In recent years, smartphones have become the number one tool for anyone to take photos. But smartphone photos, even point-and-shoot photos, are often too dark, too bright, distorted, or blurry. Smartphones and point-and-shoot cameras have come a long way, but both are limited by small sensors, one-size-fits-all lenses and, often, inexperienced users.
During the same time, the internet has become the number one tool for prospective real estate investors: 90% of home buyers search online first for a home to purchase! Web-based property listings are convenient and detailed, and offer buyers both their first impression of a property as they browse, and their last impression as they view listings later to remind themselves of properties that they have visited.
The question is, why would you use inferior point-and-shoot or smartphone photography to showcase real estate property online?
When you hire a professional real estate photographer to do the job, he or she brings with them professional-grade equipment: capable and complex digital SLR cameras, multiple high-quality lenses for different purposes, tripods to ensure clear and level shots, and the knowledge and experience to use all of this equipment to capture the property in the best light possible.
 A typical smartphone photo |
 A post-processed DSLR photo |
A professional real estate photographer then takes the RAW files from that job to the next level through thoughtful post-processing. Each room’s detail is showcased as highlights are toned down and shadows are lightened. High dynamic range may be applied so that colors appear more realistically. Cloudy skies may be replaced, and fires may be added to an empty fireplace to warm a room. These processed real estate photos are then delivered to the Realtor in two formats: 300dpi, ideal for print, and 72dpi for online use.
With such a large percentage of house hunters accessing online listings via a computer or smartphone, professional photography is one of the most powerful tools that a Realtor can use to help sell that property.
- Online listings featuring professional real estate photography generate an average of 60% more page views than snapshot photography. Viewers often pass by listings with poor photography altogether.
- An MLS survey conducted by a large residential real estate company in 2010 showed that professionally-photographed properties sold more consistently and at a higher price than properties that were poorly photographed.
Whether your clients are selling a property for one hundred thousand dollars or ten million, they deserve to have the advantage of high quality photography!
 A typical smartphone photo |
 A post-processed DSLR photo |
As a Realtor, you want the property to look its best before showing it; your staging tips include getting rid of clutter, cleaning the carpet, bathrooms, kitchen and sometimes repainting if needed. It only makes good business sense, then, to hire a professional real estate photographer with a similar eye to capture the beauty of the home.
The benefits to the Realtor using a professional photographer go beyond great-looking real estate photos; they also demonstrate to the client that they care about their listing and gain their trust. That trust translates into word-of-mouth referrals, the best kind of free marketing! Prospective buyers may also note the care given by the Realtor to the listing, and prospective buyers are usually prospective customers within a few years.
What do you have to lose? The benefits greatly outweigh the costs, so drop the point and shoot or smartphone, hire a pro, and get your properties photographed in the best light possible. Contact us today!
Equipment: Canon 6D with the Canon 24-105L F4 lens supported by a Manfrotto tripod model # 055XPROB with Manfrotto ball head model # MHO57MO-Q5 . All post processing was done using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop CC 2015. Images captured on SanDisk 16GB Extreme SDHC