Mashroom Resources: 9 Tips for Taking Professional Photographs of Your Property
So you’ve just put your home on the lettings market but need to take a few pictures so people can see what your property looks like.
Do you:
A) Decide not to take any photos? Your property is so awesome that words alone are enough to get it rented.
B) Quickly take a few snaps in a rush, just so potential tenants have a rough idea of what it looks like?
C) Spend some time taking loads of pictures and narrow it down a select few that make your property look like all the awesome?
If you answered A or B, we’ve got some bad news — you won’t let that property anytime soon. If you answered C, then, “ding, ding, ding, ding, ding”, we have a winner.
And what prize does our winner receive? Well, Bob, our lucky winner gets a crash course in how to take the best photographs for their rental property. But we’re friendly folk, so those who answered A and B can still read on and make sure their home looks glorious when it’s advertised online.
1) Tidy and declutter
First thing’s first: don’t take pictures of the property if the rooms are a mess. Renters don’t want to see how you live; they want to see where you live. So get tiding, removing your clothes from the floor, cleaning up the spilt milk in the kitchen and shoving all your shoes under the bed.
Before taking any photos, it’s essential that you have tidied your property and given it a good decluttering. You wouldn’t book a hotel that looks messy, and it’s the same when listing your rental property. Renters won’t view a place that looks like it’s a mess in the pictures.
2) Take at least one shot of every room
When people browse properties online for, let’s say, a two-bedroom flat, and see that there is only a picture of one bedroom, they start thinking, “hmm, what’s wrong with the other bedroom?”. Don’t let renters have to imagine what other rooms look like.
When taking pictures of your property, show as much of it as you can. Clear pictures that show what somewhere actually looks like increase the chances of getting viewings. Whether it’s a one, two or three-bed property, aim to take pictures that show a clear image of every room.
3) Take between 7 and 12 photos
The number of photos that you should take is a key question. Take too few, and people will think you’re trying to hide what the property really looks like. However, you don’t need to take loads — between seven and 12 is a good number.
It’s always nice to get a shot of the exterior and any outside space that comes with the property. The living room is the most important and is worth a few shots. Kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms should also have a couple of shots each, from different angles if possible.
4) Take pictures during the day
Keep it light and bright when taking pictures of your home. Images captured at night with the lights on mean it’s impossible to tell if the property receives natural light — plus, shots at night with the lights on almost always end up looking a bit, well, dingy. Think budget hotel that no one wants to stay in.
Sure, getting the perfect light and bright image in the UK isn’t exactly an all-year-round option. But it’s still much better to take your photos during the day when there is optimal light. Images look much brighter and vibrant, and will ultimately be more appealing to renters.
5) Choose your camera
Technology has improved so much that picking your camera needn’t be a burden — or cost you an arm and a leg. While using a professional camera has many benefits and is recommended, it’s still possible to get good results with a high-quality smartphone.
You might not get all the bells and whistles with a smartphone, but one with a high mega pixel camera means that you can take high-quality images that make your property stand out.
6) Use angles
Be creative when taking photos and try multiple shots from different angles so that you have a variety of images. Getting the right angle can make a big difference between a dodgy shot and something that looks like it should be on the cover of a magazine.
Using angles also means that each room will have a different perspective and you might be able to capture blind spots that don’t show up in straight-on shots. Taking angled images provides you with more options when you’re narrowing it down to the final selection.
7) Invest in a tripod
Whether using a professional camera or taking images on your smartphone, look at buying a tripod. It’s easy to source a cheap (from as little as £10) tripod, either for your smartphone or camera. Using a tripod allows you to get a precise shot and reduce the chances of blurry images.
If you’re using a camera with a timer, a tripod is great for taking images of the bathroom or places with large mirrors. Doing so means that you can avoid being seen in the image, which looks unprofessional.
8) Save photos as large as possible
Once you have created your collection of images, it’s time to save them. When downloading your pictures, make sure that you save them in the largest size possible. Otherwise, they might become distorted, reducing the overall quality which will provide poor end results.
9) Get your edit on
Once you have taken the photos, it’s a good idea to use some editing to make them look as good as possible. If you’re a whizz at photoshop, then it’s even better — though there are basic free editing packages online that can help you.
When editing, think about making images slightly brighter if they seem dark, and if the exterior shot has a grey sky, editing can help you turn it to a sunny blue day. You don’t need to be a master at editing suites, but it helps if you can touch up your images slightly.
Using a professional photographer
Of course, the best way to capture images of your home is by hiring a professional photographer that can take top-of-the-range pictures. If you don’t fancy yourself as the next David Bailey, fear not, as we’ll be providing it as a package when we launch soon.
