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[Realtor 1]

Thank you for the suggestions.

[justkidding]

Check out Dustin Mifflin at open2view.com. Very nice photos IMO.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Check out the never ending photo thread, then hire Regulator or AFireInside

[Bigtime]

Check out Dustin Mifflin at open2view.com. Very nice photos IMO.

I can't see this guys name and not see Dunder Mifflin.

[Realtor 1]

I can't see this guys name and not see Dunder Mifflin.

lol same,

I spoke with the lady who took the images and she said that she must have had a setting wrong in her camera and has offered to come back out during my open house on Saturday.
I look forward to posting new pics and seeing the updated feedback.

[Scotian Lotion]

If you're still looking come March, I enjoy photography, and would be willing to be of service to you. I'm not a professional, so I wouldn't charge professional prices.
Who knows, maybe I'd do it in exchange for some insight into the real estate game.

I recently sold my house in Ontario, privately (so hate away, lol), and took the photos myself.
They can be seen here:
http://comfree.com/house-for-sale-milton-ontario-293515

[bizaro86]

One book I've found quite helpful for taking real estate shots is:

http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Estate-Photography-Carla-Johnson/dp/0981058817

Author's website/blog is here:

http://carlajohnson.ca/books/

[Realtor 1]

I appreciate that site and am tempted to pick it up.
Its funny how I have went back and forth between hiring a photographer, then buying a nice camera with a couple lens' to take my own shots and then back to a photographer.
This book tempts me to read it and consider going back to my own shots.

Question: Does this book explain things in a simple format for beginners or would one have to understand a good amount of photography prior to reading this?

[Winsor_Pilates]

I think the Camera store in Calgary has a specific course for taking high end shots of real estate; aimed at Realtors or interior designers.

You should check into that if you're wanting to take your own shots. I heard great reviews of their courses in general.

[bizaro86]

I appreciate that site and am tempted to pick it up.
Its funny how I have went back and forth between hiring a photographer, then buying a nice camera with a couple lens' to take my own shots and then back to a photographer.
This book tempts me to read it and consider going back to my own shots.

Question: Does this book explain things in a simple format for beginners or would one have to understand a good amount of photography prior to reading this?

It's pretty simple, I'd say, not a high end photography book at all. It's more about perspective and where/what you should take your pictures of. There's a bit about contrast/exposure, but not at a really high level. (Or I wouldn't have been able to understand it...)

Even if you do end up hiring someone I'd consider shelling out the $30 since it may help you evaluating what photos you want them to take. Get the hardcopy not the .pdf version, since the book is mainly about the photographic examples, imo.

[Scotian Lotion]

What lenses do you have?

Assuming you bought a crop sensor DSLR, any lens 20mm or less will be great for any interior photography. I used an 11-16mm for my house shots.
Of course the photos had some distortion, but that was easily corrected using software. The wide angle lens makes the rooms look a lot bigger than they actually are.

It also helps to have a tripod if some of the rooms are poorly lit, then you can take an exposure that might be too long to shoot handheld.

Also, and this is personal preference, shoot low. Get down on a knee and compose your pictures at waist level or lower. The only exception to this, would be for kitchen shots or for shots of open concept layouts where you want to get a sweeping view of everything.

[bizaro86]

What lenses do you have?

Assuming you bought a crop sensor DSLR, any lens 20mm or less will be great for any interior photography. I used an 11-16mm for my house shots.
Of course the photos had some distortion, but that was easily corrected using software. The wide angle lens makes the rooms look a lot bigger than they actually are.

It also helps to have a tripod if some of the rooms are poorly lit, then you can take an exposure that might be too long to shoot handheld.

Also, and this is personal preference, shoot low. Get down on a knee and compose your pictures at waist level or lower. The only exception to this, would be for kitchen shots or for shots of open concept layouts where you want to get a sweeping view of everything.

Doesn't that make the rooms look smaller?

[Scotian Lotion]

Doesn't that make the rooms look smaller?

I don't think so. It balances out if you have an ultra wide angle lens.

The photos look much more appealing that way.
Look in home decor magazines... most of those pictures of formal living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are not shot at eye level.

I guess it's more dependent on the space you're shooting in, so I wouldn't use my suggestion as a 'rule', but if you can make it work, shooting low, then I'd say do it.

[sketchyt]

In general, good real estate photos are bright, slightly above eye level looking slightly down and furthest wall-to-furthest wall without distortion at the corners.

The thing I commonly see are lack of attention to details and that's where a photographer who has shot a lot of houses will really help.

I don't typically shoot real estate, but in one particular circumstance I did and took a well lit shot of a living room with the skyline in the background. There was an ottoman in the center of the room set up with 3 magazines fanned out.

The problem? I opened up the files in photoshop and noticed the magazines were Macleans magazines. Great publication, but too bad the 3 covers had Hitler, the Pope and a Canadian flag on them. I facepalmed for a good minute.

This site is good for a laugh for bad photos: http://lovelylisting.icanhascheezburger.com/

[bizaro86]

I don't think so. It balances out if you have an ultra wide angle lens.

The photos look much more appealing that way.
Look in home decor magazines... most of those pictures of formal living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are not shot at eye level.

I guess it's more dependent on the space you're shooting in, so I wouldn't use my suggestion as a 'rule', but if you can make it work, shooting low, then I'd say do it.

Hmm... Not a photographer, but I still disagree with this. I looked through your photos and thought the low ones were the least visually appealing and least useful for a prospect. They're great for showing decor, (you have one where the wood coffee table looks lovely), but not great for showing the space/room, IMO.

[Scotian Lotion]

Word.

Though the 'low' pics I took were of my crap bedrooms that are nothing but a bed in a room lol.

Not many ways to make it look appealing.
That said, I'm a salesman, not a photographer, so read my comments with a grain of salt. I dabble in photography, but I'm not trained, educated or an expert on any of it.

[JMN]

Personally, I think it depends on the living space. If it's cramped and there isn't much open space, then I would probably go with a shot from high up. If the room is more open, then it would probably look nicer from eye level. Here's a gorgeous photo from another forum, it's in the Colours condo downtown:
http://www.cpgtours.com/userContent/2047/508679.jpg
(http://www.cpgtours.com/userContent/2047/508679.jpg)
The style and way the photo needs to be shot would be different for each room.