D.I.Y. Property Photography – the Pros and Cons

I’m a media provider based In Kinross, which can be found in central Fife, Scotland.  In fact Kinross is part of Perth Council and is located near Stirling, Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Kinross is a vibrant town for property development and has a growing housing market.  Homes here are being bought and sold like hotcakes – why?  Well Kinross is situated next to the M90 within commuting distance of Edinburgh, Perth, Glasgow and Stirling – it’s smack bang in the centre of Scotland.

Kinross is a tourist location and is rich in history.  Loch Leven castle is the famous location where Mary Queen of Scots got captured while trying to escape the English crown.

So!  Now that you know where to find me, I’ll get on with it.

When you’re selling your home, first impressions count.  Even before prospective buyers put their foot over the front mat, they will have most likely viewed your property on line and perhaps in an estate agent’s glossy brochure.

It never ceases to amaze me, just how many people try to skimp on paying for professional property photography and shoot their own property photographs with their mobile phone.  If I were to sell my home I would not skimp on anything – especially if I’m trying to sell my home more quickly.

Pros of DIY Property Photography

1. It’s Free
2. There isn’t a number two

Cons of DIY Property Photography

1. Image quality will be darker
2. Angle of view will be limited
3. Your rooms will appear small
4. Creativity of shots will be limited

On a subtle level, prospective property buyers when judging the quality of images, could easily come to the conclusion that if the owners have skimped on their photos – what else in the house have they skimped over?

Pros of Professional Property Photography

1. It’s not expensive – the costs will be a fraction of the sale value of your home
2. Superior Image quality – a professional camera will have a larger image sensor
3. A Pro camera will produce diffused brighter images with use of a flash gun
4. A Pro camera will have interchangeable lenses that can offer a variety of angles
5. An Ultra Wide Angle Lens will show more of the rooms in a single image
6. Image file sizes will be much larger which is required for printing brochures

Cons of Professional Property Photography

1. You will have to allocate a time slot for photography
2.   Photographers have no control over the weather eg if it’s a cloudy day
3.   The rooms have to be arranged right first time

As a local Kinross Property Photographer, all my clients have been happy with my work.  The advantage of using a local photographer is that I have been able to carry out re shoots for clients with ease as I live near the homes for sale.  If it’s cloudy on the day of the shoot, I can offer to re shoot the exteriors when it’s sunny, to show that lovely blue sky.

One thing I’ve noticed whenever my photos are published in magazines is that the image looks a bit darker than the original.  So property owners should be aware of this if shooting with a smart phone.  This is another reason why paying a tiny sum to a professional will promote your sale better in the long term – especially if you’re estate agent is going to print brochures.

Framing the shot – very often when I look at smart phone photography on social media, many of the images are framed so that they include objects in the image that can distract the viewer from the main subject.  Some images are just plain squint which can be like looking at a lopsided painting on a wall – you just want to straighten it!!

Flashing:  Smart phones have a tiny flash which will light up only a certain portion of the image in the direct line of view of where the phone is pointed.  When using a flash gun, the photographer can produce a bright enough image and also direct the light so that no parts of the image are brighter than the rest.  There is also less chance of seeing horrible flash reflection on shinny surfaces such as wide screen tv sets. 

Post Production:  if you use the services of a professional photographer, each image will be edited and optimised before being sent to the printer.  Many smart phone shooters will be less likely to want to spend time editing photographs when they can just email the whole lot to the estate agent with one touch.

I enjoy the challenge of different forms of photography.  In the past I have carried out HR employee head shots and I enjoy shooting macro shots of nature images.  For me, carrying out macro photography is not only enjoyable but also therapeutic.  It gives me a good excuse to get out the house and be in nature.

Why do I shoot properties?  Because I simply love to do this type of work.  I also find it therapeutic.  I am under no real pressure, I can take my time and I will take my time so that I can be inspired to take the shots that will promote my clients property in the best possible light.  I will even try to be creative with shooting some of the visually spectacular features of the homes furnishings.

If you’re a home owner in the regions of Kinross, Fife, Glenrothes, Stirling, Cupar, Dunfermline and looking for a property photographer who will methodically spend time taking your shots with professional level gear, please get in touch.

You’ll find my prices very reasonable and well worth the investment if you want to sell your home more quickly.

Which Property Kitchen Photo is more Pleasing??