenge! Thanks for a great tip!

Deena, what a great, simple tip for much better photos! Thank you for sharing! (PS 2nd photo looks great!)

Deena, thanks for the tip! I can't wait to try it on my next listing.

Deena:

That is an interesting point. It did improve the picture quality quite a bit. A new perspective that can actually make a big difference...

Deena: I've have recently tried this myself the last couple of months and it works great. The perspective is much better without the 'bowed out' look. That other person also suggested sitting on the commode to give a different perspective in a large bathroom & that shot looks great doing that! You also might not get yourself in the bathroom mirror too! Give it a whirl & see if you like the results. Good post & happy shooting.

STAR QUALITY! That's what you are Deena! True to form, your tip shown in simplistic understanding can be used by all of us! You are a treat! And while we are on our knees, guess what else we can do?? We appreciate you in the Rain!

I appreciate this tip so much. I am pretty short (5'1") and I always thought I should hold my camera up high to make up for the difference in my height.

Thanks for the tip!! BIG DIFFERENCE!! Now if I can just decide on a decent point/shoot wide angle camera!

Hi Deena ~ You touched on one of my pet peeves here. Such a simple solution on how to fix some of these bad photos too. Get lower and keep the camera straight!

Great post on making clear how easy taking a decent photo actually can be.

Denise

Great post. So many times it is the little things that make all the difference and when you can actually see it visually - wow it does make a difference!

Deena - An excellent tip for those who shoot their own photography with wide angle lenses.

Deena,

Thanks for the tip. Inever could understand why the walls, doors, etc. flared out. Problem solved!

Great advice Deena! I have a few of those BEFORES myself. Going to take your advice and make better pics.

Thanks for all your comments, and I am so glad that this turned out to be the tip that might really transform some of your photos! Sometimes the simple, is profound.

To address a few specific comments:

The use of Tripods - another super way to help keep your camera straight, and also steady! If you shake or move your camera even just a little, the high end high megapixel camera you bought will produce images that are fuzzy and blurry! Money wasted.

Wide angle lenses - some of you commented on how the first photo looks wide angle. That is one of my pet peeves! I passionately believe we DO NOT need to show every last nook and cranny. Including ALL the walls in the shot often contributes to that distorted feeling, as the back wall will be a trapezoid shape then, and it can make the room look smaller, too. Leaving out the third wall leaves that side of the frame open with the sense that the space continues.

So . . . TIP #2 . . . don't crank your wide angle to the max! I think it just looks bad . . . and amateurish again. You won't see that in a magazine either.

Bathroom shots - I've covered more on that here Real estate photography games we all play. Lyn, yes I've sat on the toilet (lid down) and in the tub to get a good bathroom shot!

We have all seen examples of posted home photos on MLS that are more of a disservice to the seller than a powerful persuasion tool for prospective purchasers. Good photography is an important skill for agents to have or learn. If not, hiring a good photographer like you can more than pay for itself. Quality interior photos can be especially difficult to shoot.

Would it be too self-promoting to say - if you want excellent real estate photos, hire a professional!

:-)

As some of you alluded to, the other differences in the second photo are:

- 3 additional flashes used
- white balance corrected
- and some other Lightroom adjustments applied

Hey Rick, you said it best! Wish I had known you were writing that as I was posting!

Watermarks - Debi Boucher has a good tutorial for watermarking your photos. (The imprinted greenapple logo I have on mine).

great tip! I tried this too with a small room and it does give it a greater perspective

Thanks for this, Deena. There are few things I actually figure out for myself, but this is one of them. So I reinforce your point. My clients frequently ask me why I'm taking pics on my knees. Getting low is one of the best tips around.

Deena,

Thanks for the great tip!

Good tips, thanks

Excellent Deena! Something most folks would not think of. Congrats on your feature!!!!!

Debi

Excellent tips! Of course this is why I usea professional photographer and stager here in Austin and I would definately cal on you if you were in the area!

Deena- Thank you, thank you, thank you for the great advice. I'm on my knees in thanks to you. . . . . Now, will someone please come and help me up!!

Great advice Deena! I'll have to remember this on my next listing photos. I wish you worked in my area, I could sure use your expertise.

@Mike #6- your comment made me laugh- I am over a foot shorter than you are and I don't have this problem LOL

Too many of our colleagues have sub par photos- things like this help.

so simple, but what a difference. Thanks for the advice

Great tip on photo taking. Do you recomend using wide angle lens or do you stay away from them?

Great advice!

Great Point Deena! I like to just hire a professional!

Putting in a little effort while taking photographs makes a big difference with the quality of the listing. Another problem is the agent that only includes one MLS photo. There are several ways to photograph a room to make it look bright, cheery and spacious. The best thing an agent can do is buy a professional flash. The little pocket camera flashes were made to illuminate a subject 5 feet away, not to light up a room. Larger professional flashes can fill an entire room with light to eliminate dark spots. I have a blog article that gives several tips for taking photos of a house and that article can be found at http://blog.agentharvest.com/selling-your-house/great-pictures-sell-houses/ .

Great information here! Take a good picture, you owe it to your clients!

Deena, thanks for the tip. I tried this at home and YES, I notice the difference. I just hope I don't get too many giggles going around someones house on my knees taking pictures.

Hi again. Thanks for your comments and feedback.

Bill - your customers might think it looks funny until they see the results. ;-)

Russell & Gary - thanks for the biggest compliment!

Kathy - you're so cute! I'd gladly give you hand, anytime.

Steve - hey, that's the best thought.

Bill - you're right about the flash. I have 5 flashes in my kit.

Deena,

WoW, that's quite the difference....thanks for the great tip!

Your examples really make the point. I will remember your tip, not only for real estate but for other photos as well. I have been working on taking shots at different levels and now I will be even more conscious of where I have the camera. Thanks!

THanks for the information today. I really enjoyed your post. Well done!

Patricia /Seacoast NH/ME

Excellent advice Deena! Converging verticles drive me crazy. Some of the Realtors tell me it doesn't matter, people know the room is straight. I don't buy it, I find it distracting and want people looking at the house not the mistakes. Getting down on your knees is a great way to keep the verticles verticle and an easy way to remember to do it. I'm planning to address camera angle in my next blog however I'll probably get a lot more involved. I love the simplicity of your advice!!

Great advice Deena! I mean it is always good when an agent includes ANY photos...but the better they look the better the home looks! :-)

Excellent tips, Deena. Odd as this may sound, I have a draft in my AR blog log that addressed the issue of barrel distortion. You nailed it with this post.

Kathy

Great post with terrific tips. I have personally found that using good photo software will often rescue crooked homes.

Great tip. I see photos all the time where the agent actually raised the camera above their head to get a "birds-eye-view.: I see it most in kitchen photos and it looks aweful! Another tip....if you lower the camera (I find that waist height works best) in one room, do it in all of the others. Keeping the photos as the same angle make them seem uniform and seemless.

Marlene - yes, it's good to change your position as the photographer relative to your subject. See this post for more info on casual photography.

Carina - I know. I really do think that it does matter. Of course, the walls ARE straight, but it's the fact that they aren't represented as such that takes away from the experience of viewing the property. When a buyer goes on to the next property that does have better photos, it's like a breath of fresh air for them and the property instantly looks more appealing (along with better lighting!).

Wendy - I'm so surprised at the number of comments regarding having ANY photos at all, or at least more than one! That really doesn't happen in my area. Is it because of the number of "distressed" properties in most US markets?

Amy - I hear ya!

Thanks everyone for visiting and taking the time to comment!

Deena - what a great advice and so many good comments! I subscribe to your blkog and keep reading and learning on how to avoid creating amateurish photos.

This is my favourite type of blog post, Deena: ONE tip only, concise, relevant information. Thanks for sharing! -- Tanya in Montreal

Good point... A little editing might be in line, too. Not too much, but killing the converging lines isn't really altering the idea of the picture.

JAN

2010

Deena,

What a great post! The photos you show here are excellent and demonstrate your point perfectly. I think there's a lesson in that for us all. It's quite amazing to see the difference.

Congratulations on another well deserved feature.

Donna

Deena-

What a great tip!! You have a new subscriber to your blog!!!

www.GarrigusRealEstate.com

Deena, on your knees! fun tip! Congratulations on the Feature, I have a professional photographer to make sure we get the very best. I am an amatuer and want to give my clients 110 percent.

ah yes the wide angle lens. Hard to use. I have a level on my camera and one on my tripod. I can straighten any photo but it saves a lot of time to get it right the first time. I am to the point where I can take half as many interior shots as I used to. You just can't beat a level.

So simple, but what a difference in photo results. Great photos make wonderful first impressions.

Thanks again for all your great comments.

Svetlana - thanks for subscribing! I look forward to your next visit.

Tanya - sometimes simple is profound!

Hi Donna - thanks for stopping by.

Todd & Devona - thanks for subscribing! That's a great compliment.

Kathy - knowing how to complement your own strengths by hiring out your photography is a wise choice!

Teresa - I find the level good, but not as good as my eye. Sometimes the photos still won't be straight. I also use the grid on my camera's display to ensure that the verticals line up.

Thanks Norma!

I could not agree more. This is what I do to get great shots for my listings. I just put it on my tripod, set at its lowest setting, and shoot the picture. They come out great and everyone in my office thinks I am this "great photographer". The reality is that I know one trick to getting great pictures. I hope they are not reading this - looks like my cover is blown.

I'm glad that I am not the only one who takes issue w/ this. Imagine Mercedes trying to sell a car w/ photos of a dirty car w/ a pile of dirty laundry on the seat? Photos should be a good representation but also true to form. Great post!

Thanks for this informative post Deena! Photography is NOT my thing and I'm not at the point where I can hire a pro ---- yet! I'll get LOW next time and hope it helps this armature's photo's look much better.

Deena - I've seen worse, but what a huge difference and so easy to correct. Thanks!

Moe - your secret is safe with me!

Jason - you and me both!

Debra - good luck with it.

Paul - Oh thank you. You've seen worse than my deliberate crap photo! (I have, too ;-)) I felt like I was really faking it, though!

The day after shooting photos for a new listings, my legs are usually sore from doing lunges or squats..:) always trying to get at eyesight level for everything.

The room looks larger to me though in the first photo.

JAN

2010

Excellent point to bring up! You can't remind people of this enough. No one will take you seriously if your verticals are converging. Our brains are trained to recognize what is supposed to be straight. For most people the tendancy is to shoot while standing, which forces the camera down. Such simplicity as lowering the point of view works wonders.

Deena

That is great advice. It makes total sense. I just snap and never figured on getting lower. Look for some new angles from me.

JAN

2010

Hi Deena,

Great post! I think verticals are one of the quickest ways to tell the level of professionalism of the shooter - and one of the easiest things to avoid or fix. Awhile back I did a blog post about an easy way to correct them after the fact - Let's get something straight - Your Verticals

Thanks for the sharing!

JAN

2010

It's often not too late to cope with a poorly shot photo after you've left. The photo could be adjusted with the perspective tool in Photoshop:

Original Shot:

Room with distorted walls

After Perspective adjustment:

Perspective

Great reminder about camera placement and the difference a few feet can make in welcoming a potential buyer. With so many searching on line before going to see a property in person, the look of on line photos have never been more important.

JAN

2010

Thanks for the tip. I'm often already "on my knees" anyway, begging for a lower listing price. May as well stay that way while I take my photos.

JAN

2010

Good tip. I try to avoid taking in alot of the ceiling, unless I am trying to show something special it offers. ~ JC

JAN

2010

Deena - Love your photo comparison and it really shows a huge difference. I forwarded it to my team as a reminder of what not to do and how to improve their photos.

JAN

2010

Deena your posts have been more help to me than you can imagine. Thanks SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH

MAR

2010

Thanks for the tip, At 6'4" I need to get in the habit of using a tripod or monopod at lower height. Also, using a level on the camera/tripod to make sure walls are strait.

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Deena Cottingham, Home Stager & Photographer

Calgary, AB

More about me…

GreenApple Staging & Images, Calgary Staging & Photography

Address: Call for Consultation, Calgary, AB, T2Y 5G6

Office Phone: (403) 589-0225

Cell Phone: (403) 589-0225

Email Me

I like creating discussion among other professionals in the real estate industry on various staging, photography and off-beat topics. I value the insight of others and the synergy we all benefit from when we collaborate--iron sharpens iron! I also have a love for fitness, personal growth and my family.

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