Bad weather and lighting can always be resolved by editing in the post-processing after a not-so-good day of shooting. But too much editing may lead to photos looking artificial, or else, overly done effects. This is very real when it comes to real estate photography. Good photos are key to getting well edited and finished shots. More often than not, the most significant photos are the hardest to get, may it be the front view that’s overexposed because of the high sun or the kitchen that’s covered in shadows shot on a rainy day.
If you’ve been in the business for quite a while, or have tried shooting a facade using a professional camera, you must know that exterior shots are kind of tricky to perfect. You might have a lucky angle or your smart phone worked it all out for you, but there will sometimes be the bright sun, and all kinds of weather. The front view is what’s always shone as the first one on the listing, thus, the perfect composition is very important.
The first skill to acquire for a real estate photographer should be taking striking exterior photos, in every weather condition, rain, shine, hail, or snow. Here are a few useful tips for you to become an all-weather real estate photographer.
Shooting Against the Sun
Everybody knows this, taking photos during noon is a big no-no especially in real estate photography. But here’s the catch, photographers cannot choose their client’s availability, or in the midst of busy seasons, noontime is the only available slot of the day. Hard days when the sun is too harsh is a common occurrence in this industry.
As you will need to avoid the almighty sun, here’s a tip involving time management: do all the other shots first and do the external shots after. By that time, daylight might have cooled down a little. When the sun is at its highest, it creates extreme highlights in photos and at the same time, dark shadows.
But wait, what if you only have a one hour window to work on and there’s another location to run to? If you cannot avoid the sun, you can block the sun with your fingers, or anything that does the same, to shade the lens. If your client complains that your hand is in the frame, tell them you’ll remove it in post-production. Cropping, or removing that part and putting it in the sky, would be easier to do than adjusting contrast and brightness, which may destroy the actual colors in the image instead.
Also, one word: diffuser. I’m sure you’ve had that idea since you got to this part of the article. If you haven’t, just thank me later.
Working Friendly Shadows
An overcast sky is a giant diffuser. Shooting during overcast days will provide you with even lighting and reduce shadows in your photographs. But, what if the shadows become very friendly and proceed to pour a light spraying of rain? Well, if the rain is not too heavy, the camera lenses will not pick up too many specks of rain.
The weather won’t always be good to you. There will always be the threat of rain. But think of it this way, rainy days can be good too. If the property is suburban, the interiors would look better on these kinds of days since there will be no shadows. Trees can cast strong shadows, in which gloomy skies would be an ideal companion.
Shooting Among Waters
What we mean here is when one is shooting a property that has a view of the ocean. These ones look best on sunny days. These are the kind of homes or properties that would favor a lot of sun since daylight will enhance the view and bring out amazing details. If you’re not familiar with the location, it would be wise to talk to the client before committing to the shoot, so you can talk about the best time in the day to schedule it for the property.
Real Estate Photography in Winter
If you’re an avid follower of this blog, the header might ring a bell. We’ve talked about this in a previous article. Shooting a property that’s blanketed in white snow brings in a magical effect but there are adjustments to be done. It’s all about finding the perfect timing, the magical hour would always be the ideal time to shoot picturesque views of houses covered in snow, that’s around 5 in the morning and before night.
Getting the exposure right is another thing to perfect, which you can practice on during the winter season. Read more on this in the previous article as we have elaborated it there how you would be able to overcome the overbearing whiteness of your compositions. Speaking of compositions, the main thing to remember would be to make sure that you don’t show mud and shoveled snow on your facade images.
Being an all-weather real estate photographer means that you always come prepared, with skills and equipment. One should have diffusers and the proper lenses to come up with the perfect compositions. We are not on-call, per se, but sometimes we cannot choose what is best for a particular location in this fast-paced real estate industry. Getting used to the harsh Alaska weather is one thing, and knowing what to do is another.
Visit us here more often for the best advice on real estate photography. We wouldn’t have been Alaska’s best real estate partner if we don’t know our stuff. We still have more stuff to share on top of that. Keep yourself updated from the G-O-A-T real estate photographer, see the DMD difference. If you’re curious about how good we are, you can always go here to book a photoshoot.