How To Master Real Estate Drone Photography
How will you price your real estate photography services?
Since the rise of drones, many people have innovated what more it can offer. One of these is the upgraded marketing strategy of real estate. This has become a hit to many real estate agents and buyers/renters. It gives them high-quality pictures of the property's front view but also a variety of different perspectives. And while it seems like an easy job to do, there is a lot more to consider the ace that perfect magazine-worthy picture of the property. Check out these tips and tricks to amp up your real estate photos to the next level.
Clean the property’s surroundings
It is usual for properties to have equipment, cars, toys, or even clutter in their area. But when it's the pictorial day for your property, your surroundings should be free from all the clutter. That includes your car, your trash bin, your children's (or dog's) toys, and even dried fallen leaves. You also wouldn't want to share with your clients some construction equipment on the side.
It is better to do real estate photography when the landscape is well prepared and in its best state. Just like pictures of models in magazines, you want to see photos of your properties that are magazine-worthy.
Choose a nice weather
While editors can change those gray clouds with a bright, blue sky, taking photos in nice weather is much better than taking ones on a dark and cloudy day. Keep in mind that drone photography is also crucial when it comes to real estate photography. And the impact of calm, clear days is less hazardous to operating drones. Find the time to check the weather forecast first before scheduling your shoot. It is also important to shoot at the right time of the day to make every aspect of the property look better. Here are some tips to know which specific times of the day should you take photos:
• When taking top-down pictures of the property, it is best to do it at noon to avoid getting shadows, and the image of the house is more appealing.
• Try to take pictures at specific times of the day to create a more aesthetic look for the home and get a different perspective.
Customize your drone's settings
Just like regular photography, aerial photography has numerous settings you can adjust and customize to your liking to get the best shot. Companies that manufacture drones also have different settings for the flight of the equipment and its camera.
Some tips would be taking your pictures using a RAW format. This format has a larger file size, but it can give you the flexibility you want when you post-process the photos. You can also change the drone's camera ratio to 3:2 if your drone allows it. This can help you take high-resolution images. If this option is not available, try using 4:3. Lastly, use autofocus when doing aerial photography. It is complicated enough to fly a drone while taking pictures of houses. Having it on the manual mode will worry you more as it will result in soft images that are not focused. Thus, having a low-quality output.
Highlight the surrounding neighborhood
Maximize real estate photography by taking shots of the neighborhood the house stands. Buyers and renters would love to know what kind of community they would experience when they move in. Take advantage of the drone to help you highlight different aspects around the house, like its location. It's easier for clients to know if the property is in a corner lot or not and what other elements its nearby properties have. You can also try highlighting facilities near the house, like a nearby park, coffee shop, or a basketball court.
Take different varieties of perspectives
Since you are handling a drone to do your real estate photography, you now have much more flexibility! Take advantage of it and start taking pictures of the house from different angles. With regular photography, you can only shoot only one part of the house at a time. But with drone photography, you can take shots of the house from up above, giving it a nice view of the front area and even what's on the other side. With a vast subject, you won't be able to run out of perspectives to look at. It could be that the property has a gazebo, a pool, a barbeque area, or just a spacious backyard. However, keep in mind that even though you operate a drone, it doesn't mean "up" is the only angle you're going to take. Learn to take shots at around 20 feet to strike a balance between scope and detail. In that way, you will be able to maximize your drone.
Remember the basics
While aerial photography is a relatively new and exciting field to go through, owning a drone doesn't exactly mean you can fly and take pictures of properties in just a snap. It is also essential that you have the legalities to fly a drone and take pictures. Yes, that means you should have a license. Besides having the perfect equipment to execute the service, you also need to earn a remote pilot certificate from the FAA to legally fly your drone. You also need to register the drone and have it insured. The law may not require it, but it is strongly recommended to protect you from sudden financial responsibilities. Real estate drone photography is not something easy to do. But it's a lot more fun because you can fly the drone and take pictures at the same time! Following these tips can definitely help you make the perfect shot that's worth more than a thousand words.
