Increasing Real Estate Values Through Photography

By Rick Hulbert

Did you catch the article in The Wall Street Journal regarding how real estate listings with better photos command higher prices? There are teachable techniques for increasing the bottom line for real estate professionals.

One of the essential issues of real estate photography is learning how to convey the impression or “illusion” of 3-dimensional Space in a 2-dimensional image.

If we turn to lessons learned from the movie industry, we can learn some valuable lessons and some simple ways to facilitate techniques.

The field of cinematography has been exploring ways to portray the “real” world on the silver screen for well over half a century.

In the upcoming Fall Workshop, you will be introduced to the notion of “depth cues” in buildings and how to recognize them. You will learn how to use these "depth cues" to better portray the interiors and exteriors of buildings and land holdings in your photography.

I will discuss 3 of those “cues” in this brief article. They include (a) vertical and horizontal planes, the edges of which recede to one or more vanishing points in the distance; (b) subject or object overlaps; and (c) the size progression of like elements.

Think of the walls and floors of buildings and rooms as physical planes that, if composed appropriately, can make a huge difference in creating a feeling of 3D space. The location of the camera relative to building “planes” has a significant effect on the creation of the sense of depth for the prospective buyer.

Overlapping objects add to the feeling of depth. The “staging” or placement of furnishings in a photograph can increase the perception of depth. Windows and doorways can be used to further provide a sense of depth. Photographing through portals from one room to another can set up a great online or on-paper home tour for a potential buyer.

When a viewer of a photo senses like elements that get progressively smaller or larger, the notion of “depth” is enhanced. These elements might be columns, windows, light fixtures, or patterns in the floor or ceiling of buildings that can be used to advantage.

For a far more “in depth” hands-on photography experience covering this topic, stay tuned for the announcement of the upcoming photo workshop geared to real estate professionals.