Photos for selling a house.

okmqaz42

Hi, not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes.

I am looking for a photographer in north Louth. I want to have some good photos taken of my house to use on daft and myhome. Is this the sort of thing that a photographer would do and if so what would be a guesstamation of the cost.

I would rather not use the photos that the estate agent took using his iPhone!

Borderfox

I can sort that out for you, I am based in Dunshaughlin. Which part of Louth are you in?

brianmacl

okmqaz42 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes.

I am looking for a photographer in north Louth. I want to have some good photos taken of my house to use on daft and myhome. Is this the sort of thing that a photographer would do and if so what would be a guesstamation of the cost.

I would rather not use the photos that the estate agent took using his iPhone!

anyone who doesn't use a wide angle lens/ tripod with leveler and multiple flashes, is not doing a property justice. You can pay anywhere from €150 - €450, but it can bé worth it. récent figuré show that proper pics can make a house 1 1/2 more likely to sell in the same amount of time as a place without these pics.

I would suggest using a photographer that specialises in Property shots.

By the way I am a bit biased on this one as I do property photography as well as floor plans and BER certs ***** EDITED ******

good look, even if you don't choose myself there are hints there for what to do before a photo shoot.

Brian

EDIT: Brian - Welcome to the forum. Please review the charter. It clearly states in the do not section to not pimp your own website as this is not a commercial interaction forum. Thank you - AnCatDubh

ThOnda

brianmacl wrote: »

...anyone who doesn't use a wide angle lens/ tripod with leveler and multiple flashes, is not doing a property justice...

That sounds a little harsh? It is like anybody who is not using medium format camera in studio with at least 5 lights for portraits cannot do proper work.

Borderfox - if you want to use my flash, let me know.

brianmacl

ThOnda wrote: »

That sounds a little harsh? It is like anybody who is not using medium format camera in studio with at least 5 lights for portraits cannot do proper work.

Borderfox - if you want to use my flash, let me know.

It is a bit harsh but houses tend to be the most valuable thing people own and we should all admit when searching on my home we tand to mainly look at price and pictures. you are after all marketing something worth hundreds of thousand Euros.

if you use a wide angle lens and don't have it level, barrelling will become very obvious, so a tripod with level is required.

if you don't use a wide angle lense you you show alot less of the room and make the room less voluminous.

if you don't use multiple flashes or exposure blending what ends up happening is you loose detail in the windows and interconecting room due to various light levels

Borderfox if you want to do it yourself hire a 10-20mm lens (if you are using a cropped sensor DSLR), use a tripod and take at least 3 exposures per image and blend them, I tend to use Photomatrix for this, it give a natural look but if you have time hand blend them.

good look

Brian

AnCatDubh

Brian - I think ThOnda's post may have been slightly tongue in cheek. (ThOnda you may use them smileys a bit more!) Regular posters will be very familiar with Borderfox's work.

Good advice though that you've posted Brian. Thanks for that. Other users will ultimately find it very helpful.

CabanSail

brianmacl wrote: »

take at least 3 exposures per image and blend them

Do you Bracket the exposures with the flash/es left the same, or do you move the flash to expose different areas?

If it's the second option, how do you cope with the different shadows?

Is it the Sigma 10-20 you are using?

gandalf

I took shots of the Mothers house a year and a half ago for the estate agent with my 350D and a Sigma 10-20mm and they came out very well. The Wide Angle was great to get good indoor shots. Didn't use a tripod (but it was summer and the light was good).

They worked as the place sold for asking price (at least thats what I say anyway )

melekalikimaka

brianmacl wrote: »

if you use a wide angle lens and don't have it level, barrelling will become very obvious, so a tripod with level is required.

hummm.... or a computer after?

ThOnda

Well, I have dived quite few times into borderfox's kit bags, but the more flashes the better.

brianmacl, I reacted just a little because there was not enough words in your post. I do understand what are you talking about. I have projected lighting for few different spaces and that was followed by measuring the light situation and also photographical documentation of those places.

However saying that you cannot do something not having such piece of equipment is only half a response. Your next explaining was the missing bit. And thank you for that.

Well, we have cleaned the air here. The question is - how many flash units for Kilmainham Gaol?

stcstc

I would suggest that borderfox will do more than justice to your house

and considering what estate agents produce most of the people here would too.

Another thing to consider, if you really want to do it properly is do 360 degree tour of the house.

i have done them for developers before and they are soooo much more informative than stills. BUT you do have to make sure everything is in order in the house, cos everything shows up

brianmacl

gandalf wrote: »

I took shots of the Mothers house a year and a half ago for the estate agent with my 350D and a Sigma 10-20mm and they came out very well. The Wide Angle was great to get good indoor shots. Didn't use a tripod (but it was summer and the light was good).

They worked as the place sold for asking price (at least thats what I say anyway )

They should!! it is a good combo. 350d is a good camera and when images are reduced in size a 15Mp 50d isn't greatly different to a 350d, it is as much about the glass, user, additional gear and techniques as it is the camera.

Oh yeah and I did vary from my original post by including the proviso that that instead of multiple flashes or hot lighting, you could use exposure blending

melekalikimaka wrote: »

hummm.... or a computer after?

I do a lot of post processing after each shoot, making sure the WB is correct, light is even and balanced with outside the light, I also do lens correction, but I find it much easier to make sure the verticals are true and virticle and get rid of any barrelling, if I have shot using a tripod with a leveler

Tactical

In the past few years I've seen some dreadful shots by estate agents selling peoples properties.

Some have been exterior shots that have been so dreadfully under-exposed that if anything it would encourage potential bidders to skip over the property.

Some have been interior shots with so much mess and clutter its hard to actually level critisim at the estate agent as I'm sure that more than a few take the time to tell their client to have a quick tidy up before they come for measurements and some shots. You can't always blame the estate agent for messy shots.

What I'm saying is that like every walk of life you'll get people who are professional and present a property in the best light to command the higgest price for their client ( and their commission naturally) and you'll get the people out to make a fast buck who don't really care how they present their wares.

My suggestion would be to tell the estate agent you're not happy with the way they're presenting your property, give them a chance to produce acceptable shots and failing that, you'll get your own shots taken that'll be deducted from the commission of the agent you are paying to sell your property. Of course there are lots of other agents who may be happy to take on the property if you get grief or hassle.

If needed have your own photographs of your property taken by a photographer of your choice, paying what ever you're happy with (i.e. go for the person who can produce the goods at the price you are willing to pay, it can be a compromise sometimes but there's no reason to be ripped off either). Keep any invoice or receipt.

I'd say that this is something a few photographers would have no problem in doing, it'll really depend on the lens selection available to them for the indoor shots. So you should have a good bit of choice in photographers.

brianmacl

Estate Agents just as any professionals tend not to be jack of all trades, they may think they are, but in genereal they are not. Most EA's will take satisfactory pictures but given the current market where at best there may be one buyer for every ten houses for sale it is in the sellers best intrest for their pictures not to be satisfactory but rather exceptional.

Estate Agents often have a % fee and any money the client wants to spend on top of that they are welcome to spend but the EA will not generally subtract that from their fee. Some of the best EA's out their ask for a marketing budget up front in addition to their % fee, if they start knocking their fees down, to easily, think of how they are going to negotiate when it comes to your house.

Some intresting, even if a little biast, stats I found suggest that if a property uses professional quality pictures as opposed to pictures taken by the home owner or EA, potential purchasers are about 3 times more likely to view the property, the property is about 1.5 times more likely to sell in the same set amount of time and there can be a preceived increase in value for the property of approx 5%

It is in the owners interest to get good photos. 1% of 1.05 x sale price as opposed to 1% of the sale price does not make up for the €175- €500 up front payment for good photos in the eyes of the EA, but it should make sense for the home owner.

Tactical wrote: »

In the past few years I've seen some dreadful shots by estate agents selling peoples properties.

Some have been exterior shots that have been so dreadfully under-exposed that if anything it would encourage potential bidders to skip over the property.

Some have been interior shots with so much mess and clutter its hard to actually level critisim at the estate agent as I'm sure that more than a few take the time to tell their client to have a quick tidy up before they come for measurements and some shots. You can't always blame the estate agent for messy shots.

What I'm saying is that like every walk of life you'll get people who are professional and present a property in the best light to command the higgest price for their client ( and their commission naturally) and you'll get the people out to make a fast buck who don't really care how they present their wares.

My suggestion would be to tell the estate agent you're not happy with the way they're presenting your property, give them a chance to produce acceptable shots and failing that, you'll get your own shots taken that'll be deducted from the commission of the agent you are paying to sell your property. Of course there are lots of other agents who may be happy to take on the property if you get grief or hassle.

If needed have your own photographs of your property taken by a photographer of your choice, paying what ever you're happy with (i.e. go for the person who can produce the goods at the price you are willing to pay, it can be a compromise sometimes but there's no reason to be ripped off either). Keep any invoice or receipt.

I'd say that this is something a few photographers would have no problem in doing, it'll really depend on the lens selection available to them for the indoor shots. So you should have a good bit of choice in photographers.

Ricky91t

Brian,Just out of interest what do you shoot with?Because estate agents in Kerry use compact digicams,just wondering is it the same in Dublin

smelltheglove

Rickyt both houses I sold pictures were taken with compacts and both houses had great shots. One house sold in 2 weeks!

I was never asked for any sort of budget though for marketing etc I was just told look this is your askingprice and this is the price it will sell at and this is what we are going to charge you, simple easy and user friendly.

brianmacl

It is the same here most use point and shoot cameras, some use DSLR but shoot in auto, hand held and don't know what they are doing:
I currently use:
400d
10-20mm
17-70mm
polarising filters
multiple flashes (580 exII and 430's)
multiple tripods
I shoot in RAW and use PS and Photomatrix for PP

I am thinking of switching to either the 50d or the 5d mkII, I like the option of smaller RAW files for the less important shots that are less likely to be front of brochure or 1/4 of a page in the times.

Ricky91t wrote: »

Brian,Just out of interest what do you shoot with?Because estate agents in Kerry use compact digicams,just wondering is it the same in Dublin

Tactical

Ricky91t wrote: »

Brian,Just out of interest what do you shoot with?Because estate agents in Kerry use compact digicams,just wondering is it the same in Dublin

I've seen the exact same in Kerry, Limerick & Cork.

Borderfox

brianmacl wrote: »

It is the same here most use point and shoot cameras, some use DSLR but shoot in auto, hand held and don't know what they are doing:
I currently use:
400d
10-20mm
17-70mm
polarising filters
multiple flashes (580 exII and 430's)
multiple tripods
I shoot in RAW and use PS and Photomatrix for PP

I am thinking of switching to either the 50d or the 5d mkII, I like the option of smaller RAW files for the less important shots that are less likely to be front of brochure or 1/4 of a page in the times.

Given the lenses you have the 50d would make more sense as you would have to get rid of your 10-20 with a full frame camera. In smaller RAW files do you mean sRaw format?

Anyway here is some of the gear I shoot with, a few bits and pieces missing but you get the point.

ThOnda

They are not missing, they are only in incapable and careless hands...

By the way, Canon should send you at least free batteries, seeing how much you like their products. And what you can do with them.

Stephen

I think the greatest crime against photography perpetrated by EA's is the ol' crudely photoshopped sky. The amount of houses you see on the property websites with fake blue skies shopped in is mind boggling.

Cabaal

Ricky91t wrote: »

Brian,Just out of interest what do you shoot with?Because estate agents in Kerry use compact digicams,just wondering is it the same in Dublin

Normal digi camera's...never going to do a house justice!

kjt

I would suggest going with a proper photographer for your photos. If you have the time to go onto my website (housing section) theirs plenty of stats to backup the idea of getting a good photographer.

I'm sure Keith will do a great job!!

sheesh

remember you must photograph at the right time too how many pictures do you see ohf houses in really harsh light because it was taken at midday? I have a feeling that might change...

Fionn

the addition of a Tilt & Shift lens would be a huge advantage when considering photographing buildings and rooms etc.

@ Borderfox: bit OT but how do you find the battery pack? been almost caught out a few times with batteries and slow recycling times.
and is that a Canon EF 85mm f1.2 L II lens, (i believe its an incredable lens for low light, portraiture etc. although very slim DOF)
would you recommend it? been considering investing in one!

mikeanywhere

Fionn wrote: »

and is that a Canon EF 85mm f1.2 L II lens, (i believe its an incredable lens for low light, portraiture etc. although very slim DOF)
would you recommend it? been considering investing in one!

Its a beautiful lens indeed but a bit slow on the AF side of things. I only use it for portraits at the moment and get some amazing results

sunny2004

Hi, late to the party again.
To the OP, its simple, there are quite a few members here more than capable of shooting interiors including myself. (I AM NOT INTERESTED) as for the multiple flash situation and equipment in general, let me add this to the mix, you can shoot an entire room with one single flash gun/head. I have done it for the Conrad hotel and a list of others. You have to think of where the market is, its DAFT after all. decided how much you are prepared to pay and pm the members above who are prepared to do the job, get phone numbers and get the job done !