Entice Them With Photos
If your budget allows, you should seriously consider hiring a professional photographer to shoot your promotional images.
If you feel that's too costly and would prefer to handle it yourself, here are a few tips that will help you take flattering pictures of your rental home and property.
How To Shoot The Interior
- The best time of day to photograph the inside of your home is around midday. Colors will look most natural and the contrast from outdoor light will be minimized.
- If you shoot during the day, existing light will usually be sufficient without using a flash. Turn off all fluorescent lights.
- Sometimes fill flash is helpful to balance the light in a room, for example, when you shoot towards a window.
- If you use a flash, beware of nasty reflections. Close drapes and curtains, and don't shoot toward the TV or picture frames.
- Choose the strongest features to highlight: fireplaces, antiques, windows with views, etc. Keep TVs, fridges, large blank walls, and the backs of couches out of the frame if possible.
- Photograph your best rooms and leave out the cramped or less attractive spaces.
- If you don't have a fisheye lens to capture small rooms, stand on a chair in the corner and shoot down into the room.
How to Shoot the Exterior
- Unless you're a pro, it's best to shoot the outside of your property during the day... preferably a sunny day when the trees are leafy and flowers are in bloom. Never shoot on an overcast, gloomy day.
- Unlike interior shots, shoot your exteriors during the so-called "sweet light" of early evening (the warmest light) or early morning.
- Keep the camera parallel so the lines of the house don't appear distorted.
- Include the roof line in the frame.
- Try to include part of the side of the house (the side away from the garage) to give the shot a pleasing perspective.
- If possible, stand on a ladder facing the corner of the house to get a pleasing three-dimensional effect.
- Remove or minimize any intrusive elements such as cars, signs, garbage cans, fences, etc.
- Try not to shoot the house when the sun is behind it... the image will be dark with too much contrast.
- When you shoot with the light behind you, be careful not to include your shadow in the image, or shadows of fences, signs or other intrusions.
- If your home has a unique selling point, such as its proximity to a lake or beach, include that in one of your pictures.
Following these guidelines will help you show your home in the best possible light, making it more attractive to potential renters.
Next, we'll talk about making your website search engine friendly!
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