A Bad Photo Can Hurt You

The course on photographing your home is coming along.  We’ve got a buyer survey in progress, and I have to say, I am fascinated by their comments.  Real estate photography is very specialized.  It seems that buyers are very familiar with it, and sellers that do their own photos have trouble grasping it.

I don’t want to give it all away, but here’s some of the comments that buyers are leaving about the do-it-yourself photos they are seeing:

• • • Turn on every possible light in the room! And, PLEASE, store the everyday clutter away when taking your photos!!!
    • Not interested in seeing fireplaces as focus of photo.
    • clean and decluter less is more poeple are buying the house not your stuff so clear as much out as posible, show the kitchen and the next best rooms. if there’s a shop show it in and out.
    • PLEASE IF YOU TAKE A PICTURE, TAKE THE ITEMS OFF THE TABLE, COUNTERS OR MOVE THE DOG FROM THE SHOT. AND DON’T TAKE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF IN A MIRROR. I WANT TO SEE THE HOUSE.
    • want to see the house highlighted, not the furnishings.

There’s more coming.  Watch for the release of the upcoming course on Photographing Your Home in the By Owner University Student Resources section.  If you love photography, check out Scott Kelby’s blog.  It has a great review of the public beta version of Adobe Lightroom 3