Finding a Good Real Estate and Design Photographer.
Written by Hayden de Maisoneuve Yates
As a realtor or even stager and/or designer, finding the right photographer can often be a challenge. There are a lot of people who take photographs, but do they know how to provide you with engaging pictures that will bring a potential buyer to your listing?
FAST & CHEAP
There are a lot of mediocre photographers out there, who will only spend the minimum time to shoot your listing. If you know that the photographer only spends 20 minutes to shoot the property, you already know they most likely will not capture those unique features simply because they will not give themselves the time to find them. Their goal is to shoot the property as quickly as possible and move on to the next, simply because they are not being paid well enough for their time and effort, which typically results in a very generic approach to real estate photography. Be prepared to pay a little more for your photography if you want better results.
THE PROCESS
When I became a real estate photographer, I decided right there and then that I would do this only if I enjoyed myself, even if it took me two or three hours to shoot each property. That was in the beginning. Today, the average time I spend on the property is just under two hours, and that’s because I’ve developed an understand on how to approach a property before I shoot it. For instance, I begin by a walk-through of the entire property, and noting and listing all of the features that might make this particular house unique, whether it’s the texture or design of the fireplace, or the beautiful wood floors, or the architectural elements of the ceiling, or a craftsman feature left over from the past. Next, I study the natural light that enters the house through the windows so I know which rooms to shoot first, based on the movement of the sun. Sometimes I want to capture that ray of sunlight spilling into the bedroom as if to say “Good Morning Sunshine”? This adds the emotional component to my pictures AND to your listing.
DETAIL is IMPORTANT
It’s important to find a photographer that will showcase the real estate listing in the best possible light. What does that mean? It means that the photographer that you choose to capture and depict your listing does it in a way that highlights the unique qualities of that property that helps make that property stand out. In order for that to happen, the images that you upload on the MLS, are sharp and clear, and are visually and emotionally engaging.
Period House - Staging by Mombo Interiors
Mid-Century House - Staging by Austin Staging by Karen
STAGING BRINGS LIFE TO THE PICTURE
As a real estate photographer, I especially enjoy photographing homes that are professionally staged. Why? Because staging provides me with décor elements, like color, style, texture and lines that help make my photos more engaging, more stimulating to the eye.
If your home sold, it’s initially because of your photographer because that’s the first thing we see as a potential home buyer, the MLS picture. So, if the picture is generic, colorless and feels flat, it will not engage your audience. In some instances, it may even turn them off, and skip to the next listing.
It may even behoove you to take a photography course and empower yourself with the understanding of how images influence our collective consciousness and how powerfully they communicate to your potential home buyers or Instagram followers.
Rick White - Real Estate Photographer
So, when you do find that photographer who does care about their work, stick with them and treat them well, because they will take care of you and go out of their way to make your listing shine. After all, that photograph is the difference between selling your house and not selling it.
Written by Hayden de M. Yates
Hayden is a long standing board member of the local real estate staging community in Austin for both RESA and IAHSP. Before Covid-19, Hayden conducted photography workshops around the country for the Real Estate, Design and Home Staging Professional, and now conducts his own group and one-on-one courses online. He also has a cool instructional video on YouTube you might like to explore.
As a filmmaker, he has been involved in film productions in Paris, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Austin for over 20 years. He has also taught Digital Film Production full time at the Art Institute of Austin. Hayden recently released his first feature documentary film A Force in Nature: Jóhann Eyfells, which gained recognition at several film festivals, including "Best Doc" at the Hill Country Film Festival in Texas and DIY Film Fest in Santa Monica, CA, and is currently showing on network TV in Iceland.