PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS
It’s a grey day, creating
a dull unattractive photo. Be clever, add a blue sky and brighten up the whole proposition!
AFTER The way you present your properties
to the market is the one tangible piece of evidence that you are actually as professional and effective as you say you are. It’s also the only evidence your prospective clients can actually see before they instruct you. Arun Estates (110 offices in the south-
east) has recognised this assertion as a truth. As a result they’ve even developed their own photo-enhancement software, bought the latest cameras and trained their DEA’s to use them. This demonstrates impressive commitment to their clients and their brand; they’ve certainly recognised the importance of good photography as a listing tool. And I can testify following years of personal experience, that without a shred of doubt in my mind, really good photography will win instructions for them provided they market their skills effectively; and it would do the same for you too if you can consistently produce great photographs of your clients’ homes. Of course, reading these articles won’t
turn you into a property photographer overnight. I’m not even sure that turning agents into property photographers would be a great idea. Professional property photographers are whimsical, reflective creatures who look for poetry in composition and light. Estate agents sell houses and drive fast cars. The mindsets are diametrically opposed, and yet both disciplines of necessity should share the same prime objective – which is to make sure that their clients’ properties stand head and shoulders above those of their competitors in what has become a property beauty-parade. In an ideal world, you’d have
professionals photographing all of your properties. In the real world, the best I can hope for is that you’ll stop and think about the role that photography plays in your property marketing, and at least try to improve your skills. Now, if you’re whimsical and like poetry, then maybe this’ll come more naturally to you than it might to your colleagues. I sense a chorus of The Floral Dance coming on.
On tO the tips and tricks... So, you’ve read the earlier articles, suffered my brickbats and have nevertheless taken my word for it and gone out and purchased your new SLR-camera and enough kit to give you a hernia when you forget to bend your knees as you take it out of your car boot. You waded through my most recent article, Knobs and Dials, and you’re still reading this one. Well done! Here are a few more simple things that you can do that’ll impact instantly on the images you make.
Manage your clients’ co-operation
Clients need to hear that great photos will improve their bottom line. You’re the best person to tell them – so do it. Their preparation of the property for your photography is, therefore, essential – unless you’re looking for an excuse to wear a pinny and do it yourself. So, before your visit, ask clients to put out some flowers and fruit ‘for splashes of colour’. This is code which roughly translated says, ‘For the sake of all that is holy, please tidy up’. They’ll get the idea and realise there’s no point in them buying fruit and flowers only to dump them into the washing basket lurking under the breakfast bar. Suggesting they buy fruit and flowers for the benefit of their bottom line shouldn’t offend anyone.
choose the best time of
day to take the photo – when the sun’s on the elevation If you were never a boy/girl scout and you’ve not a clue what time of day the sun will give you the best light for a particular property, look at Google Maps, select the Satellite image version and look for the property you’re photographing. If the main elevation faces east (to the right of the screen), take the photo in the morning. If it faces west, take it in the evening. South at the front, take it any time. Due north at the front – Houston we have a problem. North at the front means it’ll be best to take your photo in the summer, really early in the morning, or really late evening Alternatively take the photo when the
sky’s overcast, and send it to
www.doctor-
photo.co.uk to have a blue sky added. The first one’s free!
take loads of photos
Digital photos are free. Experiment with different angles. Even changing a composition by a small amount can make for a significantly different, possibly much better picture. Make your eye roll around the edges of the viewfinder so that you’ll see everything you’re photographing. Most people look only at the viewfinder’s centre, and so miss the underwear and socks lurking near the edge of the frame.
exteriors
– take these from a distance An elevation’s perspective improves when you stand far away from the property and zoom into it. The roof will look a better shape. Walls will appear nearer to vertical. It’ll look like a proper house rather than one drawn by your four-year-old.
PROPERTYdrum JUNE 2010 33
BEFORE
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