The Different Aspects Of Real Estate Photography
Chapter 4
Captivly Media
Table of Contents
What Are The Different Types Of Real Estate Photography
Throughout this part of the ultimate guide to real estate photography, we will discuss the different aspects and services of real estate photography. In this section we will be giving you a brief introduction of each aspect before diving deeper into each of them.
Overview List Of The Different Types Of Real Estate Photography
Traditional Real Estate Photography
Architectural Photography
iGuide Virtual Tours
Zillow 3D Homes
Matterport Virtual Tours
Drone & Aerial Photography
Airbnb & VRBO Photography
Commercial Real Estate Photography
Twilight Photography
Deeper Look At Each Aspect Of Real Estate Photography
Traditional Real Estate Photography
Traditional real estate photography is probably what comes to mind when you think of real estate photography. This is the style of photography most commonly found on real estate and AirBnB & VRBO listings and is used to tell the story of the listing. This style of photography focuses on capturing as much of the property as possible, usually using 35 images because of limitations with the MLS. Traditional real estate photography uses a wide angle lens captured with a DSLR to show depth of rooms as well as living areas in and around the home. Flash ambient light techniques combined with HDR photography with white balance correction is used to see clearly through windows and even out lighting in rooms. The purpose of this is to show as much of the property as possible with a limitation on image count. It is a very cost effective way to showcase a listing, while still having high quality, sharp images.
Architectural Photography
Real estate photography is unique. It differs from other types of photography in that its focus is to help agents get offers quickly and for more than the asking price.
How do the photos do that? By telling a story. With the help of staging, the images draw in potential buyers by enabling them to picture themselves living in the home.
For example, photographs of a large, brightly lit kitchen with plenty of counter space will appeal to people who love to cook or entertain. Images of a den with a desk and a chair by a window will connect with individuals who work from home. Photos of a bedroom with bunk beds and a toy chest will resonate with a young family.
iGuide Virtual Tours
iGuide virtual tours is a premium VR tour option that is more than just a 360 tour. iGuide VR tours are a combination of a 3D tour, floor plans, measurements, online analytics and much more. iGuide tours are taken with a DSLR camera as opposed to a 360 fish-eye camera like many other VR tours. Using a DSLR provides much less distortion and sharper image quality to the viewer while using software to correct vertical lines on the sides of the viewing angle. The iGuide also has a LIDAR laser that simultaneously measures the room being captured. These measurements are then processed into downloadable floor plans that can be used for open houses, tour navigation and square footage as well as a highly accurate measurement tool used for designing and decorating. Wondering if your couch or bed set will fit in the space? Using iGuide you can measure the room and know exactly how everything will fit together. iGuides also comes with its own website that allows you to add the listing photos and record analytics on visitors to the VR tour. We recommend virtual tours to all our clients, especially on luxury properties, as they help potential buyers and renters see themselves in the space which leads to more qualified in-person showings. iGuide virtual tours are best used when you want to provide a premium VR experience and build your brand.
Zillow 3d Home
Zillow 3D tours have really taken off in recent years. This style virtual tour is more traditional in the sense that it uses a 360 fisheye camera. This can lead to more distortion in the corners but can still provide the end user valuable information about the property nonetheless. Two major advantages of the Zillow 3D home tour is that it integrates with your Zillow listing and gives you priority ranking for the first week it’s up. According to Zillow, listings with a 3D home tour got 68% more views than listings without. Floor plans are also an option that can be done with the Zillow 3D tours, however they are not as detailed as the iGuide or Matterport floor plans. We recommend Zillow tours be paired with traditional real estate photography as a great way to round out a listing.
Matterport Virtual Tour
Matterport is probably the most popular virtual tour platform in the industry. Like iGuide, Matterport uses a proprietary camera system that automatically captures photos and room measurements. This leads to an immersive VR tour experience, with highly detailed floor plans. High accuracy measurements can be taken inside the VR tour to measure things like walls, rooms, furniture, etc. One of Matterports most known features is the doll house view. This allows the viewer to see the house or building as if it were a doll house or 3D model. This aids in understanding the layout and design and creates a truly premium feel for the end user. Matterport has other useful features such as the ability to blur personal photos as well as leave comments on certain features in the tour. We recommend Matterport tours when you want to give a premium feel to your listing.
Drone Photography
Drone photography has grown to be a big part of real estate photography over the past decade as the technology has become better and more accessible. Real estate drone photography is the process of capturing aerial images of properties and landscapes with the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle also known as drones. Home buyers and renters have come to expect drone images on listings not only of the home, but of the property and surrounding areas. Drone is a great way to get exterior shots of a home, especially if it sits on a hill. It gives you the ability to add estimated property lines to show the potential buyer a better view of the property than you would get with satellite images with property lines. Hero shots for real estate listings are often shot with drones because it gives the viewer an angle they aren’t used to and it gives the subliminal feeling of luxury. Drone photography doesn’t stop outside though, with the advent of small FPV drones, it is now common practice to make interior videos with drones since it moves smoother than a gimbaled camera and can fly in ways people can’t walk. Drone photography is almost always requested with real estate shoots because it adds so much value and appeal to a listing.
Vacation Rental Photography
Vacation rental photography is one of the newest forms of real estate photography because of the rise in popularity of AirBnb and VRBO. Vacation rental photography is the art of capturing a short term vacation rental and all its amenities to show the potential renters what it has to offer. Having a professional real estate photographer capture your vacation rental listing is a great way to stand out from the crowd, drive higher demand and ultimately higher rates. VBRO / AirBnB photography differs from traditional real estate photography because vacation rentals generally come with cookware, dining ware, linens, and other amenities to make your stay as comfortable and worry-free as possible. When capturing these listings you want to show these off to the potential renter in a way that compliments the listing without making it look cluttered. A lot of architectural photography comes into play here, like taking photos with wine glasses and a lit fireplace or the hot tub with a lake view.
Commercial Real Estate Photography
Commercial real estate photography is the art of capturing large buildings such as apartment complexes, condos, corporate office buildings, hotels, and sports stadiums. These photos can be used for a multitude of reasons including project documentation and planning, construction progress reports, and marketing for sale or rent. This type of photography is generally for building managers, builders and architects, management companies, and commercial real estate brokers. Commercial photography blends traditional real estate photography, architectural photography and aerial photography to capture large buildings and properties while making it digestible for the end viewer.
Twilight Photography
Twilight photography is capturing a photo of a house or building at dusk (civil twilight) to show just how beautiful the property is during a sunset. This usually involves a second trip out by the photographer after listing photos have been taken. Your professional photographer will setup the best angles and wait for the sunset to peak. This can be a huge selling point for buyers and renters because great sunsets are where memories with friends and family are made. If a traditional twilight shoot isn’t available a virtual twilight can be done. Virtual twilights are photos taken during the daytime hours and edited with Adobe Photoshop using sky replacement, combining natural light, and artificial lighting to make it appear to be sunset. One advantage to this is that a virtual twilight always has the perfect sunset regardless of the day!
Virtual Staging
Virtual Staging is a huge asset in the real estate business. It allows a property to be shot empty, whether it be a new build or the prior occupants have moved out, and the property can look staged. This is done by putting 3D rendered furniture, rugs, appliances, art, etc, into the photos using Adobe Photoshop to make the property appear to be professionally staged. This allows the potential buyer to imagine how great the property may look once their done decorating. Virtual staging is a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional staging company, is faster, and more convenient.
Utilize The Different Aspects Of Real Estate Photography To Enhance Your Brand
When potential buyers are looking at properties online you need to have the wow factor to stop the scroll. A great hero shot of the listing is the best way to stand out from the others and get clicks to your listing. It doesn’t stop there however. Once that potential buyer lands on your listing they’re going to expect the same level of premium photography throughout the entire listing. This is where blending the different aspects of real estate photography into your listing comes in. Traditional listing photos with a touch of architectural, drone, and twilight shots bring a listing together. Add a virtual tour to your listing and it really puts it into a category all of its own. The same can be said about your personal brand. When sellers are searching for a real estate agent or broker to sell their home, they are going to look at your past home sales and judge you on those regardless of your sales pitch. Let those sold listings sell for you with premium real estate photography. When that potential client sees that you use professional photography for all your listings they will feel that you are a professional at your craft and feel comfortable listing with you knowing they will receive the same level of care as your past clients. At Captivly, we aren’t just your professional real estate photographers, but an extension of your personal brand. Building it higher with each listing.
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