Real estate versus architectural photography I need?

You're about to photograph a property and don't know what style of photos to choose. There are many professional photographers who shoot real estate, but they vary in quality and focus, so it's a good idea to be careful.

We always want to know from clients what style of photography they require, but sometimes it's hard to know the terminology. That's why we have prepared a small overview. But don't worry, any professional architectural photographer should be able to advise you and point you in the right direction.

Real estate photos

Real estate photography aims to quickly photograph a space for sale or long-term lease. The emphasis is on speed of shooting and processing of photos. Furthermore, the price and quality of the photos.

This means that if you are selling an apartment or house and need to put up a listing quickly, then these photos are for you.

Main features of real estate photography:

Time - quick shooting of the premises and quick submission of the final photos

the photo captures everything, showing the layout of the space and what you can find where

minimal post-production

low cost compared to architectural photography

no waiting for the best time of day

short lifetime of the photos ( max 3 months), after the sale of the property you will not use them anymore

Purpose of real estate photos:

selling a house, apartment or land

long-term rental of the property.

for advertisement on the web

Architectural photography

Architectural photography aims to present a space in the best possible light so that the space succeeds in the commercial world. Architectural photography should bring in commissions, lease the space for several years and actually make you money. After seeing the photographs, the customer should feel compelled to buy or visit the destination. Possibly document and capture the architect's vision as faithfully as possible in a more artistic form than real estate photography.

Main features of architectural photography:

Time - we take our time with photography, carefully choosing the angle and what to show. If possible, we wait for the right time of day. Part of the shoot includes staging, where we tweak the furniture and small details to make it all look perfect to the eye.

Post production is another element to fine tune the photo. Post production can take up to a week.

The photo doesn't show everything - the angles are tighter, there's no need to show that here's the toilet, here's going into the hallway. The photo captures the design with an eye on emotion.

The price is higher compared to real estate photos. But photography is meant to make money in the long run, so it has a commercial reach.

Long life photographs last up to 5 years, or a lifetime.

The purpose of architectural photographs:

• Presentation of spaces for developers, architects, designers

• Suitable for selling rooms, hotels, guest houses, restaurants, etc.

• To bring in new clients and customers

• To showcase your work and space

• For web and printed materials

These are the main features of real estate and architectural photography, if you are still not sure what style to choose, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help you.

Why hire a professional photographer for real estate photography?

Whether you are a real estate agent or a private person selling property, it is always important to have a good photo of the property and a nicely prepared text to add to the advert.

In the case of a photo shoot, you usually have to decide whether to shoot it yourself or hire someone to do it.

After all, I can just take my phone and run through the apartment and take pictures and actually save money.

The difference in having a professional take your picture and doing it yourself is not just the price.

According to statistics, the better the photos the faster you sell the property, in percentage terms it's about 30% faster. The number of photos also plays a role. If you only take one photo then the advert will hang on the internet up to 2x longer before anyone notices it.

Friend or professional? Is it worth investing in real estate photos? Properties with professional photos sell more expensive and buyers don't argue so much about lowering the price. In America, the price difference is up to 400,000 crowns. And that really pays off.

Further, today over 90% of those looking for a place, look at listings online, so the need for photos is not up for debate.

In addition to the above statistics, a professional photographer will also save you time and stress. Even when replacing photos with quality ones on the listing, sellers have seen an increase in interest of up to 130%, and better photos usually attract foreign buyers.

Real estate photography vs. architectural.

When to book a real estate photographer and when to book a photographer who, for example, takes photos for architects and hotels.

For me, the price of the property also determines this. If you are selling a bare condo there is no need to hire an expert in architectural photography. But if you are planning to sell a fully furnished villa for a few tens of millions, then investing in quality architectural photography will pay off. Not only does the photographer have the time to wait for the perfect time of day to fine-tune the details and move the furniture around in the interior, he or she also lights the space appropriately and accounts for post-production. Because in the end you're not just selling an expensive villa but a space where people will want to live as soon as they see the photos.

I'm not saying that real estate photographers won't do that kind of work. In our business we focus on the quality of real estate photography, basic interior design, lighting and post production are included but it's not standard. But don't worry a proper pro should be able to advise you on what is suitable for you.

Take your own photos or hire a pro.

If you decide to shoot the space yourself you may run into a few technical things that a pro can solve. Similarly, when choosing a photographer, you should keep an eye out for these things and not be tempted by price alone. So that in the end, your own photos don't look better than the other photographer's.

First, look at his work to see if you like it. And whether it offers what you need.

A pro should be able to:

Choose the right angle.

You can see the inside and the view from the window.

He'll make basic adjustments to the interior to make it look better in the photo.

Works with light.

Has the right technique.

He submits the photos after he edits them in post-production.

Does the photographer need to see the space before he shoots? In the case of real estate photography, this is not necessary. By default, the photographer arrives at the location and takes the photos. He may be alerted to special touches in the space or expensive equipment that should not be missing from the photo.

The time of day plays a role, however.

Real estate photography doesn't allow you to wait for the appropriate time of day and then start shooting. If the photographer has just you to shoot that day, then it is possible to accommodate, but it is not the norm. On the other hand, with architectural photography it is.

A professional photographer should not only save you time, but make you money.

The goal is to sell the space quickly and for the price you want. However, don't expect miracles many factors depend on the sale, but photography is just one of them that you can consciously influence.

Good luck in choosing a photographer and selling the property.

How to prepare a hotel for a photo shoot. Part 1

You have chosen a photographer for your hotel and you know what places in the hotel you want to photograph. But how do you ensure the perfect result? A lot of things can be edited in photoshop, but even that has limited options and if you want the photo to look realistic, then it takes a little preparation. Yes most things can be edited on the spot, but it wastes precious time.

Inspiration is the key.

Don't be afraid to tell the photographer what you like, what works for you and what you found as inspiration and would like to implement.

For more precise communication it's better to post photos as inspiration, this way you have a concrete conversation thanks to the photos. What works best for us is an established board on pinterest where we save suggestions and then consult it together with the client.

Hotel Imperial, Praha

What do I like about the competition?

Don't even bother looking at the competition. You have a favourite hotel that you follow or hate. Because you can show the photographer what you like but also what you don't like. The photographer will have a better idea of your taste. And tailor the shoot for you. Also remember to choose a photographer based on their style - don't expect a photographer who shoots real estate photography to do the same job as a photographer who specializes in architecture and hotels.

Day vs. night shoots. What are the differences in preparation?

There are no big differences between day and night shoots for you as a client. The important thing is to decide ahead of time whether to shoot day, night or both. If you're not sure if day or night photos would suit your hotel better, don't be afraid to ask. But think about the lighting in the room, if there is only one dim light in the room, night photos won't look very good. But conversely if there are lamps and the designer has played with the lighting, why not give it a try. But for night photography, the colour temperature of the bulbs plays a big part - if there are several different coloured light sources in the room, the photo won't turn out well.

Grand Hyatt Doha, Qatar

Architecture photography versus lifestyle photography.

In lifestyle photography we are very limited by the weather. It's better to do a scout day here. When we look at locations and determine the time of the shoot. Also, model and appropriate clothing must be available. It always pays to have a makeup artist and hairstylist available. Compared to architectural photography, lifestyle photos don't get as many taken in a day. However, it all depends on preparedness.

Show the hotel from the outside too.

Day or night photos. Often both are photographed. As with the interior, check the lighting and cleaning outside the hotel. If you're on a busy street, it's better to shoot early in the morning when there are fewer tourists and also fewer cars in front of the hotel. If you can, try to make the area in front of the hotel car-free for the photo shoot. If this is not possible, expect that there will be cars in the photo.

Hotel Kings Court, Praha

When to shoot with a model.

Hotel photos with a model have their place. They're great for social media, marketing materials, additional photos for the website, as introductory photos or as inspiration for what you can do and experience. A photo shoot with a model requires more preparation. First finding the model, makeup, styling, scheduling the location and time of the shoot. But this extra work is worth it.

Hotel Volarik, Mikulov

Be there for the photo shoot.

If possible, be at the shoot, at least at the beginning. Even if you hire a professional hotel photographer, show them what is important to you, what needs to be seen. See right away what can be photographed and what technology no longer allows. You will avoid the unpleasant surprise that the photographer has chosen different angles than you had imagined.

And of course, more people see more and you can point out the little things that bother you.

As you can see it's not much, it's more the little things that speed up the shoot and allow the photographer and his team to focus on other, important things. If you are not sure what to prepare and how to prepare don't hesitate to contact the photographer and he will definitely advise you. We wish you a beautiful and hassle-free photo shoot.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.