A study by Redfin found that professionally photographed homes sell an average of 3 weeks faster and for over $10,000 more than similarly valued homes with amateur photos. This shows the sheer importance of taking great pictures – but what are some of the biggest real estate photography mistakes you can make? We often see the same errors crop up again and again, so here are seven issues you need to avoid, along with tips on how to fix up your property photography.

1. Poor Lighting or Overexposure

Lighting often shows the true difference between professional vs amateur real estate photos. If your images are too dark or overly bright, then this hides key details within each shot. It’s hard for buyers to see what the bathroom looks like when your photo is overexposed and the titles seem to merge into one. Dark images create shadows that make rooms look unappealing and turn people away.

Fix this by using HDR and shooting during golden hour to get the ideal lighting qualities. If you can’t do this, then invest in proper lighting equipment so you can fill every room with professional studio lighting that reveals all the finer details.

2. Wide-Angle Lens Abuse

Using a wide-angle lens means you unrealistically stretch the rooms and mess up their proportions. This is one of the most common real estate photography errors because it makes your property look different from reality.

Sort this out by either avoiding the wide-angle lens when it isn’t necessary or using a properly calibrated one that can be corrected in post-editing. We appreciate that this is quite a step up in photography skills for some of you; in which case, working with a professional real estate photography company can help.

3. Cluttered or Dirty Rooms

Nothing ruins your listings quite like cluttered or dirty. Of all the photography tips for realtors to follow, this one is the simplest: clean every room and use pre-shoot staging to make everything look neat and minimal.

Nobody will be interested in a cluttered home because the mess distracts from the space. It’s almost impossible to receive inquiries, and your listing will be up for months before you’re forced to knock the price down significantly.

4. Crooked Lines or Slanted Angles

What makes a good real estate photo? From a professional perspective, everything needs to be at the right angle. Images should never be slanted or crooked; this looks super unprofessional and can be a bit jarring for viewers.

Instead, you need to use a tripod and set up gridlines on your camera to keep everything steady and aligned. This may require some editing in post-processing, but the result is a much more professional image where everything is centered properly and nothing looks weirdly skewed.

5. Ignoring Exterior Shots or Curb Appeal

Never forget to take photos from outside your property. Buyers want to see the entire property – and exterior shots add to a listing. In some cases, these photos can genuinely push someone to inquire about your home because the backyard is a USP for them.

So, make sure you capture the outside areas from as many great angles as possible. Look into aerial photography and videography for this to showcase incredible views and give buyers an idea of how big the outside spaces are.

6. Using Filters or Over-Editing

It’s so tempting to edit your photos and provide filters that enhance the images. However, this ends up as one of the biggest real estate photography mistakes because it can warp how a property looks. Your photos look fake and can be misleading as they present rooms to be lighter or darker than they are.

Cool it on the editing front and focus on making things look natural. Avoid any crazy filters; you want to enhance the photo, not transform how it looks.

7. Skipping Post-Processing Altogether

While over-editing is a problem, one of the key real estate listing photo tips is to ensure you do some level of post-processing. You will need to edit images slightly – this could mean cropping, altering the angles, etc.

Completely unedited photos lack polish and appeal; buyers will be more interested in your property listing if the images look professional. It fills them with more trust and confidence, which leads to more inquiries.

All in all, these seven real estate photography mistakes are easy to make, but even easier to correct. Use the tips and guidance above to learn how to take better property photos that improve your listings and can help you sell a property for more money in less time. Of course, if you’d rather get the help of seasoned real estate photography professionals, then feel free to contact us today and we’ll give your listing the boost it needs.