A Day in the Life of a Seasoned Real Estate Photographer

A day in the life of a Real Estate Photographer

Welcoming You Behind the Lens

Ever wondered what a day in the life of a real estate photographer looks like? Well, buckle up because we're about to take you on a visual journey behind the scenes!

The Morning Rituals

Waking Up at the Crack of Dawn:

It all starts with the sun kissing the horizon. There's something magical about waking up early, grabbing that first cup of coffee, and getting ready for a full day of pictures and videos. After a couple cups of coffee it’s time to check on the gear. Every morning I need to replace the rechargeable batteries in the camera, the flashes, the flash triggers and more. Early mornings aren't everyone's cup of tea, but there’s work to be done.

Early mornings aren't everyone's cup of tea, but there’s work to be done.

Gearing Up for the Day

Now, about the gear – it's like preparing for a photo adventure. Cameras, lenses, tripods – they're not just tools; they're essentials to my daily work.. Each piece plays a role, like characters in a story. Once I have checked that the memory cards have been replaced and formatted in both the camera and video camera, its time to load up the car.

On the Road: Traveling to the First Property

Navigating the Cityscape:

As I hit the road, it's like navigating through a symphony of cityscapes. Every neighborhood has its rhythm, and I've learned to dance with traffic patterns and unique landmarks. It's not just about reaching the destination; it's about enjoying the journey. After doing this job for years and years, and photographing thousands of houses its hard to drive through a neighborhood and not see a house that you have worked on in the past.

I take a moment to soak in the property's personality

Pre-Shoot Property Analysis

Arriving at the first property is like meeting an old friend – familiar yet full of surprises. Before even lifting the camera, I take a moment to soak in the property's personality. It's these quirks and details that make each shoot an adventure. After arriving at the property you start to visually make your first assessments. Not so much about what the house actually looks like, but what angles you will photograph the house at and where the sun is in relation to those angles.

Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot:

Styling and Staging

Now, let's talk styling and staging. It's a collaborative dance with realtors and homeowners. This dance can be a crapshoot. Sometimes you show up and the home is beautiful with masterful staging and impeccable cleanliness. Sometimes you show up and the family is eating breakfast, getting their kids off to school, and trying to clean a room at the same time you are trying to photograph it. It can be trying, but in both scenarios you are expected to get the best possible photo. The more often you are able to pull off the more trying shoots, the more likely you will be called for the more luxurious shoots.

Composition is where the magic happens

The Art of Composition

Composition is where the magic happens. Finding the best angles to show off a property can be an art. No two houses are usually the same. Even ones that are built exactly the same can have furniture and in multiple different arrangements, and the light maybe coming in at a different angles. Adapting to these changing conditions is the key. Sometimes what you think is the best angle to photograph a room from is blocked by couches, bookcases, or other heavy furniture. On the fly being able to come up with other ways to make the room look its best, and lighting it correctly, is the key to making a living as a Real Estate Photographer.

Quinlan Images Real Estate Photography

Section 4: The Editing Room Chronicles

Transforming Raw Shots into Masterpieces

After you have visited all of the properties for the day, captured all the correct angles, and lighted all the spaces correctly, it’s time to head home. But your day is only half over. Now it’s time to download all of the photos, and start the editing process. In my photo editing process no one photo is the final image. Almost every photo is a composite of multiple photos. The editing process is about getting the best light to all of the places it needs to be, to make the prettiest photo. By using multiple images in post processing, you can take the best part of each of the images and make one beautiful finished image.

Section 5: Navigating Challenges

Unpredictable Weather

Ah, the unpredictability of weather – a real photographer's nemesis. In the fall and winter months weather in my area can become a real challenge. The days become shorter, making it very hard to schedule any shoots past 3:30 in the afternoon. Not only do the days become shorter, but the days become grayer. Where I live it is not uncommon for there to be several months of gray days, where everyday is overcast. Photography in general is all about lighting, and there is just nothing very exciting about looking out every window of house and seeing gray skies.

The unpredictability of weather – a Real Estate photographer's nemesis

This also means that my editing time to will go up for almost every Real Estate photo shoot. No Realtor wants there photos to look gray and dull on the outside of the house. The answer to this is a sky replacement. So now, because of gray sky, this means months of adding fake skies to all of my outside images.

Gray skies are only one part of the bad weather. Obviously if its raining really hard, or snowing, several days worth of photo shoots might need to be rescheduled.

Managing Tight Schedules

Tight schedules are par for the course. Once, I had to capture a property within a tight timeframe due to a surprise showing. It felt like a race against time, but it taught me the importance of staying organized. Efficiency became the name of the game.

It's not just a job; it's a journey

Capturing Moments, Creating Memories

And there you have it – a day in the life of a real estate photographer. It's not just a job; it's a journey filled with moments and memories. Every click tells a story, and every property becomes a chapter in my visual diary.

See some of my triumphs in my photo gallery here

Curious about the world behind the lens? Whether you're a fellow photography enthusiast or someone looking to elevate your property's visual appeal, feel free to reach out. Let's capture your story together!

*"Photography is the story I fail to put into words."* - Destin Sparks