Your real estate business is your livelihood, and the best real estate photographer knows and understands that. Finding the right photographer can mean the difference between having beautiful attention-grabbing listings or listings that fade into the background.

Us this guide to help you find the right photographer for your needs.

Do You Want Their Quality Presenting Your Brand?

You need to protect your brand. The pictures you use will be an extension of the quality and service you provide. So choose a photographer that produces pictures you are proud to have representing your brand.

Do not use the price that the photographer charges as an indication of their quality. Look at the images. Would you expect to see them in a magazine? Or would you expect to see them in someone’s family photo album?

What kind of real estate agent do you want to be? Do you want to give the impression of quality? If so, then you need a photographer that produces high-quality images.

How Do Their Rates Compare?

This guide wouldn’t be complete, but please, don’t base your choice solely on price. As a general rule, you get what you pay for. So that bargain-basement photographer is charging so little for a reason.

The Low End

Photographers that are charging significantly lower than other in the industry might be brand new and don’t feel as though they are on par. Or perhaps they are new to the industry and don’t understand how to price their service accurately. These photographers won’t be in business.

That will leave you looking for a new photographer all over again.

The High End

When you hire at the top of the market, you risk overpaying. Remember, you should balance the cost of your photography with your home values. That way your marketing doesn’t eat into your profits too much.

The Best Real Estate Photographer Is in the Middle

If you aim for somewhere in the middle of the pack you can find the perfect combination of experience and affordability. This is where you will find a photographer that has experience capturing more difficult homes, knows how to handle demanding homeowners, and can deliver what you need on time.

Are They Local? Is It a Small Business or Someone From a National Chain?

Like many other industries, there are national real estate photography companies that hire photographers across the country. The problem with these companies is that they tend to pay meager wages to photographers.

This results in high turnover and a lack of high-end talent. Someone that you fall in love with this week may not be around next week. This results in varying quality of your images.

These photographers are also working with a cookie-cutter approach. So there is a lack of collaboration and personal investment in their work. Remember, they aren’t getting paid much, so getting in and out fast is the goal.

Photographers that own their own business are personally invested in the quality of their images and your satisfaction with their work. After all, happy customers keep coming back.

Do You Enjoy Working With Them?

While it’s great to have a photographer that produces beautiful photos, if they are a nightmare to work with, you won’t be happy. Skip the photographer that comes off as arrogant, communicate poorly, or just give you a bad gut feeling.

How do They Handle Challenges?

Sometimes the best-laid plans go wonky. You could have a solid plan in place only to find out at the last minute that the homeowner isn’t ready. Or that the weather changes and now there is a massive thunderstorm over the house.

An experienced photographer will know how to handle these challenging situations. They will compensate for that bright afternoon sun streaming in the window. They will brighten up that dark corner in the one room.

Be Wary of Photoshop

While Photoshop is a great tool, be wary of a photographer that wants to photoshop everything. This will increase the cost of the photos and can result in an image that doesn’t look true to the home.

Are They Knowledgeable About the Real Estate Market?

One key point is to look for a photographer that has experience in the real estate market. This can be incredibly valuable for you as the agent.

If they know what the market is doing, they can focus on the hot features. This will help you appeal to buyers and sell your homes quicker.

Do They Communicate Well?

There will come a day when you need pictures done ASAP. You need a photographer that can communicate well and act quickly.

Or what happens when you are with a busy seller. You need to be able to coordinate schedules. The best real estate photographers will be able to answer the phone or promptly return your phone call or text.

A photographer that takes days to get back to you will only make your job harder. Plus it will frustrate your clients who will look to you as the one responsible for the delay.

Work With the Best Real Estate Photographer

I strive to be one of the best real estate photographers in the area. I enjoy working with estate agents to provide quality images that highlight the best features of a home.

When it comes to providing quality service, I focus on prompt and open communication. Your success is important to me, and I look forward to working with you to make your homes shine.

Contact me today, and let’s create some beautiful pictures.