1. Lighting
Proper lighting is crucial when photographing a home. A dark dingy basement is going to be a turnoff. Everyone wants to see a bright kitchen. Light brings out the best in your home. It’s not enough to just take photos on a bright sunny day. A professional photographer will have several external flashes of varying strength and will know exactly where to place these flashes so that every part of every room is shown in the absolute best light. Usually these flashes will fire on a trigger system where one press of the camera button will cause flashes to go off all over the room. It takes a lot of skill to learn how to set up a system like this for optimal performance.
2. Straight photos
It may seem silly, but most people cannot take a straight photo. A professional photographer will use an expensive tripod with a built in level to make sure that straight photos are taken. Then, once the photos are taken, they may need to be processed with photo editing software. Often, even if a tripod is used, the final photo needs to be straightened.
To tell if a house’s photos have been professionally taken, take a look at the vertical lines in the photo. For example, line up the cupboards with the edge of the photo. Is it crooked? If so, then a professional probably did not take these photographs. Straight lines in a photo are attractive. Curved verticals detract from the beauty of your home.
3. Proper Lenses
A professional photographer will use different types of lenses when shooting your home photos. A good quality wide angle lens is vitally important. However, it is also important for the photographer to have the experience to know how wide to go when taking the shot. If a wide angled lens makes your house look much larger than it is, then this will only cause potential home buyers to be disappointed when they arrive. Similarly, if too narrow of a lens is used and only parts of rooms are captured, then shoppers will not get to see the fully beauty of your home.
Many professional photographers will also add other features such as panoramic photographs and videos which also help to present your home as well as possible.
Don’t skimp on photography! Ask your realtor whether they use the services of a professional photographer.