Whether as a hobby or for professional purposes, successfully photographing an interior space for real estate photography is tricky. Some key points to consider are varying lighting conditions, navigating cramped spaces, and accurately framing an entire room in a single shot. Here are our top real estate photography tips to help you master the interior space.
Get down, or get up — shoot from a different perspective
One of the most important tips for beginners is to develop an understanding of the key elements you want to showcase before you press the shutter.
Determining what you want to capture is the first decision you need to make when setting up for a shoot. Whether you want to highlight the painterly details of a ceiling or an impressive collection of artworks on the walls, these elements will dictate the best perspective to shoot from. As you begin to think more carefully about composition, you’ll find your images become more impactful and visually appealing.
Real estate photography lighting
Deciding on the type of lighting that best suits your desired outcome is another early decision you need to make. Natural lighting can be gorgeous when utilised well, but you’ll usually find the need to introduce artificial lighting of some sort — often a mixture of the two produces the best results.
Flash can be a powerful tool for creating dramatic or well-lit interiors. Whether you’re aiming for a dark and moody or bright and high-key aesthetic, deciding what best fits your interior is key to developing the mood of your shoot.
What lens is best for real estate photography?
Often the interior of a home or commercial space is so full of beautiful features that you’ll struggle to fit it all into a single image. You can either break it up — shooting separate photos of each feature and allowing each its space to shine — or capture the essence of an entire room through careful lens selection.
Wide-angle lenses give you the ability to explore the latter technique, capturing much more space in a single frame and making a room appear larger than it is. It’s not always possible to fit everything into one photograph, but having a wide-angle lens in your kit will allow you to explore your options and build a more expansive portfolio of images.
What tripod for real estate photography?
Even the steadiest hands will succumb to camera shake when shooting handheld — particularly when you factor in the slower shutter speeds that are sometimes necessary indoors. The simplest and most effective way to eliminate blur is to shoot with a tripod.
Tripods come in different sizes and at a range of price points, so even if you’re shooting with a smartphone, you can drastically improve your results. They’re also handy for carefully adjusting your compositions and ensuring all angles are straight in your images.
Want stability in a limited space? Gorillapod tripods are a great option — their flexibility allows them to find steady footing in virtually any environment.
Top tip: A remote shutter release is the perfect companion for a tripod when aiming for blur-free real estate shots. It keeps your hands off the camera entirely during capture.
Styling your home for real estate photography
No one enjoys cleaning up, but it’s essential to make sure your space is neat before you begin shooting. It’s easy to focus on the big picture and overlook minor details — clumsily placed items or untidy surfaces — but these are exactly the things that will catch a viewer’s eye and spoil an otherwise great shot.
If you can, hire a professional cleaner and stylist to run through the space before your shoot. If the cleaning falls on you, a quick tidy can go a long way.
What settings to use for real estate photography
Switching your camera to manual mode will give you the most control over your images, allowing you to fine-tune aperture, ISO, and shutter speed to achieve the desired exposure and depth of field.
- Aperture: A moderate aperture is recommended for real estate photography, as you want most of the image to be in focus so viewers can make out all the details of the space. A good starting point is f5.6–f8.
- ISO: Keep ISO as low as possible to reduce noise and maintain image quality. Aim for ISO 100–400, adjusting based on available light.
- Shutter speed: The correct shutter speed will vary depending on available light and your other settings — that’s how the exposure triangle works. Use a tripod to allow for slower shutter speeds if necessary. If shooting handheld, don’t go below 1/60th of a second as a general rule.
Buying the right gear for real estate photography
Master real estate photography with the right equipment. From wide-angle lenses and tripods to cameras purpose-built for interior work and drones for aerial shots, Ted’s Cameras has an extensive selection available online and in-store.