According to the U.S.A. stats, Real estate listings with professional photography generate sales 62% faster than other ordinary listings. That’s why there is a huge potential to shine in the real estate photography sector.
Considering the opportunities, lots of new photographers and experienced photographers from other sectors are showing their interest in beginning real estate photography.
As you are here, it seems that you are also one of them. Through this article, we are going to inform you how to become a real estate photographer from scratch.
Literally, we are going to share every important step on how to get into real estate photography. We are going to share the entire journey with you as a professional property photographer.
What is A Real Estate Photographer?
The role of a real estate photographer is to capture real estate property photos. The real estate property includes commercial buildings, residential buildings, all types of apartments, and all other properties involved with the real estate business.
Real estate photography is used for advertising and promoting real estate properties.
That’s why real estate photographs Outsource Real Estate Photo Editing to get the image post-processing task done professionally. Only the residential real estate market size is around $2.53 in the USA.
If you become a professional real estate photographer, you will get the opportunity to contribute to this highly competitive sector. So, how to get started as a professional real estate photography nyc?
1. Do Research on Real Estate Photography
To become a real estate photographer, you need to gain a vast knowledge of real estate photography. It will help you to capture great-looking property photos. But how to gain that extensive knowledge?
You have to learn about the camera settings, compositions, proper lighting positions, golden hours, rule of thirds, and other photographic terms. You can purchase a photography course to do that.
Also, you can watch videos and tutorials about photography. You can read some books on professional photography.
When you have extensive knowledge of photography, it will make it easier to develop further skills. At the same time, you can also keep a notebook with you to write down your objectives.
It will always give you clarification on what to do as a real estate photography business. If you have any opportunity, you can do an internship with a professional nyc real estate photography.
It will boost your conscience and give you the chance to execute the knowledge that you have learned through researching Photography. Always, you need to try to execute your knowledge practically. That will create a strong base for you to go ahead.
2. Buy Professional Photography Equipment
When you have the primary knowledge of real estate photography, it’s time to purchase professional photography equipment to apply the knowledge practically.
In 2024, having any random camera is not sufficient enough to compete with available real estate photographers. You need to go for a DSLR camera or a mirror less camera.
Particularly, it should have multiple exposure bracketing and remote flash features. Because you will have to capture big apartments and buildings.
Without having those features, it will be challenging to capture those objects properly. Also, you have to select a suitable camera lens for real estate photography. To be specific, you need to choose a wide-angle lens.
It will allow you to capture the entire property in an attractive way with proper details. The focal length should be around 10 mm to 24 mm. Also, you can go for the 16mm to 35 mm focal length. Then, you will need a tripod to bring stability.
On that note, you have to focus on the maximum expanded length of the tripod. As you are going to capture buildings and apartments, you should go for a higher extension height tripod for the best photography result.
Alongside this, you need to purchase lighting equipment so that you don’t have to rely on sunlight while capturing property photos. You will also need that while shooting indoor photos. So, make sure that you have got a soft box to do it properly.
3. Capture Real Estate Property Photos
At this step, you should start capturing real estate property photos. This is the step where you actually start to implement your knowledge of real estate photography.
You will need to get used to the camera features, manual settings, different types of modes, capturing photos in direct light conditions, placement of a tripod, placement of light sources, and all other things related to professional property photography.
This will make you feel like you are growing to become a real estate photographer. As a beginner, you might be struggling to find out which types of photos to capture.
You can start capturing your own house, a friend’s house, or a relative’s house. Also, you can capture your nearby real estate properties if you can manage the permission.
Capturing different types of property photos will make you familiar with different scenarios and challenges that you might face after getting started as a professional real estate photographer.
You are going to use those photos as your portfolio. So, you need to make sure that you are showcasing your best photography skills through your imagery. If you keep practicing in that way, within a few months it will improve you a lot as a real estate property photographer.
4. Edit Real Estate Photos Professionally
This is one of the most important steps to becoming a real estate photographer. Having a vast knowledge of real estate photography, proper photography equipment, and capturing a lot of real estate images are not sufficient enough to make your property photos look perfect.
To make your real estate imagery look special, you need to go beyond that. You have to focus on the image post-processing tasks to remove flaws and errors in your photography.
All highly experienced photographers edit their photos before publishing. If you want to compete with themselves and impress your clients, you also have to do the image post-processing task professionally.
As a beginner, you won’t be able to invest your time in image editing. Because you also have to focus on other aspects of photography. At this point, Clipping Way brings the best solution for you to edit your photos with highly skilled professional designers.
You can get your real estate images retouched with the Outsourcing Photo Editing and Photo Retouching Service.
You just need to upload your images to our website and wait to get professionally edited real estate imagery. We are available 24/7 to provide you with the best quality real estate image editing service.
You can have a try now with a free trial. Let me inform you that if you are not satisfied with the result, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee.
5. Build A Strong Photography Portfolio
At this point, you have every quality that you need to have as a freelance real estate photographer or full-time professional real estate photographer. Now, you have to showcase your talent to potential clients.
So, are you wondering how to do that as a newbie photographer? To get your first real estate photography client, having a strong portfolio will support you the most.
You need to choose your best-looking images and make your own photography portfolio. While making the portfolio, you need to keep several things in mind. Let me inform you of that shortly.
You need to choose real estate photos having different types of properties in different locations. The portfolio should reflect your ability, skillset, professionalism, and creativity to showcase a real estate property in an interesting way.
Viewers should connect themselves with the images and it should hook their attention to have a closer look. If you can ensure those things within your portfolio, it will be a matter of time for you to shine in the real estate photography sector.
But where to store the images? Having a portfolio website will be the best option. Nowadays, it’s not that expensive to build a portfolio website.
6. Search For Clients
Now, you have got everything that is essential to become a real estate photographer. The only thing that will fulfill you as a complete pro photographer is getting clients. At this stage, you should start searching for clients.
I know most of you are wondering about how to get the first client as a real estate photographer. Well, your attractive portfolio will be your biggest weapon to get photography clients.
If you have built your website, you can advertise that website to different photography platforms. Also, you can post your best-quality real estate photos on social media platforms to attract potential clients.
Also, there are some websites where you can sell photos online such as Alamy, 500px. SmugMug Pro, Shutter stock, iStock Photo, Getty Images, and Stocksy. You can start uploading your photos on those websites. It will provide you with multiple benefits.
Firstly, there is a nice opportunity to earn through selling photos. Secondly, you may get clients from those photography platforms. At the same time, you can also look for online remote jobs in real estate photography.
After completing several photography projects, you will find it a lot easier to get clients. So, those are the 6 steps that you need to follow to become a real estate photographer.
If you follow those steps as we have mentioned, hopefully, you are going to be a successful real estate photographer within a few months.
What Are the Responsibilities of A Real Estate Photographer?
As you have already assumed, the main responsibility of a real estate photographer is to capture high-quality property photos. Through real estate photography, a property photographer has to showcase the beauty of different types of properties.
They need to handle the three key steps of professional real estate photography. They have to set up a photography plan. It is the pre-production step. Then, they have to capture the picture.
After that, you have to do the image post-processing task that includes image editing and retouching. To save time and money, you can outsource the task to a professional image editing company such as Clipping Way.
What is the Salary of A Real Estate Photographer?
In the United States, a professional photographer earns around $42k per year on average. The actual salary for a real estate photographer will depend on factors like his skills, experience, location, and number of projects.
If you are a skilled real estate photographer, you are expected to earn around $30k to $75k per year. Some top-rated photographers earn even more.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, becoming a successful real estate photographer requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and business acumen. By mastering the art of capturing properties in their best light, understanding the needs and preferences of clients, and effectively marketing your services, you can carve out a niche in the competitive real estate industry.
With dedication and continuous learning, you can establish yourself as a trusted professional and seize the abundant opportunities that await in the realm of real estate photography. Start your journey today and unlock the potential of this fulfilling and lucrative career path.
Let me remind you that you should never stop practicing even after completing several photography projects.
FAQ’s
How do i become a property photographer in the USA?
You need to study Photography, do an internship under someone who is a professional property photographer, purchase the necessary equipment, create your portfolio, and start promoting your portfolio as a property photographer.
How do you become a real estate photographer?
To become a professional real estate photographer, you need to study about the core concept of real estate photography and start practicing photography with proper photography gadgets. Then, you have to create a strong and attractive portfolio.
What are the best real estate photo editing services?
In Clipping Way, you will find the best real estate photo editing service. You can outsource your real estate photo editing requirements with a 100% money-back guarantee.
How do you edit real estate photos?
You need to do color correction, retouching, sky and greenery color enhancement, distractive object removal, exposure adjustment, brightness, and shadow control to edit real estate photos. If you don’t know how to do it yourself, you can consider getting Real Estate Photo Editing Services by Clipping Way.
Do i need formal education to become a real estate photographer?
While formal education can help, it’s not a mandatory requirement. You should focus on learning photography skills through online courses, and workshops, and practice regularly to improve your abilities.
What equipment do i need to begin real estate photography?
You’ll need a decent DSLR or mirror-less camera with a wide-angle lens. Also, you need to purchase a tripod and lighting equipment.
How can i build a portfolio as a beginner real estate photographer?
You can start by taking photos of properties you have access to. At the start, you can capture your home, a friend’s house, or local buildings. You have to showcase your best work in a portfolio that highlights your skills.
