I'll agree.... pictures are mandatory as are quality well depicting, accute representations of what the property actually resembles. I can understand slight adjustments and favorable lighting, etc. The truth is always best representative.

Hi Kari,  Funny, I signed in here to write something about this exact topic. I feel its misrepresentation to use to wide angle lense as its not a realistic reflection of what the home looks like. Staging and good pictures are important, but not to deceive.  Of course, you can usually tell when this was done and clients also need to be reminded to look closely at the listing sheets and the room sizes.

Dear Kari,

I find real estate photographs are usually misleading in the other direction---they can really detract from any positive things about a piece of property by the careless way the photos are taken. I am in real estate and this is more common than good photos.

I call these photographs "drive-by shootings" and that is usually how the photo was taken. Now, however, since I started my staging business I am finding that more than ever the photograph is crucial to the outcome. So, in my opinion, shoot away with a wide angle lens..it is better to flatter than to malign!!!!

Thanks for a great blog Kari!

Hi Kari: Well, you can tell which photos are shot with a wide angled-lens. I think to avoid having buyers be disappointed, you should preview the home yourself and take your own photos, but photos that make a room look larger than it's actual size is not a red flag to me. If given a choice between a badly composed, badly shot photograph or a rosy-colored flattering photograph, I'll choose the flattering photo every time. When I list a home, it's my job to make it look appealing. That's why they call it marketing and not truthful photographs 101. I'm not a newspaper reporter; I'm a real estate agent. LOL.

On the other hand, I don't think a photos should be misleading and showcase features that don't belong without disclosure (such as views) or be manipulated by erasing undesirable objects. 

An easy test to tell the difference between deceptive photos and great marketing is to say to yourself, "How would a judge look at this?"

Well, they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder:) We, like our Sellers, probably see the same photo differently as do the Buyers, who want to pay less.

It is tough to get fooled by photos. Most of the issues I have is most agents in this market take few are are poor at that segment of their listing.

Kari...Timely post for me.  I just bought a new camera and haven't begun using it yet.  It has a wide angle lens.  I am planning to take the most flattering photo possible with as accurate a result as possible.  Hopefully I can use my new camera to accomplish that.  

I can understand your concern.  We sell a lot of waterfront property and sometimes clients are very disappointed when the photos show beautiful pictures of the water but when they see the house they realize that the views from the house are nothing like the ones from the waterfront.  Some homes, because they are on doglegged lots do not even have any view of the water from the house.  Big disappointment and we're the agents standing there listening to the complaints from our buyers.

Cheers, Kathleen