Even if you’re not a professional photographer, you could make money photographing real estate. You’ll have to learn some basic photography skills, but you’ll see that it’s not a big deal. So, if you are interested in becoming a real estate photographer, let’s see how you can get started in this business successfully.
- Here's the program
- What is real estate photography?
- How to get started in real estate photography?
- How much can you earn?
- Some tips to get started
- Conclusion
- EcoTips
- Pros and Cons
- Information recap
What is real estate photography?
The real estate market is doing well in Europe, North America, and in some other countries around the globe (at least, it is the case at the time of writing), and every day thousands of ads are published on classifieds websites and social networks. However, not all the owners of these properties or even the agents in charge of selling them have the necessary skills to take good quality photos.
How many times have I come across ads where the photos were poorly framed, over or underexposed, or sometimes even missing. However, the photos used to illustrate these ads are a crucial element to attract attention and arouse the interest of buyers. They allow potential clients to visualize the property before visiting it and help them project themselves into their future home.
In addition, professional photos can make the difference between a property that stays on the market for months and one that is sold in just a few days. Owners and real estate agents are well aware of this, and that’s why some of them prefer to call upon a professional photographer who will take care of this mission for them.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to take high quality photos that will highlight both the interior and exterior of your clients’ properties. To do this, you will need to master certain shooting, composition, and photo editing techniques, but also learn about the different equipment needed (I’ll come back to this later).
You will also need to be able to communicate effectively with your clients in order to understand their needs and expectations and offer them customized services that meet their requirements. As a real estate photographer, you’ll need to be prepared to work under tight deadlines and adapt to a variety of situations, from small apartments with cramped rooms to huge luxury properties.
How to get started in real estate photography?
1Learn the basics of photography
The first essential point is to acquire the necessary skills for this type of activity, if you don’t already have them. And for that, you don’t need to have the talent of Jean-Michel Berts, one of the most famous architectural photographers (there are many others), nor do you need to follow a long and costly training as a photographer (even if it remains the best way to become a pro).
The important thing here is to master all the technical aspects related to real estate photography, and you can learn this quite quickly with a short online training. The best way to benefit from an efficient and structured training is to use a specialized platform such as SkillShare or Udemy, which offer video courses divided into several chapters and are given by highly qualified professionals of the sector. This costs a few dozen dollars, but the ratio between cost, efficiency and time is optimal.
Of course, you can also find all kinds of video tutorials on YouTube or blog posts, like the one I wrote myself that you can read here. This can be a very good starting point in your learning, and it’s even enough for some self-taught people who are able to learn very quickly without having to go through a structured training. So the choice is yours.
2Get the necessary equipment
Some photographers use only a smartphone to take their pictures. Well, it’s true that this is a practical and economical solution, and that the quality of the photo sensors built into the latest generation of smartphones is quite high, but this is not always enough because they have their limitations in terms of image resolution, control of light and depth of field, as well as in the ability to take wide-angle photos to capture all the rooms of a house or apartment.
These limitations can result in distortion, blurring, inaccurate colors, and overall non-professional image quality, which can detract from the visual appeal of the property. Therefore, to obtain professional quality photos, it is recommended to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera, which offer higher resolution, better image quality, and greater flexibility in terms of light control and depth of field. In addition, these cameras allow the use of specialized wide-angle lenses to capture the entirety of some cramped rooms, which can greatly improve the quality and visual appeal of the photos.
Finally, it’s also a question of credibility because if your client sees you show up without any particular equipment, but just equipped with a simple smartphone, even if it’s the latest iPhone Mega Luxe Xtra XXL, it is not certain that he will take you seriously. Unless, of course, you’ve already shown him your work and explained how you do it.
Smartphone or camera, it’s up to you. And if you opt for the more professional solution, allowing you to offer a better quality service, but which is more expensive, I have some advice to give. And the first one is to read my article “The Easy and Succinct Guide to Learning How to Make Photos that Rock” to understand some of the technical terms I might use here.
- The camera: No need to buy a high-end full frame camera that will cost you several thousand dollars as an entry-level crop camera will do the job just fine. You could even start with a used camera that you can find on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or even Amazon. Among the best mirrorless cameras are those from the Sony Alpha, Canon R series, Nikon Z series, or Fujifilm X series. Note also that many photographers are selling their SLRs to switch to mirrorless, so there are good deals to be had on photo classifieds.
- Lenses: This is probably the most important element because it will determine the quality and the sharpness and the level of detail of your photo. As a basic kit, I suggest first of all a bright enough zoom lens (ex: 18-55mm f/2.8 or f/4) and a wide angle lens (between 9 and 12mm f/2.8 or f/4) that doesn’t distort the perspective too much. And here again, you can very well buy this secondhand.
- A tripod: An essential element when you take pictures at night or in any other situation where the ambient light is quite low. This will allow you to take long exposures without having “motion blur”. I also recommend that you to buy a small remote control or to install the application to trigger your camera remotely.
- The flash: This element is not essential but can be useful when there is no light at all (at night and without electricity, for example). But I advise you in this case to use a diffuser and reflectors so that the light emitted by the flash diffuses evenly throughout the room.
So that’s it for the basic equipment. Of course, there is also the carry bag, extra batteries, and other accessories, but if you are already a photographer or are going to train to become one, you will see all this later.
Offer video as well
In addition to photos, offering professional quality videos can be a great idea to set yourself apart and also increase your revenue. You could explain the various benefits of video to your clients, such as the ability to give an overview of the property, highlight key features, provide an immersive experience for potential buyers… And in this case, using a good quality smartphone may be enough.
To shoot quality videos, you will then need to use a “gimbal“, a kind of articulated arm that keeps the camera stable and fluid, which exist for smartphones and SLR/mirrorless cameras, as well as an additional light source such as an “LED light panel” to ensure good image quality even in low light conditions.
3Find clients
Once you are trained and have acquired the basic equipment to start your business, the first thing to do is to take as many good quality photos as possible. These will be used to feed your social networks, your portfolio, and any other form of communication that would allow you to promote your services. If you don’t find a client immediately, start with the apartment or house of a friend or family member.
Then you’ll create a Facebook page, Instagram, and Pinterest account, and post quality content (mostly your photos) on a regular basis. I also suggest creating a website where you can both publish your portfolio—but also any other information that might interest your future clients (contact, pricing, etc.). And you don’t need to create something sophisticated to start, a website created with the free version of Wix, Squarespace or Weebly is more than enough.
Finally, you will have to start looking for customers where they are. And for that, the most efficient way will be to create some advertising campaigns and to broadcast them on platforms such as Facebook/Instagram Ads or Google Ads but also in real estate classifieds sites.
I’m not going to explain all of this in detail here as I’ve written an article on marketing for beginners that you can read by clicking here. You will know all the marketing techniques that will allow you to get known and find customers interested in your services. This is an important point since your marketing strategy will have a direct impact on the success of your business.
360° panoramic photography
360° photography is a shooting technique that captures a 360-degree panoramic image of a location. It allows clients to view a room or exterior in its entirety, providing an immersive experience that can help them envision themselves in the space. 360-degree photography can be particularly useful for properties with specific features such as spacious rooms, panoramic views, or landscaped gardens. By using this technique, you can offer your clients a complete and detailed overview of the property, which can help them make a more informed decision when it comes to buying or renting a property.
On a practical level, this type of photography requires a specific mount that fits on most commercially available tripods. This mount can be mechanical or automated thanks to small integrated motors and an application allowing to control it remotely.
360° panoramic photography also requires some time to learn, but once you have mastered this technique, you could add it to the list of services you offer to your clients. There is a real demand for it, and it varies depending on the state of the local real estate market, so it’s your call whether it would be useful to you or not.
Combien pouvez-vous gagner ?
The amount of money you earn will depend on the number of clients you have and the rates you charge. For the number of clients, it will depend on your marketing strategy, especially when you start your business, as well as the state of the local market. As for the rates you will charge, there are several factors to consider first.
- Your level of experience and skill: As a general rule, more experienced photographers with more technical skills can charge higher rates than those just starting out.
- The length of the service: Logic dictates that the longer the service, the higher the price. And don’t just count the time you will spend on site but also the time spent editing the images, driving, etc.
- The type of equipment used: It is obvious that if you bought expensive equipment, you will have to pass on this investment in the price of your services.
- The various expenses: To all this you will have to add the travel expenses, the cost of the photo/video editing software, the rent of the working place, etc.
Then, do some research on the local market to get an idea of the rates in your area. You can check the websites of local real estate photographers to see what they charge for their services or poke around on classified websites. Finally, it can also be helpful to talk to other real estate professionals, such as real estate agents, to get their opinion on appropriate rates for this type of service.
Quelques astuces pour bien démarrer
As I often do, I’ll end this article with a few tips that should help you optimize your business and thus find clients more easily, and thus earn money.
- Find inspiration: At the beginning, it will probably be difficult for you because you have no experience and therefore you will not know from which angles to take your first pictures. Start by checking out real estate websites to see what kind of photos are included in the listings. Then Google images and Pinterest that are more artistic or captivating and that really stand out. See what appeals to you (and your clients) and experiment yourself. You will gradually find your own style over time.
- Use professional editing software: Photoshop and Lightroom (US$9.99/mo.) are probably the most popular and powerful tools to edit your photos in a fast and optimal way (or Premier Pro (US$20.99/mo.) for video). They take some time to learn, but getting the basics takes only a few hours when you get serious about it. And here again Udemy and SkillShare can help you. Otherwise, there are also plenty of tutorials on YouTube, and there are alternatives to Photoshop such as Fotor or Pixlr.
- Offer a quality service: This tip seems obvious but is very important. By offering quality service, you can ensure that your customers will be satisfied and will come back to you for their future needs. So do everything you can to satisfy your customers’ various requests.
- Stay in touch: Keep in touch with your customers by sending them regular newsletters or posting updates on social networks. This allows you to stay in their minds and keep them informed about your new offers or promotions.
- Offer loyalty deals: Discounts on future work can encourage your customers to come back to you. This can also be a good opportunity to offer them additional services at a discounted rate.
- Be professional and friendly: Be sure to be professional and friendly with your customers at every stage of the service. Respond quickly to their requests and always be ready to help them if needed. Your level of charisma will usually have a very powerful and positive impact on your clients, so try to cultivate it.
- Understand the requests: Make sure you understand the requests of each client for each service. The slightest misunderstanding could waste your time, but also your client’s, and make them unhappy. Communication is an essential part of any business.
- Ask for feedback: Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for feedback on your work. This will show that you are interested in their level of satisfaction and that you are looking to continually improve your services. It could also allow you to get back any dissatisfied customers.
- Be flexible: Try to be flexible and ready to adapt to your clients’ needs in terms of schedules and deadlines. This will allow you to maintain good relationships with your existing customers and to keep new ones.
- Diversify your services: Offer a range of different services to meet all types of requests. Services such as 360° panoramic photography, video, aerial photography/videography with a drone, interactive virtual tours, etc., can potentially help you really stand out from the competition.
Bonus
As a bonus, here are a few tips that may be specifically helpful to you in showcasing real estate assets during your shoots:
- Clean and de-clutter the space: Before the shoot, make sure the property is clean and tidy. Remove clutter, stains from walls and floors, and put away personal items such as family photos. Plus, it will save you work during touch-ups.
- Use natural light: Natural light is the best way to enhance a property. Open the curtains and blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. And if necessary, use accent lights to brighten up some dark areas.
- Choose the right camera angles: Find camera angles that highlight the property’s assets. Shoot from the corners of the room to give a sense of space or from the ceiling to show floor detail.
- Highlight special features: If the location you are photographing has special features, such as a fireplace, garden or scenic view, be sure to highlight them in the photos.
- Use props: Add props such as flowers, pillows, or rugs to give a warm and inviting feel.
- Careful photo editing: Photo editing can help improve the appearance of your photos and eliminate minor flaws. Be careful not to overdo the retouching, however, as this can give an unreal and ultimately negative impression of the property.
Conclusion
With the increasing popularity of online sales platforms, specialized websites, and social networks, the demand for quality photos for the sale of real estate is growing. In addition, real estate professionals are aware of the persuasive impact a good photo can have on potential buyers, and some regularly hire photographers to handle it. If you are interested in the world of photography and architecture, this may be an opportunity for you.
Becoming a real estate photographer requires certain skills such as an eye for composition and the ability to capture the essence of a property, but even if you don’t have them yet, you will develop them over the years. Not only will you help property owners sell their property faster, but you will also provide an immersive and engaging visual experience to their potential clients.
EcoTips
Environmental and climate change issues are more than ever at the heart of the concerns of this 21st century, which is why I am proposing a few ideas that will enable you to limit the negative impact that the implementation of this idea could have.
These solutions that I suggest are sometimes largely insufficient to compensate for these negative impacts, such as carbon offsetting. Unfortunately, there is not always an ideal and 100% efficient solution, far from it. And if you have others, please do not hesitate to share them in the comments below.
This business of real estate photography is not really harmful to the environment, but there are still a few negatives to report. Take note of these as they may help you limit these negative effects when you start.
The computer: As I explained in my article on video editing, an entry-level computer is sufficient for most professionals in many areas, except in cases where you need to work with high resolution images or HD or 4K video. And the problem is that the more powerful a computer is, the higher its power consumption.
So I’ll start by advising you to choose a laptop rather than a desktop as these are usually less energy consuming. Then, if you only do photography and no video, a mid-range model is more than enough (i5 or Ryzen equivalent, 8 to 16 Gb of RAM, no need for a dedicated graphics card…).
It will not be necessary to buy an external screen either since the ones that already equip laptops in this range are generally of very good quality (however, you should know that there are screens specially designed for photographers, which reproduce colors with a very high fidelity).
The camera and the lenses: This kind of cameras, like some others, require a lot of raw materials, rare earths, and toxic products to be manufactured. Whenever possible, opt for secondhand equipment, especially at the beginning, and take good care of it in order to keep it as long as possible.
Transportation: A car will probably be essential to bring all the equipment to the shooting location, especially if your client has chosen all the options you propose in your catalog, but in case the job is “lighter” and you only need the minimum of equipment, maybe you could take public transportation? Or even better, walk there if it’s not too far? Or maybe you could rent a car instead of buying one? And opt for an electric vehicle? See what’s possible.
Pros
- A creative and diversified job
- A sector in which competition is not (yet) too fierce (apart from a few exceptions).
- The possibility to work as a freelancer
- Flexible working hours
- The possibility to work outdoors and visit new places
Cons
- May require time to learn photography and image editing skills
- The need to purchase quality equipment, which can be expensive (buy used to get started!)
Info
- Location: In your city or region
- Investment: Difficult to estimate, but it can be quite high if you offer all the services I mentioned here. Count on a minimum of $1000 to $2000 to start if you don’t have any equipment and if you opt for secondhand equipment (computer + camera + accessories).
- Earnings perspective: Variable, but if you are good and the demand in your area is high enough, you could make a good living.
- Required: An eye for photo composition, rigor, patience, good communication skills, organizational skills, punctuality and respect for deadlines.
- Risk level: Fairly low. In the worst case, you will be able to resell your equipment.
- Implementation time: Time for you to acquire the necessary knowledge (photography and image editing).
- Material needed: A camera + a bright zoom lens (18-55 f/2.8 or f/4) + a bright wide-angle lens (9 to 12mm) + accessories + a mid-range computer (CPU i5 + 8Gb RAM).
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