Improving your property photography - 5 top tips

One of the few sectors that has been able to continue to work in-person this latest Lockdown is the construction industry - property developers, architects and builders have been able to work on-site with the obvious social distancing measures.

And with all this work going on, a vital part of the process of selling on these properties is having a set of photographs with which to market them to prospective buyers. As a property photographer in Berkshire, I'm bound to say that but don't just take my word for it....according to a case study by VWO , just changing an image to a real life example on a webpage increased conversions by over 40% !

So, I thought it might be helpful to share 5 simple tips that will make your property photography really stand out and which in turn, will give you ammunition with which to market your business .

But first.....a quick recap on how you can use case studies to work for your business....

You're the best Fit out company in the area, right?

Or you're the most experienced architect/builder/property developer in the Thames Valley?

But why should anyone believe you? You may have reviews/testimonials on your website, but frankly......couldn't they just have been written by anyone?!

How do you prove that you create beautiful spaces from tired, old homes or commercial buildings. Or that, using your Interior Design skills, you can totally change the layout of an old-fashioned house and turn it into something that is functional, light and airy?

Well - you show them your work - using beautiful, professional photographs as proof of the amazing work that you carry out day in, day out. Then, using these case studies, you can tell your 'story '. Your case study can also have the added benefit of positioning your business as an authoritative figure in your industry. It's a win:win!

Click hereto see how one of my office fit-out clients ( 3-space UK ) regularly creates case studies to bolster their position as an authority in the office fit-out market and my photos help them to do just that.

Take a look here to see how another of my clients uses my photographs in her case studies to boost their credibility: Nicola Scannell Design

Now - for the useful bit....

Here are 5 tips to help you get the best possible property photography that you can get:

Tip 1: Look for the light - make sure that you are photographing your property in the best light. Obviously if you are using a professional photographer (😉 ), they will come armed with the right equipment to show each room in the best light. However, if you are not....then the best tip I can give is to take photographs into the room with the window light behind you. Your camera/phone will find it much easier to expose correctly for the room that way. Also, whatever device you are using, flash is rarely a good idea — unless you know how to balance the light, the photographs just don't come out right. Use natural light wherever possible.

Tip 2: Dress the room - this doesn't just mean make it nice and tidy, but also means stage the room for your target audience. If your property is a modern, stylish office space, make sure the accessories/furnishing complement that. Don't just use the old coffee cups and a few tatty business publications. Or, if you want a property to be aspirational, use high tech accessories, flowers, coffee table books and stylish furnishings to reinforce that look.

Tip 3: Use a tripod with a spirit level - there's nothing worse than wonky photos! Everyone knows that property photographs try to make the tiny box room look like a huge space, but at least they are usually straight! Most decent tripods have a built-in spirit level - use it and your photographs will be perfectly angled. You will also get much clearer, sharper photos.

Tip 4: Turn on the lights - even during the day, having all the lights on in the space you are photographing, will instantly make it look warmer and more appealing. It will also light up any darker spaces that your camera/phone can't expose for. Again, if you are using a professional, they will have the right equipment to deal with those awkward dark spaces.

Tip 5: The money shot..... work out what angle/room/interior/exterior really is the shot with the 'wow factor' for your potential new clients. Then make sure you photograph that space at the best time of day for that angle - for example - if it's an exterior shot - ideally, you would want the sun to be behind you to make your photograph beautifully bright and full of colour. You can use the Sun Seeker app if you want to work out exactly where the sun will be and at what time of day. But as a rough rule of thumb, for east-facing properties, morning is the best time to shoot and for west-facing properties, go for the afternoon. If your property faces north, any time between 10:00 and 14:00 is ideal. And if it faces south, you'll want your photos taken first thing in the morning, or last thing in the day.

So - hopefully there are a few useful tips to help you take some more attractive looking property photos. Or....alternatively, why not get in touch to find out about my case study packages to give you beautiful photos which can be used across all your marketing collateral. Here are some more examples of photos I have taken for various Interior Designers, property developers, architects and builders: case study gallery.