Be prepared for what you are about to see. I was looking online through the local real estate listings tonight, and was amazed at the poor quality of photos. Check these out sad, but actual listing photos:
Preaching to the choir here at Active Rain, but would someone please explain why there is not a minimum standard when it comes to publishing MLS photos? Why is this tolerated?
I think agents would agree that photos are one of the most important pieces of information found online about a property. Online listings with poorly-taken, grainy photos do little to show what a home looks like. Let alone what is special about the listing.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Now, I'll quit bitchin' and share four ideas on how to take better real estate photos, courtesy of a couple of pro photographers in an article from Real Estate Journal.com:
For exterior shots, shoot in the middle of the day when the sun is shining and the sky is blue. When shooting inside, turn on all the lights and use a flash.
Remove clutter from an area before photographing it. Clear counter space and remove fridge magnets, children's toys, and dirty dishes. For outside shots, put away garbage cans and take the car out of the driveway. Try not to include telephone polls, wires and other homes in the scene.
Quality counts when taking photos, and cell-phone cameras don't cut it. A camera with a wide angle lens is ideal, but "point and shoot" digital cameras can also do the job.
For a clear photo, place digital cameras on a tripod. Set the camera on its highest resolution. If you decide to just use the photos online, you can always decrease the resolution. Never use less than 72 dots per inch for online photos.
Edit. If you didn't get a good shot, you can fix it with basic photo editing software. Crop out ceilings or unnecessary background, and adjust the brightness and contrast or edit in a sunny sky.
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Chris Mitchell is the President and Founder of 25-8 Marketing, Inc, a full service advertising agency in Elk River, Minnesota. He plans and implements marketing programs for small to medium-sized businesses. Mitchell is a consultant, speaker and author and has worked with hundreds of companies. He has over 20 years of real-world advertising experience, and understands the marketing challenges of the small business owner.
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