Part 2 in a Series: At Mediamax we photograph more than 1,000 listings a month during our busy season. With so many clients using our services, you’d think everyone in the business gets it. Everybody knows professional photos not only attract buyers’ attention online, they polish your reputation as a real estate professional. Right?
Well, as I wrote in a previous post, I did a little online shopping recently on realtor.com and discovered that ugly photos are way easier to come by than they should be.
My nomination for “Really Bad Backyard Exterior Photo” comes from Nyack, N.Y.:
What’s wrong with this picture?
- Lighting.
- Lighting.
- Did I mention lighting? If real estate is all about location, real estate photography is all about the lighting. This photo is a great example of why time of day matters. The photographer shot too early or too late in the day when too much of the scene was in shadow.
It bears mentioning here that there’s a difference between lighting and exposure. The exposure (i.e., shutter speed and aperture) for this photo is probably pretty close to correct. The problem is lighting – there’s far too much contrast (shadows too dark, highlights too bright) for the camera to cope with. A professional photographer knows how to get the best results even when the light isn’t perfect.
- A professional photographer could have rescued this photo with some effort and the right tools, like the right software. Then again, a pro wouldn’t take a bad photo like this in the first place, let alone upload it.
- Was this the best the photographer could do for composition? A pro would take the time to find a more inviting angle to show what could have been one of this home’s key features.
Don’t let your listing photos be ugly. Order professional photography by Mediamax today.