Photo Editing In Real Estate

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In Santa Fe and Albuquerque, real estate photo editing can make all the difference in how your listing stands out online. But did you know that the magic of great real estate photos often happens after the camera is put away? Editing is a big part of what makes your property shine online.

Why Editing Matters

Taking great shots is only half the job of a professional real estate photographer. Virtually every professional photographer does post-processing (editing) of their photos. But for real estate photography, it’s especially important.

Even the best photographer needs to make adjustments to color, sharpness, viewing angles, and more, to bring out the best in every shot. Here’s a peek behind the scenes at some of the quality control techniques I use to make every listing look its best.

Window Pulls

The views are a huge selling point in many properties, so we’ve got to make them look great. Since cameras can’t see extreme bright areas and deep shadows at the same time (see HDR versus Flambient), we must pay special attention to the windows in your images. Photographers call that the “window pull.” A window pull is a blended exposure that shows the view outside the window clearly.

Some realtors prefer:

• Hyper-realistic window views: Ultra-bright, clear window images that really grab attention, but may look a bit unrealistic to some.
• Subtle, true-to-life window views: Softer, more natural window images that reflect what you’d see in person.

If you let me know what you need ahead of time, I can make them to your taste.

Object Removal

It’s your job to make sure the property is staged (see Preparing Your Property for Photography). That means it should be clean, clear of clutter, and have a minimum of personal items in view. But sometimes a few items need to be surgically removed by editing.

Things I can often remove in editing include:

• A few power cords
• Signs
• A few small forgotten items left behind
• Smudges or marks on walls

If you’re got a property that’s still a mess when it’s time to photograph, please arrange with me in advance, and we can work out a price for some extensive editing cleanup. But if it’s just a few odd things here and there, chances are they will be easy for me to erase at no additional charge.

Color Correction

Bright, crisp, eye-catching colors help sell properties. But we also need to make sure the colors are realistic and natural.

I make sure all the colors in your photos are:

• Even and consistent
• Crisp and clear
• Accurate to the way the property really looks, inside and out

Aligning Verticals

Crooked images give viewers a subtle sense that something’s wrong, even if they don’t exactly know why. As a photographer, I do my best to line up everything just right when I shoot. But still, not every image is straight right out of the camera. To avoid turning off a potential buyer, it’s important that lines like corners and doors are adjusted to being vertical when necessary.

Sharpening & Polishing

The final touches can turn a good photo into a great one. After editing all my shots, I go back through them once more to add extra punch. Final touches may include:

• Adjusting brightness and contrast
• Enhancing saturation
• Double-checking for any missed details

The Pro Difference

Editing is a skill that takes time and patience to master. A photo that’s been properly shot, adjusted and polished is far better than one that was quickly taken and turned out. Don’t settle for just OK. Optimize your listings with great photography, and it will pay off every time.

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