Starting in real estate photography can be overwhelming. You might not realize the variety of specializations available, the potential earnings, or the necessary equipment.

This guide will cover the four primary types of real estate photography, explore current trends in photo and video within the industry, and offer practical tips for improving your photography skills.

Why You Should Invest in Real Estate Photographs

Today's real estate market demands more than simply putting a property up for sale. With over 1.55 million realtors in the U.S. alone, standing out is crucial.

Quality real estate photography can give agents the edge they need to attract potential buyers. Incorporating professional photography into your marketing strategy can significantly enhance how buyers view properties and boost their appeal on the market.

Types of Real Estate Photography

Residential Real Estate Photography (Revenue Mix: 80 to 100%)

This type of work will likely be most of what you do as a real estate photographer. It covers a range of homes like condos, single-family houses, townhouses, small apartment buildings with up to eight units, and expensive homes that cost more than a million dollars.

Residential photography is often the most profitable type. Why? Because the same real estate agents usually return to you for more photos.

Over a million real estate agents work in the U.S., and they sell over five million homes every year. The cost of these photo shoots varies depending on where you are, but it usually ranges from $100 to $400.

On average, you might charge $200 to $250 for taking pictures of a typical home, which is about 2,000 square feet, in a city with a population between 250,000 and 750,000.

Commercial Real Estate Photography (Revenue Mix: 0 to 10%)

Commercial real estate photography is used either to help sell a property or for business marketing. Here are some common uses:

• Photographing new building projects like hotels or condos.
• Hotels want to show off their rooms or event spaces.
• Gyms advertise their facilities to attract new members.
• Restaurants display their interiors on their websites.

Unlike residential real estate photography, where a real estate agent can only use the photos until the house is sold, commercial photography usually has fewer rules. Businesses often need to use the images for a longer time.

Commercial real estate photos tend to be pricier. They must be high-quality because good pictures can help a business make more money.

Commercial photographers are expected to meet higher standards and often need more experience and better equipment.

Architectural Photography (Revenue Mix: 0 to 5%)

This type of photography is similar to commercial and residential photography but focuses more on buildings and structures. People who need architectural photography are usually architects, builders, or designers.

We often picture very modern, unique buildings when we think of architectural photography. But most of the time, the buildings photographed are more ordinary.

Architectural photos mainly show how a building is laid out, its design, and how well it's built. The cost to hire an architectural photographer is about the same as for commercial property photos, but here, the focus is more on showing off the details and structure of each building.

Photographers work closely with their clients to choose which parts of the building to emphasize. They take a lot of care in picking the proper lighting and angles and consider things like the weather and time of day.

They often use better lighting setups, more precise camera gear, and special lenses to get sharp, high-quality photos. Architectural real estate photography also requires more time to edit the images afterward to ensure they look perfect.

Interior Photography (Revenue Mix: 0 to 5%)

Interior photography, often seen as the more detailed "little sister" to architectural photography, zooms in on the ambiance and design within a building's spaces. Its purpose is to evoke an emotional response through the interplay of colors, furnishings, and other design elements, making a room seen and felt.

Clients for this type of photography typically include architects, interior designers, luxury real estate agents, staging companies, and magazine editors. The focus is on capturing spaces that are aesthetically appealing and tell a story or convey a specific lifestyle.

Residential and commercial spaces are common subjects. In luxury homes, the goal might be to highlight opulent details and unique design elements, while in commercial settings, the aim could be to showcase the functionality and style of high-end business environments.

Often, products like premium furniture are included in shoots to emphasize the lifestyle associated with the space. Practical interior real estate photography requires meticulous lighting, composition, and attention to detail.

Key considerations include:

• Using natural light where possible.
• Maintaining color accuracy.
• Ensuring the space is well-styled without being cluttered.

Techniques like using a tripod, shooting in RAW, and careful post-processing are recommended to enhance the quality and impact of the photographs.

Trends in Real Estate Photography

Real estate photography constantly changes, and we must discuss the newest trends. In addition to the main four types, virtual tours, video tours, and drone photos are becoming more popular.

Let me explain these trends and how they give a better look at a property than just regular photos.

Virtual Tours

Virtual tours let you explore a property as if walking through it. They are made from 360-degree photos linked together. You can look around, zoom in, and understand the space.

You decide where to go and what to look at, so you can spend more time checking out special features like a unique kitchen. For virtual tours, you need a 360° camera and a monopod. You take several photos and use software to blend them into one smooth 360° image. Then, you can do a virtual tour using these tools.

Real Estate Video Tours

Video tours are more like watching a movie that shows off a property. They're not interactive like virtual tours, but they give a clear view of how the property is laid out.

It's like taking a guided tour without being there. Video tours help potential buyers feel a connection to the place. All you need is a good camera and a stable tripod.

Drone Photography

Learn how to take amazing aerial real estate photos with a drone. Drone photography shows you things that you can't see from the ground.

For example, it lets you show off how big a property is, how it's laid out, and what's around it. The area around a property can be a big selling point.

A home might sell quicker if it's near a beach or river. Also, features like swimming pools and gardens look better from up high. Drone photography isn't just for pictures.

You can also use a drone to make videos and add them to video tours. Drones work great for both houses and commercial properties.

Tips for Better Real Estate Photography

1. Use a Shot List

Make a list of the photos you need. Real estate photography often has a tight budget and needs to be done quickly. A list can help you plan your photo packages better and speed up your shoots.

You can make a different list for each type of property. Consider whether it's a house or an apartment and how many rooms it has.

Here's a sample list for a house:

• Photo of the front of the house
• Photo from the back (only if there's something special like a garden or pool)
• One photo for each bedroom
• One photo of the living room
• One photo for each bathroom
• One photo of the kitchen
• One photo of the dining room

You can change this list as needed for each place. If your client wants more photos than what's included in your standard package, just change your price.

2. Find a Good Home Stager

Home staging involves sprucing up a home by redecorating and moving furniture around to make it look great for potential buyers. This usually happens before photos are taken of the property.

Adding home staging to your list of services can draw in more upscale clients. Remember to charge for this separately from your photography services.

Remember, many realtors already work with professional stagers they like, so you might only sometimes get to pick your preferred one. But, working with a professional stager, you know, is usually better.

Hiring a professional stager for your projects is also wise, like when building a portfolio or selling photos to stock image websites. Plus, picking up a few staging tips for yourself can help you handle things solo.

3. Choose the Right Time to Shoot

In real estate photography, scheduling can be tight because you need to arrange times with the homeowner and the realtor. If possible, plan to take pictures early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

These times are often called the golden hours. They provide soft shadows and warm light, making almost any property look good. Make sure the sun is shining on the front of the house.

A cloudy day is also suitable for taking photos because it gives even light. But it might make the sky look boring. You can fix this later with a nice sky overlay from editing tools like Pretty Presets & Actions.

If you have to take photos in the evening or tricky light, think about charging more. You'll need extra gear like flashes and maybe even help from an assistant.

4. Choose the Right Lens

To capture high-quality images of real estate, you should use a wide-angle lens. This lens type captures a large portion of the scene in one photo, making it ideal for showcasing an entire room or the house within its surroundings.

A good choice is a 16-35mm zoom lens. On a full-frame camera, this lens offers a view from 107 to 64 degrees, letting you see a wide area. It's best to use this type of camera to get the broadest view.

If you use a different camera, you might need to adjust the settings. However, be careful with extensive lenses as they can distort the photos.

5. Use Ambient Light When Possible

Lighting a big area takes time, skills, and the right tools. These aren't always included in the budget or schedule for real estate photos, so it's usually best to use the light already there.

Here are some simple tips for using natural light:

• Stand so that windows are either to your side or at a 45-degree angle. Don't stand directly in front of or behind a window.
• If the light from the outside is too bright compared to the inside, think about closing the blinds or curtains.
• Try to keep room lights off to keep the light color consistent.
• For pictures taken outside, ensure the light shines on the front of the property.

6. Use HDR

High-dynamic-range (HDR) photography is when real estate photographers combine multiple pictures of the same place at different light levels. This technique, known as HDR real estate photography, helps create one final image that shows everything clearly, even when some parts are very bright and others are very dark.

For example, this technique can help show details of a dark room, even if there's bright sunlight coming through a window. To make an HDR photo, you must use a tripod to keep your camera steady. With the camera fixed, take at least three pictures of the same spot, changing only how light or dark each shot is.

You'll need to take one picture focused on the brightest parts, one for the medium-light areas, and one for the darkest spots. Taking more than three pictures might give you even better details.

After taking the photos, you combine them into one picture using computer software. It's essential to be careful with HDR. If you use it too much, the image can look fake.

We should only use this method for pictures where it makes a difference so they still look real. If your photographer captures bracketed shots, we can handle the rest.

We'll combine the interior and exterior images and use our 13-point image enhancement checklist in Virtual Restaging. This process guarantees your photos are at their best, accelerating the sale of your property and potentially increasing its value.

Unlock Your Property's Full Potential with Virtual Restaging

Investing in professional real estate photography is investing in your property's future. The right photos can make a significant difference, whether it's a cozy suburban home or a high-rise downtown office. Remember, in real estate, seeing is believing—and wanting!

Do you lack the budget for a professional real estate photographer or the time to handle the photography yourself? Virtual Restaging has you covered. It can boost your property's selling price, speed up the sale, and maximize your profits per deal.

Whether it's a commercial or residential property, our virtual staging edits can add real value to your bottom line.

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