One of the most overlooked factors in real estate photography is the format in which the pictures are presented to whether the local MLS listing agent. It is key to understanding which format will do best for your pictures and most importantly, which ones are a threat to your pictures. The antidote is quite simple, just contact your local MLS agent and ask what format and size works best with their templates. A simple call can spare you a marketing failure.

 

Right Format, Right Size

 

There are plenty of them and these are determined by their extension. The extension is the suffix after the dot, like picture.jpg. Once you know what format you are to use, the dimensions are very important too, so make sure you jot down the numbers given in terms of Width and Height or w x h. Finally, the size of each file (picture) is determined by the quality level setting the camera was set to at the time of the shoot. Commonly it is L, M or H which in turn becomes heavier as quality increases.

 

Photography Tips:

 

Hire a professional photographer with proven experience in architecture or real estate. Ask for samples of his work.

Illumination is the key element, so there should be plenty of it in the right proportions. Remember you can control exposure with your software too.

If you are the photographer, make sure before shooting, that all the camera settings are correct, especially those related to quality level, and color space.

When out of focus and no chance to take another picture, use the smart sharpen feature offered by Photoshop or it equivalent, just do not abuse it for best results.

Optimize your files for web purposes for best results. This is done with the editing software of your choice as prompted by the menu tabs on any software brand.

Scrutinize the final results by actually reviewing the MLS pictures from a random browser just like any prospect buyer or broker would do on his personal research.

 

Photography is an unlimited field subject to many variables that could make you go nuts about what it takes to get satisfactory results. Do not get frustrated by not getting the results you expect, keep making corrections. When everything else fails, hire a pro and buy some peace of mind; you will ask yourself: why I didn't do it before anyway?

 

Miguel Perez Photo Vehicle Portraiture (c)copyright 2006-2010