Homes in the Methow Valley are selling close to the value of homes in the Seattle area but the real estate photography isn’t nearly on par.
Professional photographers make sure that the viewer can SEE the DETAILS- especially what’s outside the window.
“80 per cent of people across the country who bought a new home in 2006 used the Internet while house hunting.” (America’s National Association of Realtors) These house hunters are looking at the photos, and *maybe* then at descriptions.
“A property with only 1 photo averaged 70 days on the market, but a property with 20 photos averaged just 32 days on the market.”
When your firm uses a professional real estate photographer, clients will pick you over your competition. Vacation rentals with better photos book up far more quickly too.
When I take professional real estate photos I pay attention to:
- Details in the room, what would make the room more welcoming, and what clutter needs to go?
- Correct white balance so that the colors are bright, welcoming, and accurate.
- Focus
- Exposure: I take each photo at three different exposures (brightness), and blend them together in Photoshop to ensure details in the shadows as well as outside bright windows. This is called HDR.
- Exporting the photos according to the requirements of the website you use. Making sure the photos are ready to upload without compression.
Real estate photography doesn’t pay very much. The going rate in Seattle for an entire house is $200 plus tax. I charge half that for the Methow Valley.
I’m acutely aware that being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. When possible I outsource some work to other professionals and so should you. Hiring me is MUCH cheaper than buying a camera, a tripod, memory cards, hard drives, lenses, insurance, and paying for photoshop. If you’d rather use your own camera, though, I’d gladly tutor you in using it!
Special thanks to Sandy Moody of Methow Valley Suites Bed and Breakfast for allowing me to use photos from her session! http://www.methowsuites.com/index.html
Young Reflections Photography 