Great pictures entice more lookers and really can help to sell homes. As a listing agent you have been entrusted with the very important job of presenting the seller's home at it's very best.
After 23 years of marriage to a master photographer, I've learned a few tricks about taking pictures. My photos are consistantly brighter, clearer and more flattering than most of the others I view through MLS or agent websites.
These are my tips and tricks:
1-Be sure and hold the camera steady and level. Use a tripod if you need to. Crooked pictures can be corrected with photo editing, but it's easier to just take a level picture.
2-Every home has a "best side". Walk or drive back and forth in front of the house until you figure out what that side is... it may be straight on, from a corner, or slightly to the left or right of the house. Occasionally, depending on the elevation of the house, you may need to stand on something tall or you may need to squat down.
3-Find out what time of day the sun is behind you, but shining on the subject house (not in the camera lens!). Don't take pictures on gloomy days, if you can help it. If you can't help it (Seattle) then invest in Photoshop or another photo editing program and take the time to brighten the photograph and adjust the color hues.
4-Cropping is also important and you will need to use your photo editor for that. Crop as tight as you can without eliminating any interesting landscape details and never cut off any part of the house. Try to crop the neighbor's homes out of the photo.
5-Be sure the grass has been cut, the bushes trimmed and you have removed any distractions away from the house; i.e., garden hoses, trash cans, toys, etc.. Ask the seller to move his car if it is in the frame (and move yours too.)
6-Don't use zoom if you can help it. Move up as close as you can, still fitting the entire house in the frame. Remember, you can crop out too much lawn or driveway later.
7-When taking interior pictures, a wide angle lens is a realtor's best friend. Invest in one and you will never have to stuggle with small rooms again.
8-Turn on lights to create a warmer more inviting picture and to show off today's gorgeous lighting accessories.
9-Remove any clutter or distractions from the frame if possible (don't forget those refrigerator magnets). Be sure the seller knows it's picture day so that the house is neat and clean. If it's not... reschedule the shoot and don't shoot rooms that are unflatteringly full of stuff.
10-Look for unusual aspects or architectural details of the home; these make interesting pictures that draw the viewer's eye... never leave them out. You may want a close up of an exceptional fireplace, cooking island, etc..
13-Don't forget to photograph the view (water, mountains, backyard oasis, etc.) If you need to go back at high tide or at sunset, then explain that to the seller and they will admire you for your extra diligence.
14-Take as many pictures as you need to in order to get the best of the best... remember they're digital, you can delete the ones you don't use.
15-Save your edited pictures in a high resolution format as well as a low resolution format. Print ads need high res for good reproduction, whereas web photos should be low res for faster loading.
16-Don't let the listing hit the market without the photographs! Most buyers won't even look at a house online until it has pictures. I never release the listing until the pictures are done and loaded on MLS and the web. If you don't have pictures loaded, then any prospects that are set up for auto emails by other agents will get the annoying "no photo available" message and there goes your chance for a possible showing.
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