The vast majority of prospects will visit your website prior to any other contact with your community. One of the most important features of your website is the visual images that accompany your listings. High quality pictures will make the difference for most people and attract renters in unprecedented numbers.
General Tips
There are a few general tips which will help even untrained photographers to improve their listing photos:
– Photograph each room so that renters get a complete picture of what their future home will look like.
– Highlight unique features & amenities found in the unit your photographing. Your units will stick out from the many other properties your prospects are viewing by applying this strategy.
– Clear any clutter found in the unit. You want future renters to imagine themselves living in the space, but you don’t want them to imagine living in other peoples’ extra stuff.
– Make sure that when photographing a room with mirrors neither you nor a camera flash shows up in the mirror.
– Edit your photos if need be, but don’t edit them too much. Over-editing sends potential renters the message that you are trying to hide something from them.
Lighting
Nothing kills interest faster than looking at poorly lit listing photos. Dark pictures evoke a sense of low quality or even cause prospects to think that you are trying to cover unattractive aspects of your unit. The three following tips will help you to utilize proper lighting in your pictures.
1. Maximize natural lighting in your photographs by opening blinds, curtains, etc. to give a warm invitation to your potential renters. However, be sure that your pictures avoid unnecessary glare from the sun.
2. Get the best lighting for your units by taking pictures at dawn or dusk, when natural lighting will be the most beautiful.
3. Use of a tripod or similar device will cause your pictures to come out with greater clarity and lighting.
Space & Angles
Just as important as your lighting is the way you shoot in each room. Getting the right angle for each space is crucial to obtain open, engaging photos.
Position yourself in the corner of the room so that prospects get a good idea of how big each space is. Take shots from different corners and angels in the room to provide viewers with a complete view of how the space will look when they’re in it. Note that you should typically avoid shooting a section of a room straight ahead. This practice will make a space look smaller than it actually is.
What photography tips do you have to share with us? Join the conversation!
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