Why do we need a pro real-estate photographer, always? (Cell-phones do NOT cut it.)

Edition Twenty-Two – Week Twenty-Two:

Written by: Mercedes Barreto

What have you heard personally from real estate agents or firms and their insights about the difference between a pro photographer and using a cellphone? 

“There are many agents that use a cell phone for this, and I can always tell this is true when I see the photos and if it was done through a cell phone shot. The big give away is the angled walls, doors, windows etc. Besides the angles, the resolution is not good, since most phones shoot in 6-8 meg, yet a professional camera is 24-26 meg, so it has much more detail. Another give away is when you see the person taking the photo in a mirror, lol. About the walls and doors, that happens with professional photographers too. What we do first thing is to fix that through editing and by fixing the person in the mirror, gone with a click in photoshop.”

Could you list a few different kinds of real estate related venues, people, or events that should definitely consider hiring a pro real estate photographer if they are serious about their work? Why and how so?

“There are many National Real Estate Companies with offices all over the country, too many to list. I hear from RE Office managers all the time, saying that they tell their agents to use a professional photographer.”

Why are professional cameras better than cell phones, in tech terms, and in reference to pictures of homes?

“The main thing that makes the biggest difference is the resolution. As I said previously, a phone shoots in 6-8 mg, a professional camera shoots in 24-26 meg, and you can adjust for conditions with the professional camera, such as with too dark or too light exposures, which is easily compensated for. Also, with a Professional Camera, you can shoot in RAW format which increases the file size, giving you so much more information to work with when you edit.”

How do you go about scheduling photoshoots for real estate photography? What is your routine?

“There really is only one way, which is to wait for a RE agent to contact you. I do reach out and connect with as many agents as I can, so they know who I am. I also schedule meetings in RE Offices to give a presentation about what I do, show samples, give pricing and answer questions.” 

What are your pro tips for people just getting started with a real estate photographer?

“Make sure u have a good camera and get a high-quality wide-angle lens. The lens does distort that shot, but as I said before, this is the first thing I edit out when I open the photos in Lightroom. That reminds me, get Adobe Lightroom along with Photoshop you will need them both.”

Where can we see your real estate photography work, and why should we hire you or a professional real estate photographer in our area today? 

“I don’t really maintain a website, that cost money, and I pride myself in being the most affordable RE Photographer in the area. So, what I do when I connect with an agent is send them some slide show samples of my work.”