In the digital age, the majority of home buyers in the U.S. rely on the Internet when searching for their next property, and nearly half of them turn to a search on the world wide web as a first step. There are more and more eyes out there actively searching for properties online, and the best way to catch their attention is with visually captivating photos.
The problem comes when it’s time to actually capture the photos of your home. What techniques will generate the most interest from buyers? How do you show off the remarkable features and architectural details of your property? What kinds of photos will stand out from the millions and millions on view right now? That’s where we have you covered. Read on to learn six photography secrets to make your home truly shine on the Beverly Hills real estate market.
Determine what makes your property visually appealing
The first important step is to come up with a list of features that are unique to your property. The best plan is to consult with your real estate agent upfront to ensure that you’re not overlooking anything. Take a walk around the property and note any outstanding elements or amenities in the home that will look amazing on camera. Some examples may be:
- Extensive grounds or well-manicured landscaping elements
- Water features like pools, ponds, streams, beaches, waterfalls, and bird fountains
- High-end or luxury amenities in the kitchen, living room, or patio
- Quality materials in the flooring, furniture, lighting fixtures, or counter space
- Outstanding architecture like stairwells, parquetry, columns, or expansive windows
- Additional recreation rooms, home offices, entertainment areas, garage space, screened porches
Set up an appropriate background
Every photo gives you the opportunity to display a balance between what’s in each room and the walls, doors, and windows that encapsulate it. Crafting these kinds of compositions is the purview of professional home stagers and photographers. Indeed, you can sell your home much faster by contracting the help of these pros. Still, you can help out a lot by organizing each room with a background that tells a story.
Offset a white painted wall with a striking piece of artwork. Tidy the bookshelves and remove clutter. Consider color as well: a bedroom may look best with cooler colored sheets, while a kitchen could really pop with a gleam of bright white or metallic tones. Each room should express its function without becoming bland and generic. The kitchen should stress cleanliness and efficiency, the bedroom relaxation, and the facade a welcoming appearance.
Remove dust and clean fixtures to a sparkly shine
You’d be surprised how difficult it can be to remove evidence of floating dust in real estate photos, even for professionals. One way to minimize this risk is to have all the visible surfaces of high-traffic areas dusted, vacuumed, and swept thoroughly clean before your photographs are taken.
Light fixtures are another element of the photo that can lose its luster if not properly cleaned. Ideally, you want all your lighting, lamps, and chandeliers to shine, as they give photographs an extra element of luxury if they let off a gleam. Replace dated lampshades, ensure all lightbulbs are new and matching in luminosity, and be sure to clean the nooks and crannies in each fixture so they are dust-free.
Avoid “over staging” photos
Crafting stunning luxury home photos without going overboard is a delicate balance. You can risk losing potential buyers if you lean too far into over-decorating your pictures or including too many prop accessories. The goal should be to organize the room in a way that allows buyers to imagine how they would live there and the functionality of each space.
Unfortunately, many photos of luxury homes can overdo the staging process. Try to remove yourself from the picture and imagine what you would like to see in a listing photo. In most cases, a clean, simple stage with one or two points of interest (like a vibrant throw rug, a lavish floral arrangement, or a bright metallic trim to a mirror or table) will be enough.
If in doubt, make your photos brighter
This is a piece of advice that requires a couple of caveats to execute properly. Over-brightening your rooms can be detrimental and bleach out the look of the picture so much that buyers may not be able to discern the dimensions of a room or the placement of a window on a wall.
Balance is the name of the game when it comes to dialing in brightness in listing photos. Try to limit the exposure of a bright noonday sun, as it could streak across the image and cause blurring. Aim to snap your pictures on days with a little cloud cover or later in the day when the light is more diffuse. That way, the light source will cover the surfaces of interior rooms evenly and not be too abrasive for viewers.
Stress any unique architectural features
There are already so many listing photos to compete with on the market that it takes something special to truly stand out. The truth is, every gorgeous home on the Beverly Hills real estate market has something unique to it — something that catches the eyes of all visitors. Strive to capture that special quality in your home.
In most cases, it will be a unique architectural feature that stands out in the house. If you have fine moldings encircling the walls of your dining room, emphasize them by placing the camera lower to the floor and angling it up. A long hallway with patterned horizontal wainscotting is an excellent opportunity to point the camera in a way that shows off the rhythm and length of the space. An open parlor room or entryway can be displayed with a wide-angle lens, though you should use them sparingly.
Get in touch with a local real estate agent today
If you have any questions about photographing your home for its grand entrance on the Beverly Hills real estate stage, don’t hesitate to reach out today! Contact top-tier Beverly Hills Realtor Jennifer Landon for more information.
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock
