I am often surprised by how bad many Real Estate photos are on the MLS and sites like Realtor.com… what surprises me the most is why the homeowners, the majority of whom are selling their largest asset, allow their Listing Agent to use such ordinary photos to present their home to the marketplace.

Do the homeowners look at the listing of their own home? Are the Homeowners so blindly trusting in the Realtors expertise that they let the Agent use whatever images they want? Or do Homeowners (and Real Estate Agents) not instinctively know what makes a Real Estate Photo good or bad? I am not sure…

Occasionally I get access to an Agents’ photos of a home that I get to shoot. These pictures help to illustrate the difference between an Agents attempt at photographing a home and my work . I have put 14 comparitive examples together — see them at my Agents Images compared to Professional Photos by South Bend Realty Photo gallery.

While the images speak for themselves (I think), here are some thoughts on 3 of the examples from the comparison gallery, pointing out why the photos are bad, or great for a Real Estate listing:

Example 1: what are the key selling features that need to be emphasised?

This is a bad photo for Real Estate because this is an incredible Lake Home! Where is the Lake in this Agent Photo?

This is a spectacular Living Room with a great view of Eagle Lake -- a buyer interested in this home would buy the house for the view and proximity to the Lake, so the Lake needs to be seen!

Example 2: interiors need to be light & bright, no one wants to see or buy a dark & dingy home.

This shot makes the Kitchen look dark, dingy, dirty, old & small... do you want to cook a meal here?

This is a nice Kitchen -- large with great walk-ways around it, and it is appealing... there is lots of great light here, and the cabinets and counters are in great shape & are clean + you know where the dining room is in relation to the Kitchen, you can understand the flow of these two rooms together

Example 3: Bathrooms (and Kitchens) are the money-rooms of the house, we need to see it…

This photo may be confused with some modern art... you have to stare a while and work-out what you are actually looking at! That is certainly NOT the goal of good Real Estate photography...

The use of a Wide-Angle lens allows a buyer to see much more of a small room -- yet this bathroom doesn't seem small when photographed professionally

Homeowners, insist that your most valuable asset is presented to the market with Great Photos that will help, rather than hinder, the sale of your home. Spend the money yourself if your Agent isn’t willing too… a small investment to help sell your biggest investment is money well-spent!

Real Estate Agents, my business is to help your business. Using Professional Real Estate photography will not only attract more buyers to your listings, it will also give your business a much more professional image that will win you more listings.

Contact South Bend Realty Photo today!

But, when I tell my Grandmothers that I am photographing for Sotheby’s, they get a sense that I know what I am doing, because they know what the Sotheby’s brand represents.

So it was great to hear today that one of my Real Estate Photography shoots of a Michigan Lake House was featured as one of six homes from around the globe on the Sotheby’s International Realty Website.

As seen in this screen grab, my Photograph is featured on Sotheby's International Realty website along with homes from Spain, Mexico, Canada, California & Arizona

You can view the listing on the Sotheby’s website, or my Virtual Tour.
A special thank you to Mark Wortman for the opportunity to photograph such a great house!

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

1452 Ridgedale Road in South Bend was purchased 2 years ago and was in need of much TLC… in 2 years, the home has been transformed into a great place to live thanks to the owners who have renovated with vision, style & skill. To fully appreciate the scope of the transformation, you have to see the before-and-after photos.

Touches of Curb-Appeal

Open-plan Living brings the Kitchen & Family Room together via the 6-person Breakfast Bar

Two fully renovated Bathrooms are a huge selling feature, plus the Master Bedroom now has an En-Suite Bath

A fully renovated kitchen - lots of space, beautiful tile work, granite counters, and a great breakfast bar

View the Virtual Tour at 1452Ridgedale.com
Listed by Realst8.com

33419 Old Post Road in Niles was designed by the owner, and built 7 years ago by Rans under the owners’ supervision. It is a superb home which after being so well thought-out, would simply be a joy to live-in. The home features some fabulous owner-inspired touches, including:

The Pool!

The Grand Foyer Hall with Double-Barrel Vaulted Ceilings

Two Secluded Garden Escapes

The Lanai (outdoor living space) with Lounge, Fireplace, Dining, Outdoor Kitchen

A Home Spa with Fireplace, Jacuzzi Tub, Steam Shower & Massage Table

View the Virtual Tour  : :  Listed by Sotheby’s International Realty

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

Here is the full edition of this week’s Tribune Business Weekly.

shootingforyou.com : :a photography biz blog

This week, a great 7.9 acre property with a house & six-horse stable, just minutes from the heart of Granger (52536 Hickory Road), was listed… lots of great possibilities here!

www.52536Hickory.com - 7.9 Acres just minutes from the heart of Granger

See the photographs & floorplans in the Virtual Tour at: 52536Hickory.com

Earlier in the month, I photographed an indoor/outdoor Equestrian Complex in Schoolcraft Michigan. Big money was spent developing this place a few years ago and it is now being listed for a bargain.

www.SchoolcraftEquestrianCenter.com

Check-out the photographs at www.SchoolcraftEquestrianCenter.com

shootingforyou.com : :a photography biz blog

When you photograph the interior of a home, usually the light levels inside are far less powerful that the sunlight outside. This imbalance usually results in a satisfactory exposure of the inside of the home, while the windows will appear blown-out as they are over-exposed. As you can see in the typical example below, the blown-out light through the sliding door is not only a distraction for potential buyers, but it also hides the view through the doors.

Example of a Single Exposure resulting in Blown-out WIndows that hide the View

A Professional Photographer has several ways to correct for the blown-out window effect. These methods can include: using additional & more powerful lighting inside the home to raise the interior light levels; or taking multiple correct exposures for interior & exterior shots and combining the two using several different methods in Photoshop. The results should produce an image that is better exposed as a whole, and that allows people to “view the view,” which in the example below is critical to show potential buyers that what lies beyond the blow-out sliding door in the image above, is a beautiful deck and great backyard – a key selling feature of this home.

Using Professional Photographic techniques, the Sliding doors are no longer a distraction, but rather allow potential buyers to see a key selling feature of this home

Realtors, to present your Listings Professionally online, you need to use a Professional Real Estate Photographer. Don’t risk bringing your clients Home to the market looking ordinary online, invest a little in your listing and get it noticed, seen and SOLD! Prices start from only $129

Contact South Bend Realty Photo today to schedule a Photo Shoot and Floorplan measuring of your next listing.

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

Barbara’s advice makes a lot of sense considering 95% of buyers aged 25-44 are finding the homes they want to see on the internet. I think this Real Estate Guru would agree with me, “Great Photos Help You Get Homes SOLD!“

Contact South Bend Realty Photo today to photograph your next listing (or your house, homeowners) and wage war online with great photography…

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

But, is there a way to prove that professional real estate photography really makes a difference?

The tech-saavy Redfin Real Estate Brokers have done a study comparing the types of cameras that Real Estate photos are taken with (point-n-shoot vs. dSLR, where dSLRs are assumed to be, but not always, used by professional photographers and point-n-shoot cameras are used by non-professionals), and then comparing the listing data to come-up with some reassuring results for Real Estate Photographers and Real Estate Agents and Homeowners who employ them.

photos by redfin.com

The key findings of the Redfin study are that homes shot with a dSLR camera:

• Receive an average of 61% more views than their peers across all price tiers.
• Have a 47% higher asking price per square foot.
• Have an increased likelihood of selling for homes priced above $300,000.

You can read more about the Redfin study on the valuable role that professional photography is having in the Real Estate Market by visiting the Redfin blog.

Also of interest is another study I highlighted on the increased click-through rates that Professional Real Estate Photography can generate.

Great Photos Help You get Homes SOLD!

Don’t wait, Contact South Bend Realty Photo today to schedule a photo shoot of your next listing.

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

View my portfolio at SouthBendRealtyPhoto.com

All of these elements are available to realtors in order to market a home for sale as professionally as possible on the internet. Enjoy my new work…

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog

Click to view a Portfolio of Pet Portraits on Facebook

Pet Owners – get great photos of your pets doing what they do in the park or at your home. Share your  pets’ portrait with friends and family this holiday season!

Visit the Facebook page to:

• see a portfolio of pet portraits
• find out more information about public, private and group portrait sessions
• get ideas of how you can use your pet portrait this holiday season
• “Like” the Pet Portraits Bakersfield Facebook page to be kept in the loop and show your support.

shootingforyou.com : : a photography biz blog