Everyone with a camera can take a picture, but that doesn’t mean they can take a great picture. Those professional real estate photographers know that it take more than buying an expensive camera.

So what else do professional photographers have in their arsenal when they come to take pictures of your property?

Nikon D750

We are going to get this tour off with the obvious, the camera! We trust a Nikon D750 to capture those beautiful images of homes.

It hits the sweet spot in features that every real estate photographer wants. It has a large LCD screen that tilts, video capabilities, high-end autofocus, and built-in Wi-Fi.

Plus it’s ergonomic to hold.

Gitzo Tripod

If your photographer isn’t using a tripod, you should question their choices. We use a tripod to give all of your photos a uniform look. People like pattern and uniform.

So by taking all of your photos from a uniform height it gives some predictability and uniformity. This will make your pictures look professional and be more readily looked at by potential buyers.

Tripods also become useful in rooms that require the placement of the camera in places that are smaller. These small places would make it difficult or impossible to get a quality image by holding the camera.

Nikon remote shutter release

Sometimes the best angle of a room is from a location that doesn’t work well for the photographer. Maybe it means placing the camera deep in a corner. Or maybe it is in a bathroom where there is no escaping the mirrors.

In these cases, a remote shutter release is vital. Without it, your real estate photos will feature the photographer you hire. No one wants this.

There is one other time when using a remote becomes vital. If you want crisp, beautiful twilight shots, then your real estate photographer has to have a remote.

In these low light conditions it is key for the camera to capture the image and get the correct amount of light exposure to get the best shot. During this time the camera can’t move at all.

The problem is, when you hit the button with your finger, you jostle the camera. Even if it is microscopic and only for a fraction of the second, the camera is still moved. This reduces the quality of your twilight shot.

Tokina 16-28 mm F2.8 wide angle lens

This is the hidden gem of our photographer bag! This extra wide lens is perfect for taking pictures of architecture and real estate. It also works well in low light situations, so we use it a lot for our twilight photography.

This lens is the difference between capturing part of the room or the entire room in a single image. Buyers won’t be able to mentally picture the sheer size of a large room from multiple images. So the wide angle lens gives them a more accurate feel of the room.

Flashpoint Xplor 600 strobe

While everyone says that natural light is ideal for photography, it can be tough to capture that light inside of a home. It really all depends on the window number and placement. Plus what kind of foliage or structures outside that may block the light.

You want the interior of the home to light bright and inviting. So how do you replicate natural light indoors? Not by using just the flash on your camera.

We use a Flashpoint 600 because it is powerful enough to put out 600 watts in just seconds. This is enough light to overpower even midday sun.

One problem you will notice when photographers use cheap lights is that the colors become off. This is because not all light is pure white light. So when you add this tinted light to the room, the colors in the room look “off”.

DJI Phantom 4 drone

Sure we all know drones, those annoying buzzing flying machines that feel like they’re are creeping on you at public events or spaces. I think we’ve all been annoyed by that one drone that lingers too long overhead while you’re at the beach.

However, drones have a solid place when it comes to marketing large aceage real estate. When properties become large, then photography from the ground does not do it justice.

You have to get up high to get a real sense of the massive expanse of the property. But how do you get an overhead shot that works?

Your first option is to climb a really high ladder. Though this sound dangerous and not very effective to us.

Your second option is to hire a photographer to go up in a plane. But this has two problems. It can be expensive, making it not worth it for many properties.

There is also a limit with how low the plane can fly. Which means you’ll have pictures from very high up and may not give you the detail of your property that you were hoping for.

Drones solve all of these problems by allowing the photographer to get just the right height above the property. That is, high enough to see everything, but low enough to still have the detail.

DJI Ronin M Gimbal

Isn’t it painfully obvious when you see a video that someone create by holding their phone? Even with a camera, if you don’t have an extremely steady hand, there is shaking and vibration throughout the video.

This make your videos look unprofessional are and are just plain difficult to watch. People will start to recognize your videos and will skip over them.

Now you are actually hurting your company image and limiting the exposure of the homes you create videos for.

It doesn’t have to be this way though. A gimbal is the tool the pros use to steady the camera. This is a frame that balances and smooths the camera’s movements.

Before you get excited and think it’s easy, we caution you. There is a learning curve to moving and guiding the gimbal to get the shots you envision in your head.

We use the gimbal to create smooth, perfectly framed shots of the interior of homes. That way you receive a professional looking tour of the interior of our home.

Let Our Real Estate Photographers Put Their Equipment to Work for You

So what are you waiting for? We have the equipment and the know how to capture your real estate in photography that will be sure to grab the attention of home buyers.

Not sure what type of photos will work best for your home? Reach out today and we can help you create the right real estate photography plan for your home.