Better Digital Pix and the Best Place to Park Them Online

DIGITAL PHOTO & POSTEROUS

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN TODAY
 Take better digital photos
 Use free software to edit, store & share
 Set up a new photo blog
 Use Posterous to promote yourself, your
expertise & your listings
Simply the easiest software to edit/store/sync to web

PICASA
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE
Go to http://picasa.google.com/
Hand’s down the best place to edit/create photo art online

PICNIK
WHAT CAN YOU DO AT PICNIK.COM?

Make your photos stand

out on media sites

Make customized icons

for your web sites
 A beginner’s guide to how to begin taking better photos

10 STEPS TO BETTER DIGITAL PHOTOS

80% of buyers start their
search online.

In an NAR survey, buyers

ranked photos as the
feature they use most to
search for homes.

Like curb appeal, your

listing’s “pix appeal”
carries more weight than
you realize with online
shoppers.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR BETTER REAL ESTATE PHOTOS

 This is a photo from a
$650,000 home in
Hudson. What does it say
to you? Looks more like
an ad for an old outdated
bed on Craig’s List than a
good representation of a
luxury home, don’t you
think?

1. BE SURE THE SELLER HAS STAGED PROPERLY

The photo session is just as important (if not moreso!) than a showing. It is
the preview for the world to see. Staging, painting, wallpaper removal and
decluttering should all be complete prior to the listing launch & photos.
 DO…

Don’t…

2. USE A GOOD CAMERA & AVOID CELL PHONE PIX

Your mobile phone is great for impromptu pictures on the go, but don’t use it to photograph your listings. Use
a good digital camera & do not rely on the camera’s flash to give you the right light. Use as much natural light
as possible. Open curtains/drapes and turn on the lights. Try to take photos during the day.
 Another $600,000 home
and this shot makes the
ceiling seem low, the
room dark & tunnel like.
If it had been shot lower
(try about 3ft), from the
corner, it would have
shown much better.

3. GET IT STRAIGHT…
Use a tripod. They are inexpensive, can be used with your FLIP cam AND prevent
having to straighten your images. Shoot from the corners of a room to capture as
much as possible. Try different heights (HI & LOW) If you goof, try Picasa’s
straightening tool. You will lose part of your picture but at least it will be level.
 If a home has distinct details or
upgrades, showcase them in your
photos and leave out unattractive
spaces like small bedrooms/baths.

4. TRY ANOTHER ANGLE

Experiment with lots of different angles and close-ups of distinct architectural
features. Exterior shots should be at angles too so show off the depth of a home
and it’s surroundings. Avoid close neighbors, wires, poles, etc.
 What are the seller’s
favorite features of the
home? What will appeal to
your target buyers?
Highlight lifestyle cues and
stop trying to show each
and every room. If the
back yard is
private/wooded and
landscaped, that’s much
better than a dank laundry
room photo online.

5. PHOTOGRAPH THE LIFESTYLE OF THE HOME

It’s not about showing every nook and cluttered corner. Each home has a
feeling that you’d like to evoke in the buyer when they look at the photos.
Think gathering/entertaining/everyday ease of living.
 This holiday, try your
camera’s pre-sets for
different lighting situations
like evening parties, holiday
lights, etc. Try taking some
close up pictures using the
macro setting on your
camera and play with taking
photos of fixtures, lighting,
flooring, etc.

6. CHOOSE YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS

Every camera is different but insure better photos by using the correct settings. Set
the image to FINE. The larger the file simply means the larger the enlargement you
could make later. This is not so important. Use a medium sized file for most real
estate uses. Picnik allows easy resizing.
 This photo is interesting
in that it was taken with
the camera on a tripod at
about 6 ft.. This was a
small condo with some
interesting angles. This
shot plays to them.

Take care that your

photos don’t look like
furniture ads, but
showcase the space.

7. TAKE A TON!
Mount your camera on the tripod (which is VERY necessary!), shoot a variety
of angles, with a variety of flash settings. You’re unlimited so make the most
of your time. Take photos from down low (3ft) and up high (6ft)
 This is a landing. However
it has been purposed as a
small office. Don’t
overlook features like this
that can make a difference
to a buyer.

8. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!

Spend time on each photo . Crop it so the frame is filled with the appropriate content
you are trying to display. Adjust brightness taking care to insure the photo isn’t
washed out. It needs to appear warm, not sterile. Make sure you straighten!
9. MAKE THE MOST OF DAYLIGHT
Use natural daylight to your advantage. Turn on all the lights in the rooms. Shooting with your back to
the windows will result in the photo looking exactly as you see it. Shooting into the light/windows will
result in the room looking much darker. If you can, avoid shooting into the light. Also: Never
photograph doors unless they are an architectural feature.
10. STORE IN AN ONLINE ALBUM AND SHARE
Label and tag all of your photos to include keywords like “Cleveland Real Estate Home Photo” When
embedded in blogs, etc. this become important! Share on all sites like FB, Twitter, Posterous and more.