There’s no doubt that attractive photography can be effectively used to generate more interest in a property. Photos that are clear and show the best aspects of a home will make it a much more appealing prospect for potential buyers. This will result in more viewings and a higher level of competition, which is good news for property owners.
A photograph has the power to speak a thousand words, so it is important to make sure your listing photos are just right. If you are looking at selling or renting Atlanta homes, here are a few points to keep in mind when organizing photoshoots.
While some prefer to go for the ‘natural’ look by photographing a space empty, your potential renters will probably prefer to see a property that is clean, tidy, and well organized. While staging an apartment with some furniture and a few décor elements is a good idea, avoid anything too drastic. The goal should be to make sure that your décor choices don't get in the way of a renter imagining themselves and their personal belongings in the space.
Adding flowers or houseplants to your photos of your Atlanta homes, as well as a few pieces of neutral artwork can make a space feel welcoming and homey, without being too far in the direction of one particular style. In fact, those houseplants and items like mirrors just might make a small space feel much larger.
You don’t necessarily need the latest Canon SLR camera, but using the camera on your phone will probably not be sufficient for the best photos. Cameras with at least five megapixels and reliable optic lenses will usually do the job. Make sure that you are confident with using the camera before your photoshoot, by first trying it out and experimenting with the settings.
Better yet, if you really want your images to shine, trust the photography to a professional property manager instead.
Wide-angle lenses or functionality on cameras is especially important when taking pictures of properties. The angle of a standard lens will only give a head-on view of a room so only a small part of it will be visible. With a wide-angle lens, the photos will give a full view of the subject which is especially useful for interior shots. The wide-angle view will show a larger section of a property, which helps to make photos more appealing and makes rooms feel larger.
Light is the most important part of photography and this is even more important for shooting interiors. This means you should let all of the light into your home to make the images of your home bright and attractive. Make sure you pull back all of your curtains and take the photos on a sunny day, avoiding overcast skies that may make your photos gloomy and dull, and taking full advantage of any natural light that you can get. The light really makes a huge difference, so try to make it a priority with your houses in Atlanta Georgia.
When there is enough light this should not be necessary, but to avoid those blurry photos that aren’t quite good enough, this is a wise precaution. Using a tripod will allow you to use a smaller aperture with a higher ‘f-number’, so you can have a greater depth of field in your shots. This means all parts of the image will be in focus to make the view of your home clearer and more presentable.
When not used in the best way, the use of flash can be powerful and unsightly. But when you bounce the flash off a wall to diffuse the effect, it can create a soft brightness that lifts the image. Another way of diffusing the strength of a flash is to use a flash diffuser, which attaches to the flashgun. This helps to render the effects of ‘fill-in flash’, which is the moderated use of flash to brighten just the darker areas of your photos.
Photos can be used to take a visitor through your rental property and tell a story of its finest qualities. For this reason, you should give consideration to the order of your photos and the aspects of your home that you choose to give the most attention to. If you have an oversized window in the living room with a great view or a nice, open kitchen with new appliances, feature those spaces. Allow your best features to shine in your photos.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should distort your images to make your home look like something it is not. But some adjustments using photoshop or a similar photo editing tool can help your photos reach their full potential. Retouching could mean cropping, adjusting the brightness and contrast, or using color balance. Sometimes the frame is not quite right so it needs to be cropped slightly, or images that are a little dark need to be lifted with a touch of brightness.
All too often, people renting Atlanta homes believe taking photos to be a quick task that can be easily completed. But in order to achieve photos that show an attractive prospect, a bit more time and effort are required. While these tips can help you take good photos of your rental properties, getting a little professional help can go a long way. And hiring a professional property management company is a great start. Contact us for a free consultation.