We all know that high-quality real estate photography has a significant impact on real estate listing sales. However, most newbies are frustrated when starting the ball rolling to take the first shooting of a house. 

In this end-to-end guide, we’ll break down all you need to know to take real estate photos for beginners and how to show the best features of your real estate listing as well as attract potential buyers’ attention.

What Equipment Beginners Should Use to Take Real Estate Photos?

Last week's article defined real estate photography as a type of “commercial photography in which a photographer takes professional photos of a home that is for sale.” To take such magic images, there are four basic necessary equipment for any real estate photographer 

1. Digital camera: The most important piece of equipment is your digital camera, so choose yours wisely. To attain the highest-quality images, consider using HDR or DSLR cameras is recommended.

2. Wide-angle lens: Consider a wide-angle lens especially when taking interior photos, which makes enclosed spaces look more spacious and increases the house's attraction for buyers.

3. Tripod: A stable and sturdy tripod will ensure great control of your camera and image production.

4. Lighting: There is a built-in flash available in each camera, but to enhance any shadow elimination, you can consider buying a remote flashlight.

4 Tips on Preparing for a Shooting of Real Estate Photos

Before shooting, forget not preparation for the best real estate photos:

1. Compile a shot list. Always plan a list of interior and exterior shots you are going to take. Don’t mind asking about the homeowner's or realtor’s expectations. Begin with exterior images and highlight any appealing features—like pools or patios—and capture at least five different angles of the front of the house. Work with the real estate agent to decide which rooms are most appealing, and capture at least three photos of each of those.

2. Prepare your equipment. A couple of days before your shoot, run down your checklist of equipment you will need for your shoot. If you have a new camera, make sure you can use the basic camera settings. Ensure that your camera batteries are fully charged and that there is enough room on your camera's SD card or internal storage.

3. Ask for a clean space. If you’re shooting a house that is still being lived in, ask the owners to clean and declutter the space to make it camera-ready.

4. Choose the right time of day. Consider scheduling your shoot for a time of day when the light is soft enough to eliminate the threat of glare but bright enough to see the house's features. Early morning and late afternoon—about an hour before sunset—have soft light that will prevent your photos from looking oversaturated. Avoid shooting on overcast days because there may not be enough light to make your photos sharp.

5 Tips for Taking Exceptional Real Estate Photos

Here are six tips for capturing quality photos if you’re considering becoming a real estate photographer.

Clear out any distracting items. 

Not all homeowners take care of cleaning their homes before shooting day. That is why some properties look very messy. Otherwise, some can miss several small obstructions like PC cords, wires, trash cans, or a pet. Make sure to eliminate any of those variables from your shot, which will enable your audience to imagine themselves in the home.

Consider the height of your tripod. 

Recommended shooting interiors from eye height is around 5.5 feet, which keeps the room looking proportional and makes it easier to keep vertical lines straight.

Use natural light.

Early morning or twilight is the best time for shooting the exterior when the light is softest. Meanwhile, for the interior, make sure to open the blinds and let in as much natural light as possible.

Showcase the highlight of the home.

Find a beautiful quality of the home—like a pool, new kitchen countertops, a living room fireplace, or large bright windows—and showcase these in your images.

Take multiple exposures and angles. 

The more photos you take, the more options you have. For each room, it’s highly appreciated if you can photograph a variety of angles and in different exposures. Thanks to that, you also can present various options for a real estate agent and get their expectation more easily. 

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Real estate photography can increase or decline your listing sale. You, therefore, should build a solid foundation with a comprehensive tutorial on shooting real estate photos. Only after that, you can compose exceptional real estate photography that not only tells a visual story that allows potential buyers to envision their lives in and on the property but also speaks to your professionalism and brand.

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