You’ve made it to the final round of interviews and you’re preparing to take your real estate photography career in Orange County CA to the next level. You’re on your A-game, confident you can prove your worth, but there’s one problem: you’ve never actually photographed homes before. Whether you’re looking for photography advice for residential properties or commercial buildings, there are some tried-and-true tips that will help you master real estate photos Orange County CA and make sure you get the job offer in the end! Here are five tips to help you out.
1) Get to Know Your Camera
Your camera can be the difference between a good and bad photo, so it’s important to know how to use it. It will take some time to learn, but there are a few things you can do now that will make sure you get the most out of your camera. The first thing you should do is read the manual! Second, don’t forget about white balance! Your camera has a setting that tells it what color temperature to expect. If you don’t set this before taking your photo, then the colors may come out wrong on screen. White balance is also crucial if you’re shooting indoors and then want to edit outside or vice versa—you’ll need to change it manually. Next up is lens filters!
2) Use a tripod
You should always use a tripod when taking pictures. You will want to be sure that you are using the lowest ISO possible, as this will help reduce the noise and graininess of your images. Additionally, you will want to make sure that you are using a fast shutter speed so that there is little motion blur in your pictures. Aperture is also very important because it controls how much light enters the camera lens. You’ll want to use a low aperture if you’re shooting outside on a sunny day, but high aperture if you’re shooting inside with artificial lighting. Finally, use manual focus and make sure to be aware of any reflections or glare from windows or other shiny objects.
3) Use natural lighting
Natural lighting is by far the best lighting to use when taking photos. It is free, provides the most flattering look for people and doesn’t require any special equipment. It does require some forethought and planning though. You should consider making an early morning or late evening appointment with your client to take advantage of natural light. If that isn’t possible, then you should always scout out a location that has plenty of windows, allowing the light to stream in from all angles. You may also want to invest in a professional flash kit if you plan on shooting indoors or outdoors at night because the quality of light will be less than optimal without it.
5) Edit your photos
Take candid photos of the house’s surroundings. Include shots of the neighborhood, other houses on the street, and any other details that will help potential buyers imagine them living there. Take photos at different times of day to capture how a home looks during different hours of the day. These will show real estate photographer Orange County CA what it would be like to live in a house that has morning sun coming into every window and afternoon shade on certain walls. Take photos with your cell phone or digital camera as well as with a professional DSLR camera to give prospective buyers options about how they want to see homes.
