To ensure that your real estate listing photos are as good as they can be, there’s no substitute for hiring professional photographers who specialize in real estate photography. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with picking up a few tips that could help you choose the best photos for your real estate listings.

Here are a few tips in finding the perfect listing photos, straight from our team:

Learn basic photography principles

You don’t necessarily need to study the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson or Robert Capa, but knowing compositional techniques will go a long way. The basic compositional principles, such as the rule of thirds, symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, leading lines, and framing, will help you create visual interest in your listing photos.

That being said, make sure that the compositional devices you use are appropriate for real estate listings. Techniques, such as forced perspectives and blurred backgrounds, may look cool but are likely to distract viewers.

Observe the light

For listing photos, you’ll want to capture a more balanced light. While natural light is always preferred, not to mention easier than trying to use lighting equipment, you will want to avoid the harsh midday sun. You’ll also want to avoid gloomy overcast days if you want to project warmth and comfort in your listing photos.

For real estate listing photos, it’s best to take advantage of the golden hour, which is usually the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset.

Go for wide angles

Wide angles are great for creating an illusion of space for slightly smaller rooms. It also helps you capture more objects in one image, which is essential in giving potential customers a good approximation of the space. That being said, wide angles can definitely be overdone.

One good way to tell if you should go easy on the wide-angle lens is if the image looks distorted. At the lens’s widest point, lines will appear bent and unnatural—making small rooms look like expansive football fields. Aside from looking unnatural, overuse of wide angles in real estate photography can produce unrealistic expectations with your customers, resulting in disappointment when they see that the floor area is smaller in person.

Get rid of dust

You want your potential clients to see your listed property as a comfortable space that’s ready to be occupied, not an old—and potentially haunted—fixer-upper of a house. Dust particles will be particularly noticeable in bright shots as they will reflect light. Make sure the property is properly vacuumed and wiped down before the photoshoot session.

Get rid of visual clutter

In real estate photography, less is always more. This means that you should take care not to introduce too many props in a photo, which has the tendency to distract viewers.

For example, when taking a listing photo of a bathroom, do not add too many props—such as adding wine bottles and candles around the bathtub. Unless you’re selling a spa service, the area around the bathtub should remain spotless, with one or two objects, such as a small succulent plant or a rubber duckie, to provide visual interest.

Conclusion

With more and more homebuyers looking at online listings before deciding to go on open houses, real estate listing photos are becoming even more crucial in the homebuying process. With the number of real estate listings available online, a badly taken listing photo may spell disaster for your efforts. By taking these tips in mind, you will be on your way to having the perfect listing photo for your online real estate listing needs.

If you're looking for professional real estate photography services in Dallas, Texas, Listing Pics Pro has the solution for you! Our team of photographers offers Drone Real Estate Photography, Real Estate Video Pricing, and Real Estate Marketing in Dallas and Fort Worth. Get in touch with us today to learn more!