To truly show off a property and hook a buyer, pictures and video are necessary. HDR photography has quickly become the tool that many photographers are using to compete and present homes in a better light. Standing out visually is the first step for buyers to see a home and start to fall in love with their dream residence. However, HDR photography comes with a bit of a learning curve. Pictures must also show the right angles and present a home in the best light. These are some things that you can do with HDR photography to really let a home sell itself.
1. What is HDR Photography?
You’ve probably heard of HD cameras, but HDR is something different entirely. HDR stands for high dynamic range. This allows a higher light range to be compressed down into one picture. A digital camera usually can take from five to eight stops of light details in a single picture, but the human equivalent is much stronger, seeing up to 12 stops. That means that HDR cameras can capture homes the way they are meant to be seen by the human eye. Cameras that take HDR images take several different pictures and then combine for better details, shadows, highlights, and tones.
2. What Do I Need for HDR Photography?
The first step is getting a digital camera that has the capability to adjust the exposure manually. You also want to have a tripod or at the very least some training on the right photo taking angles for real estate photography. Lastly, you should have a photo-editing program such as Photoshop, Photomatix, GIMP, etc.
3. How Do I Take HDR Photos?
To start with, you have to take several different pictures, each at a different exposure thus capturing the low, middle and high points of light in the range. That means that your camera should have the functions to change the exposure at least down to -2 and up to 2.
4. How Do I Create an HDR Image?
This is where the software comes in. If you have Photoshop or Photomatix, you can create the HDR image by dragging the images together and choosing a setting. You can find out more about how to create HDR images by looking at tutorials on Photoshop or seeing this tutorial on Photomatix.
5. How Do I Use HDR Photos On My Site?
HDR photos truly bring out the best in a home, but you should make sure to take pictures on the best possible lighting day, which means when it’s bright outside with lots of light shining in. The home should be as clean as possible when taking photos of the interior or exterior. Focus on interesting subjects within the home or outside of the home, where the light hits in interesting ways to capture the best HDR footage. With the right lighting, you can create a truly amazing gallery of photos that will likely be the real selling point for those viewing the home online.
P. S. Even though your camera phone and point & shoot camera have “HDR” settings. It’s not going to create a TRUE HDR image. If you’d like to separate yourself from the competition. Give me a call so we can create images which will help you sell more!
