With so many people now searching for properties online, it’s never been more important to use high-quality images in your digital listings.
As a leading provider of property marketing services in the North West and Yorkshire, we’ve worked with plenty of estate agents and helped them elevate their property listings and marketing collateral to new heights with professional real estate photos and footage.
However, we also understand that professional property marketing is a significant investment that not everyone can justify. Our team of real estate photographers believe that everyone should be able to highlight the best features of any property, regardless of budget or photography skill.
So, with this in mind, we’ve put together a complete guide on how to take professional real estate photos, no matter which camera or equipment you have to hand.
Step 1: Prepare the property
Cleaning your property will go a long way — and it may even save you a bigger job down the line once you’ve got a sale! By prioritising the appearance of your property, prospective buyers will be able to see the effort you’ve put in, which can generate more traction and interest.
- Remove any personal items: While this may feel a little unnecessary, it’s really important that potential buyers can envision themselves living in your property. Doing this will help.
- Get rid of unnecessary clutter: This creates a feeling of openness and space — two characteristics that make a home more appealing. Ensure that daily items and documents are stored away out of sight. This doesn’t mean getting rid of everything, though — a vase of flowers and a few decorations can help create a focal point in your shots.
- Open the blinds and curtains in every room: Natural light is a dream for property photography and can help your property look more inviting and airy.
- Tidy up outside your property: To enhance your property’s kerb appeal, spend some time cleaning up outside. Make sure any bins and garden equipment are out of shot, mow the lawn, brush up any decking or patio areas, uncover any garden furniture, and move your car away from the driveway to get a clear exterior shot.
Step 2: Make the most of your camera equipment
Whether you have a professional camera or use your smartphone, these tips can be adapted so you can make the most of your property photographs.
- Only shoot in landscape: Landscape shots work best for most types of property marketing, from brochures and in-store windows to online listings. This way, you can get more detail into the shot and create a sense of space. The goal is to show off the whole room in one photo.
- Capture from the waist and the eye line: Using your waist and eye line as a guide can help keep your shot vertical and straight, giving prospective buyers a better view of what your property has to offer.
- Use a tripod: If you don’t feel comfortable taking stable shots, a tripod can be really helpful for this. They’re easily accessible online and are generally quite budget-friendly.
- Try a wide-angle lens for cameras or zoom out if using a smartphone: Did you know that our eyes see things from a wide angle? A zoom-out or wide-angle lens can offer a realistic representation of space, which is handy for potential buyers.
- Test out the flash: Take a few photos with and without flash, and see which delivers the best results. You may benefit from flash in areas with minimal natural light.
- Don’t be afraid to go into detail: Detailed shots of your property’s finishings and fixtures can elevate your listing. If you have a beautiful fireplace or a period fixture, make sure you show it off.
Step 3: Utilise the available space
Whether you have a one-bed or a five-bed property, utilising any and all available space, including exterior spaces, is essential. This will give future buyers a complete visual walk-through of the property.
Rightmove recommends anywhere between seven and 30 images for a property listing — this is plenty for a listing that is truly representative of the space. Some key places to photograph include:
- Exterior (front and back)
- Entrances and hallways
- Living room
- Kitchen
- Dining room
- Individual bedrooms
- Individual bathrooms
- Office spaces
- Storage spaces, such as basements and lofts
Step 4: Polish up with editing
Most property photographs need to go through a round of editing and refinement — even when done by our professional team of real estate photographers!
You can do this either online using free websites like Canva, a paid photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom, or your phone’s integrated editing options if you only have access to a smartphone.
Before starting, the most important tip is to note down any editing changes you make. As you will be editing a batch, it’s integral that all images have exactly the same editing changes made. Consistency is key.
- Check the sizing: Rightmove, for example, requires images at least 1024 x 683 pixels in size for their listings.
- Play with brightness: Try tweaking the brightness, contrast, and exposure filters to see what highlights the space best.
- Straighten your shots: Having a few wonky shots is natural, but this is easy to edit. You can even do this on some smartphones.
- Tweak the white balance and temperature: This will give your images a clean, natural appearance.
- Don’t touch the saturation: Over-saturated images can appear unnatural, so it’s best to play with clarity filters rather than saturation to sharpen textures.
LENS Media: North West and Yorkshire’s trusted property marketing experts
Since 2011, our team has been helping property owners and estate agents elevate their listings with property photography, videography, aerial drone footage, and more. We hope these tips — backed by years of expertise and experience — have helped you capture your property’s unique character and charm.
If you require any further assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team, and we’ll be more than happy to help you highlight your property.
