Elements in Real Estate photos, virtual tours and showings should be pleasing, interesting, and appealing to the senses of buyers who are viewing. A picture is worth a thousand words and should give buyers a hint of style, taste and lifestyle benefits.
As the living room is the main room in most properties. This is where people like to relax and spend "quality" time so try to market to the benefits this room offers by taking great photos.
Move from each corner, standing as far back as you can and take a look through the view finder, until you find the best one (or two) focal points. Sometimes a focal point is an architectural feature. At other times, a focal point can be a special picture, mirror, or dramatic piece of furniture, it may be a fireplace, a picture window, or a built-in bookcase. This will generally be your focal point. Do you need to incorporate the views from windows?
- Is there a fireplace? If yes, start a fire about 20 minutes before shooting the room so that you get a roaring fire prior to photographing.
- What are the views like outside? If there is a terrace, add or move some flowers into view, do the same with garden furniture. Make sure that the curtains are neat and tidy and the lawn is clear of junk.
- Shadows? Doors open or closed, which looks best in the view?
- Does the furniture need moving about to get the best image? Ask first and if it is alright, move the furniture within reason.
- Have you turned on all the lights? Remember to always put the lights on, day or night. Lighting adds charm.
- Look for dark areas that are not lit. Do you need to place lighting anywhere to help out?
- Is there any clutter or personal items lying around? Move the owners personal belongings out of view (remember to put them back later), use your own props or use some from elsewhere in the house. Do what is necessary to make the image/room look inviting. Explain to the owners what you are doing prior, as they may see you messing about with their belongings and become offended.
- Flowers anywhere? If you have seen some elsewhere in the house, don't be afraid to shift them about.
There's probably no more potentially harmonious relationship as that between a real estate photographer/agent and a stager. Photos that are in design magazines, begin with a stylist's concept and then go on to a photographer. Staging professionals see a house through the lens before the home is filmed and perfects it, making sure the view photographed is visually appealing to the broadest range of potential buyers. Stagers address distractions in home design. Clutter, cleanliness, color, furniture, balance, harmony, scale and walls as dull as a two dollar bill, contribute to distractions that make viewing a room difficult for buyers.
Good stagers are adept at arranging engaging vignettes, or picture-ready views, throughout a home. Mantles, entry, tabletops, vanities or built-ins demand careful arrangement. A stager is not only concerned with arrangements, but also with how all the elements of a room and how they relate to one another.
Comments(3)