Ten top tips for better property photographs

Because more and more people are searching for properties online before they even step into an estate agents office, great photographs are increasingly becoming essential in marketing a house.

A good photograph of a property will catch the eye of house-hunters instantly, whereas poorly lit, wonky pictures are off-putting and relegate a property to the ‘to look at later’ list.

Neil Alexander, a specialist interiors photographer, of Interior-Photo.net, offers his expert advice to agents and their sellers/landlords on how to take better pictures of a home.

 

 

1. Attach your camera to a tripod

 

Hand held cameras are great for taking spur of the moment pictures, but a tripod will give you the stability to take clearer, sharper photographs.

 

2. Switch on all the house lights

 

Even during the day, having all the lights on in your home will instantly make it look warmer and more appealing.

 

3. Use lighting equipment

 

Dark corners don’t do your home any favours online, but simple lighting equipment will help you illuminate them. A flash will help, as will a reflector and even a light stand.

 

4. Room preparation

 

Sometimes called staging, preparing a room is a way of showing how best it can be used. This is very often done by temporarily repositioning furniture in a room and putting lamps on tables and flowers in vases, or setting a table for dinner.

 

5. Bubble spirit level

 

To prevent your pictures looking wonky, use a bubble spirit level to ensure your camera is perfectly angled for each room.

 

6. Take your exterior shots in the morning

 

Getting up a dawn isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, but it’s the ideal time of day to get the best photographs of the outside of a property: dawn light is better and there are fewer people around.

 

7. Watch how the light hits your house

 

At different times of the day, and at different times of year, the light will change how your house looks. Take some time to stand outside and see how it looks on different days.

 

8. Processing the image

 

Today processing is a term for how the image is put through photography software before it is ready to be used. This helps to soften, sharpen and generally tidy up any imperfections.

 

9. Take a photography course

 

There are photography courses run at adult education centres all over the country, and are the best place to start learning about taking better pictures.

 

 

10. Get a professional photographer

 

Hiring a professional is very cost effective. They are not expensive and can make the difference between the house selling/renting quickly or not. If you’re thinking of renting your property, then with a one-time investment in professional photographs, you can re-use them each time you come to let the property

 

 

Photography tips by Neil Alexander of www.interior-photo.net