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Pictures are worth a thousand words UNLESS they are bad pictures.

By Larry Story ALC

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Total Care Realty NCRE# 257455

July 30, 2008 01:11 AM

OK everyone knows me a little by now and that I try to show a professional image in every aspect of my work. I recently took over a listing and just wanted to share with you the difference that it makes when you have an agent running around with a cheap point and shoot camera and then you have a professional photographer come in and shoot the same home. You also have to move everything and clean up before each shot but, you do want that excellent picture don't you?

Old picture of the deck

New Picture of the deck.

Just the angle of the shot makes a ton of difference and that wonderful view of the tree!

Old Dining room fuzzy and out of focus bad lighting straight shot.

New dining room shot;

the old picture did not take into account the built in wet bar or the built in shelves in the next room.

So you tell me what you think! Isn't a picture that is actually worth a thousand words better then a picture that is only worth a few?

I will keep everyone posted on the the listing.

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Ray Nelson

Exit Realty Expertise - Fredericksburg, VA

I agree 100% Larry. Actually, a bad picture is worth 1,000 words too, but they aren't any words you want written about your listing! Great post.

Jul 30, 2008 01:21 AM

Larry Story ALC

Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC

Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

Ray, you are right about that! Of course this is why I use my photographer all the time. Sure I could take the pictures but at that point am I really doing all I can do to sell the home?

Jul 30, 2008 01:28 AM

Larry Bettag

Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL

Vice-President of National Production

Even if they are bad pictures...believe me...they're still worth 1000 words.

Jul 30, 2008 01:57 AM

Michael Setunsky

Woodbridge, VA

Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

I couldn't agree with you more Larry. A different angle and better composition makes all the difference in the world.

Jul 30, 2008 02:22 AM

Patty Carroll

Vancouver, WA

We totally agree show off the features of the home that is what they are buying.

Jul 30, 2008 02:54 AM

Larry yes but as in the post before those 1000 words you don't want to hear.

Jul 30, 2008 01:00 PM

Michael, I mean if I could do it I probably would but, he is so much better and I do whatever I can for my clients and they want me to SELL THEIR HOME!

Jul 30, 2008 01:01 PM

Patty & Scott yes and the idea of the pictures is to get your attention enough that you want to go see it in person.

Jul 30, 2008 01:02 PM

Anonymous

Frank

Larry hit the nail on the head. The purpose of having images available to prospective buyers is to get them to notice the listing and to schedule an appt to see the property. That why it is important to have excellent images that truly represent the property in a non-embellished manner. I am Larry's photographer and have some very high end equipment for shooting his properties.

There are several aspects to achieving great results in RE photography. It amazes me at what a horrible job some agents do at presenting their clients' properties. A point and shoot camera cannot EVER do a thorough and acceptable job of photographing a property unless the property is the size of a cracker box. The inherent nature of P&S cameras is to cover a wide focal range for the average home/amateur user. That means that the lenses cannot cover a wide enough focal range. Thereby, images I have seen make the properties appear a great bit smaller than they are in actuality. Additionally, the real magic in the images happens in the lighting and post processing. Don't get me wrong; I never misrepresent a property. I do not remove integral elements of a property. For instance, I recently photographed a property where the HVAC return register was visible in the shot I got of the entry way. There was no way to get the shot and not include the register. So be it... I left it in the shot. On the flip side, I shot a property where the owner left her rather large trash can sitting by the home in the back yard. I missed it when I took the shot, so I removed it in post. Is that deceptive? Of course not. I never remove power lines, structural elements, etc. Nor do I enhance a property to make it look better than it actually is. I saw an image (before & after) where a photographer added grass to the lawn. I didn't like it because it was a misrepresentation of the property at the time that the image was captured.

Jul 31, 2008 05:05 AM

Hey AR I want to introduce the star of this blog Frank Mueller my photographer. He is too modest but, a wonderful photographer that certainly knows his craft. Also did I mention what a straight shooter he is but, of course that is why he and I get along so well.

Jul 31, 2008 05:54 AM

jp endres-fein

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty - Scarsdale, NY

Remember a picture can invite an agent or a buyer to look at your listing or more importantly... it can make them rule it out! OUCH.... take inviting pictures and dont post bad ones. agents please treat your listing pictures as you do the pictures take of you... you would never show people unflattering pictures of your self why do it on your listings???????????

Jul 31, 2008 02:40 PM

David so true but, I am just shocked at the pictures some people put out there for their listings. Now are they truly doing all they can to sell that home??

Jul 31, 2008 02:44 PM

Pictures are worth a thousand words UNLESS they are bad pictures.

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