real estate photography business plan

How To Start a Real Estate Photography Business: 9 Keys To Success

Starting a real estate photography business can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it’s not without its challenges. Here are ten keys to success that will help you get your business off the ground and running.

Here are the steps you can take to get started on building your very own real estate photography business.

9 Steps to Launching a New Real Estate Photography Business

1. name your real estate photography business.

Give your real estate photography business an identity so people will think of it as a well-known and respected brand. You can take the name of your real estate photography business from your industry, focus on a geographical location, or use your own name among other options.

The main goal for naming your real estate photography business is to make it sound appealing and trustworthy so that people will want to hire you.

2. Determine Your Real Estate Photography Business Model

There are several possible types of business models for a real estate photography business including:

• Selling digital downloads of photos
• Selling physical prints of photos
• Selling photo packages 

No matter which model you choose, make sure that it aligns with your business goals and the services you offer.

3. Choose a Legal Form for Your Business

By incorporating your real estate photography business, you will limit your liability. You can incorporate as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), a C Corporation (C-Corp), or an S Corporation (S-Corp). Or you can operate as a sole proprietorship.

The business structure you choose for your real estate photography business will determine the amount of taxes you pay and which state or federal tax forms you need to file.

Read our article comparing the most common real estate photography business structures .

4. Write a Real Estate Photography Business Plan

All real estate photography business owners should develop a business plan. 

A business plan is a document that outlines the goals, strategies, and operations of a business. It can be used to secure funding from investors or lenders, as well as to guide the day-to-day operations of the business. The business plan should include information on the company’s products or services, market analysis, financial projections, and management team among other things.

Read our article about how to write a real estate photography business plan .

5. Apply for the Necessary Permits and Licenses

There may be required licenses and permits you need to obtain before launching your real estate photography business.

For example, in order to sell your photos online, you will need a business license. 

And if you want to open a studio, there may be zoning permits required.

You must also register your real estate photography business as a legal entity with the state where you plan to do business. You can simply file an online form through your Secretary of State website.

Registering with the federal government is also essential so you can properly pay taxes for your business. You will also need an Employer Identification Number (EIN), which you can apply for at the IRS website, if you plan to hire employees.

Read our article about obtaining the proper real estate photography business licenses .

6. Determine Your Budget & Apply for Funding as Needed

In developing your real estate photography business plan, you will figure out how much funding you need to start and grow your business.

If you have your own funds to invest in your real estate photography business, you may consider taking advantage of that. In addition to your personal funds, other forms of potential funding for your real estate photography business include traditional bank loans, SBA loans, credit cards, angel investors and family and friends.

Read our article about the costs associated with starting a real estate photography business to help you determine if funding is needed. 

7. Get the Technology & Software Needed to Run Your Business Efficiently

When you start your real estate photography business, it’s essential to have the right technology in place to maximize efficiency. You definitely need a computer with Internet access, and accounting software for tracking expenses and revenues. 

You may also want to invest in a customer relationship management (CRM) system to help you manage your clients and prospects. There are many CRMs available, including some that are specific for photographers.

You should also have a professional email address and website for your real estate photography business. You can use a platform like WordPress to create a simple website on your own, or you can hire a web designer to create a more customized site.

If you plan to sell your photos online, you will need eCommerce software, as well.

Read our article about the technology and software you need to run a real estate photography business .

8. Market Your Real Estate Photography Business to Potential Clients

Before you start selling your services , you have to let the world know you exist. The first step is to create a website so people can learn more about your services and how they benefit them.

After you launch your website, start promoting it through social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Also consider networking with other people in the photography industry through social media and blogs so they can help share your business. 

You also need to start gathering the materials needed to execute on your promotions strategy, which is your strategy for attracting new customers. Real estate photography businesses should consider the following promotional strategies for which you should start getting prepared: 

• Creating a portfolio
• Creating an email list
• Photography contests
• Sponsorships
• Collaborations with other vendors

Read our article about how to market your real estate photography business for more tips.

9. Get New Clients & Grow Your Business

When you promote your services , you’ll start to get interest from potential clients . 

Make sure you’re ready to serve these clients . Also, be sure to establish systems to ensure consistency and reduce costs. And be sure to find and train the right people to help you grow your real estate photography business.

Read our article about how to effectively grow your real estate photography business to learn more.

Starting a Real Estate Photography Business FAQs

Why start a real estate photography business.

The real estate photography industry is growing rapidly. Technology has made it possible for anyone with a digital camera to start a business. And there are many opportunities for photographers to make money.

If you have a passion for real estate photography and are creative, you may be able to succeed as a photographer. Then, you can grow your business.

What is Needed to Start a Successful Real Estate Photography Business?

There are several things you need to do to start a successful real estate photography business.

First, you need to develop your skills. You can do this by taking classes, practicing and studying the work of other photographers.

Second, you should create a portfolio of your best work. This will show potential clients what you can do.

Third, you need to get the right technology and software. This will help you run your business efficiently.

Fourth, you need to market your business to potential clients. You can do this through social media, networking and creating promotional materials.

Finally, you need to get new clients and grow your business. You can do this by providing good customer service and finding ways to effectively market your business.

How Can I Start a Real Estate Photography Business From Home?

Start your real estate photography business from home by first developing your skills. Then, create a portfolio of your best work, get the right technology and software, market your business to potential clients, and finally, get new clients to grow your business.

Starting from home has low overhead costs and can be a great way to get your business off the ground. However, you may need to invest in some additional equipment as your business grows.

How Can I Start a Real Estate Photography Business Online?

The first step to starting a real estate photography business online is to create a website. This will be your platform to showcase your work and market your services.

Once you have a website, promote it through social media and other online channels. You can also create an email list of potential clients so you can keep them updated on your latest work.

Finally, make sure your website is optimized for search engines so potential clients can easily find you online.

What are Some Tips for Starting a Real estate Photography Business?

Here are some tips for starting a real estate photography business:

• Develop your skills – Take classes, practice and study the work of other photographers.
• Create a portfolio – This will show potential clients what you can do.
• Get the right technology – This will help you run your business efficiently.
• Market your business – Use social media, network, and create promotional materials.
• Get new clients – Provide good customer service and find ways to effectively market your business.
• Grow your business – Train the right people to help you grow your real estate photography business.

Where Can I Find a Simple Checklist for Starting a Real Estate Photography Business?

A simple checklist to use when starting a real estate photography business is as follows:

• Name Your Real Estate Photography Business : This should be done with care, as your brand is important for attracting the right customers. A simple, memorable name will go a long way.
• Choose a Legal Form for Your Business : Whether you choose to become a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation or another option will depend on your business. Ensure that you are aware of all the implications of each type.
• Determine Your Real Estate Photography Business Model : Determine how your business will make money. Will you sell products, services, or a combination of both?
• Write a Real Estate Photography Business Plan : Your business plan will also help you determine what your start-up costs will be and will provide a roadmap with which you can launch and grow .
• Apply for the Necessary Permits and Licenses : In most locations you will be required to apply for a business license and/or permits before you can begin operations.
• Determine Your Budget & Apply for Funding as Needed : You will need to know how much money you have to spend on all of your business-related expenses before opening any doors. If needed, apply for a small business loan or other funding options.
• Get the Technology & Software Needed to Run Your Business Efficiently : You need to have the right tools in place to succeed. Implement software that will help you manage your time, contacts, and business operations in general.
• Market Your Real Estate Photography Business to Potential Clients : A solid marketing plan will be crucial to your success. It should focus on attracting the right customers so that you can provide them with the services they truly need. 
• Get Clients & Grow Your Business : Once you have a solid marketing plan, it's time to actively pursue and secure those who could benefit the most from your services . 

Starting a real estate photography business can be an exciting and rewarding venture. By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you’ll be on your way to starting a thriving real estate photography business in no time. 

How to Start a Real Estate Photography Business

This business consists of an individual, or a team, who are hired to take quality pictures of properties for sale. The purpose is to attract potential buyers who view the property online.  Due to the competitive nature of the real estate industry, the demand for quality property photos is elevated and perpetual. Proper lighting and point of view helps a property stand out above the competition, driving potential buyers to view the property.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee. Northwest ($29 + State Fees) DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a real estate photography business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Real Estate Photography Business
• Form your Real Estate Photography Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Real Estate Photography Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Real Estate Photography Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Real Estate Photography Business
• Get Real Estate Photography Business Insurance
• Define your Real Estate Photography Business Brand
• Create your Real Estate Photography Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your real estate photography business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Real Estate Photography Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Find a Domain Now

Powered by godaddy.com, what are the costs involved in opening a real estate photography business.

While the growth potential is high, many business owners start out as the sole photographer. This eliminates the need for a physical location, decreasing initial start-up and overhead costs. Industry leaders indicate a budget of $10,000 or less should be sufficient.

To get started, you will need the following items:

• Camera - While you do not need a top-of-the-line model, make sure it has the ability to change out lenses and add a cable release, flash, and wireless trigger.
• Wide and ultra-wide angle lens
• Flashes - You will need several, designed for different sized spaces.
• Light stands
• Editing software - Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and the SLR Lounge Lightroom Preset System come highly recommended
• Dropbox or other file-sharing software

There are a number of franchise opportunities available in this industry as well. While start-up costs are higher, this provides additional resources to investors that could help accelerate enterprise growth. Franchising costs range from $15,500 to $45,000.

What are the ongoing expenses for a real estate photography business?

Until you decide to open a home office, your overhead expenses are fairly minimal. Items you should budget for include:

• Website maintenance - $100 to $1,200 annually
• Accounting software - up to $300 per year
• Editing software - $48 to $150 per year
• Business insurance
• Marketing materials
• Payroll and payroll taxes - hire photographers on a freelance basis to reduce insurance exposure and payroll expenses.

Who is the target market?

Your customers all have one thing in common - they are trying to sell their home or commercial property. They understand the value of publishing quality photos and include this as an essential part of their real estate budget.

How does a real estate photography business make money?

Real estate photographers generate revenue from each shoot and photo delivery. Most charge according to the type of property. When photographing personal property for real estate agents, they are paid prior to or on a shoot and based on the number of images which have been contracted to provide. For commercial clients, a deposit is paid upfront. The remaining balance is invoiced to the customer upon delivery of images.

Pricing varies from $80 to $500 per shoot, depending upon the size of the property being photographed and what part of the country you reside. This includes the photo shoot and delivery of twenty-five to fifty edited photos. Novice real estate photographers are urged to carefully consider their pricing. Undercutting the competition only devalues the entire profession.

How much profit can a real estate photography business make?

Like most startup businesses, it can take one to three years to realize a significant profit. Independent real estate photographers average an annual profit of $50,000, with many exceeding $90,000 per year. Considering the low overhead costs, profits stand to climb exponentially for each freelancer/employee you add to your team.

How can you make your business more profitable?

There are a number of strategies you can implement to maximize your organization’s profits:

• Extend your services to include photos intended for magazines, ads, and other promotional materials. Businesses that might benefit from your work include: builders, resorts, hotels, home stagers, interior designers, restaurants, and nightclubs.
• Partner with property management companies in the community.
• Approach local magazines and offer your services for their regular publications.
• Research what areas of the country are in need of real estate photographers and open satellite offices there.
• Teach photography classes and host seminars.
• Offer online classes.
• Offer instructional videos.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your real estate photography business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they're a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business's debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business's liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your real estate photography business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We've negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

Form Your LLC Now

Note: If you're interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a real estate photography business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Services Contract

Real estate photography businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project.  This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your real estate photography business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Certificate of Occupancy

A real estate photography business can be run out of an office. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

• If you plan to lease a location :
• It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
• Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a real estate photography business.
• After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.  
• If you plan to purchase or build a location :
• You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
• Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your real estate photography business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Real Estate Photography Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Real Estate Photography Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a real estate photography business

In today’s business landscape, every marketing strategy should include a website and an active role on social media sites. For this industry, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, and Tumblr garner the best results. Additionally, The Real Estate Photographers of America & International (REPAI) offers the public an effective way to identify the best in the industry. Photographers are urged to invest in membership and take advantage of this useful tool.

It will also be necessary for you to network within the community. Visit local real estate offices and commercial businesses that are on the market, leaving pamphlets that showcase your work. Ads in real estate magazines and online forums are also an effective way to generate leads.

How to keep customers coming back

To incentivize prospective clients, consider offering a new client discount and offer to re-shoot and re-edit at no additional cost to the customer. Deliver quality service by arriving on time and delivering your images by the defined deadline. It’s also critical that you personally follow up with each client to ensure satisfaction. If you allow just one dissatisfied client to slip through the cracks, it could derail your path to success.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Ideally, individuals with photography experience and an eye for architectural detail will be the best fits. Contacts in the real estate industry are an added bonus. It is also beneficial for the person to enjoy working outside or away from an office setting. Being in the field requires reliable transportation and an ability to transport gear, sometimes on foot for extended amounts of time, as well.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a real estate photography business?

Your time will be split between running the business and being out in the field shooting photos. A typical week will include the following activities:

• Meeting with clients to confirm what parts of the structure they need photographed and if they have any special requests or needs for the photo shoot.
• Surveying property prior to a shoot to get an idea of lighting, time of day for exterior shots, etc.
• Identifying the best angle for each shot and staging the area.
• Editing photos
• Sharing photos with client
• Following up with client to ensure they received images
• Re-shooting or re-editing images
• Administrative work - Entering information into accounting software and paying bills/payroll
• Marketing and networking - Checking in with past clients to see if they have any other properties that need to be photographed, attending realtor’s meetings, and calling real estate agents and businesses, reminding them of the services you offer.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful real estate photography business?

Real estate photography requires an eye for detail, architecture, and lighting. These skills will help deliver photos that require little editing and ensure a smooth post-processing experience. Professionals must possess strong communication skills and should be able to work under the pressure of deadlines.

Individuals who are looking to improve their photography and editing skills should visit Photography for Real Estate . This site offers a number of eBooks, workshops, and videos specific to this industry. They also offer coaching, monthly photo contests, and a flickr group , which is an open forum, designed to provide feedback from the industry’s most successful photographers. Additionally, Real Estate Photographers of America & International (REPAI) has proven to be an invaluable resource, providing advice regarding both photography and the business aspect of growing your enterprise.

Since your long-term success requires a balance between your photography prowess and business acumen, novice entrepreneurs are urged to take a business planning course before getting started.

What is the growth potential for a real estate photography business?

A growing number of real estate consumers are realizing that professional-quality staging and photography can add value to a real estate listing. For this reason, the demand for real estate photographers is high, allowing businesses to decide for themselves exactly how much volume they accept.

Before entering the industry, however, photographers are advised to research their area to define market saturation and identify specific industry needs that are not currently being met. To further expand their businesses, many business owners have opened satellite offices in other areas of the country.

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Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a real estate photography business?

Before getting started, consider these insider tips from experienced real estate photographers:

• Prior to the shoot, send each client a task list. This should include suggestions on how to prep the property.
• Plan ahead for the seasonal lulls. From November to January and August to September, the work will be inconsistent. With the right marketing strategy in place, you should be able to find work year round.
• Always work to sharpen your photography skills by shooting every day, regardless of the subject, and trying strategies.
• Be flexible. You may have to revisit a property multiple times to capture proper lighting.
• Carefully review their rules before partnering with a large real estate company. Many of them require a non-compete contract and offer minimal compensation for your work.
• While you don’t need the most expensive equipment, make sure you’ve invested in a Digital Single-lens Reflex (DSLR) camera, an ultra-wide angle lens, and a tripod.
• Provide your clients with both web-based and full resolution photos.
• In real estate, timing is everything. Consistently offer quick turnaround on your jobs.
• To ensure you are properly compensated, require clients sign a contract that defines the details of your job, as well as what you require of them.
• Google Maps and Google Earth are great tools for determining the best time of day to shoot the outside of the property.

How and when to build a team

The size of your team should be consistent with the amount of business available. When your organization is busy enough to warrant hiring employees, conduct a thorough background check on each candidate. It is your job to ensure your clients and their possessions are safe from your company’s representatives.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• East Coast Virtual Tours & Photography Franchise opportunity
• Real Estate Photographers of America & International

Real World Examples

• Ann Arbor business
• Atlanta business
• NYC business

Further Reading

• Getting Started in Real Estate Photography
• Real Estate License Requirements

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

8 Steps To Starting A Real Estate Photography Business

To lead a real estate photography business, it either requires an individual or a team who are paid to take high-quality photographs of houses for sale. Photography is a crucial component in the real estate industry. It aids in making a stronger impression on potential customers.

There are numerous benefits to working in the real estate photography industry. One benefit is independence, as the schedule is more flexible than a traditional 9-to-5 job. Furthermore, prepare to bid farewell to the crowds. This job entails avoiding congested areas and not hustling to get to work on time.

However, you can't get into the real estate photography business without professionalism. Each shot should emphasize the real estate building's principal purpose.

Before embarking on the many stages of real estate photography, it is critical to understand the subject thoroughly. Read on to find out more information on how to get started in this industry.

What Does A Real Estate Photographer Do?

People might take real estate photography as a piece of cake. However, in reality, a lot of work goes into it. If you're interested in photographing houses or commercial properties, you can choose one or the other. To begin a real estate photography business, you must be prepared to wear multiple hats.

A real estate photographer's job entails more than just taking pictures. You need to invest time and resources in home staging, photo editing, marketing, and sales. While photo editing can take as long as the session itself, you won't have that luxury when it comes to real estate photos.

Realtors often have a 24- to 48-hour turnaround time for real estate images, but this isn't always the case. In the real estate photography business, the most common method of employment is working with real estate agents to photograph homes or commercial properties for web listings. There are also real estate stock photographs that you may wish to examine.

Step 1: Plan your business and branding

If you're starting your photography business, begin planning your business and branding. Without doing that, you won't be able to make your individual space in the industry and stand out among thousands of other real estate photography businesses.

You will have to map out the specifics of your real estate photography business plan thoroughly to ensure that you have a clear idea about what you'll have to deal with.  

What Are The Startup And Ongoing Costs?

Despite the massive potential for growth, many photographers start as sole practitioners. So, the costs of setting up and running a physical presence are decreased. Experts say a $10,000 budget is sufficient.

To start your own photography business, you'll need:

• To take better photos, make sure your camera has interchangeable lenses, a cable release, a flash, and a wireless trigger
• Wide-angle and telephoto lenses
• Dropbox or other file sharing system
• Equipment insurance

There are various ways to enter into the franchise industry. Despite increased start-up costs, investors have more resources to help build the company. A franchise can cost from $15,500 to $45,000 to buy.

You will save money if you don't start a home office right away. Expenses to budget for include:

• Accounting software might cost up to $300 each year to maintain
• Editing software costs $48, up to $150 each year
• Business insurance
• Fuel costs have soared recently
• Promotional items
• Using freelance photographers lowers payroll taxes and insurance costs

Who Is Your Target Market?

They all have one thing in common: they're trying to sell their house or business. As part of their real estate budget, they appreciate the need to post high-quality images of their properties.

How Much Can You Charge Customers?

A single photoshoot costs between $80 to $500, depending on the size of the property and where the house or business is situated. This package includes 25-50 edited images. Photographers new to the real estate market should consider their pricing approach seriously. Trying to undercut competitors only works to diminish the profession's status.

How Will You Name Your Business?

An important and challenging decision must be made when naming a new product. If you run a sole proprietorship, you should consider using a different business name than your own.

When deciding on a business name, conduct the following checks:

• Records of companies in your state
• Record keeping on federal and state trademarks
• Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites
• Availability of web domain names

If you can't come up with a name yourself, you can take the assistance of a real estate photography business name generator. It may help you come up with appropriate real estate photography business names.

Once you have decided on a name, you must acquire your domain name before anyone else does.

What's Your Specialty?

Real estate photography is a specialized field. It will never be as mainstream as portrait, landscape photography, or other photography fields. However, this means you have a better chance of getting more clients and generating more money. So, you must proclaim your specialty in real estate photography. That will allow relevant clients to reach out to you.

Step 2: Get The Paperwork Right

This is an important step that you cannot skip unless you're already a professional photographer.

Form A Legal Entity

Partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation, and limited liability company (LLC) are the most popular business structures.

If your real estate photography business is sued, having a formal entity as a corporation or LLC protects you personally. For a small fee, you can either form an LLC yourself or use one of the Best LLC Services.

Register For Tax

Before starting a business, you'll need to register for several federal and state taxes. You will need to request an EIN to register for taxes. It's really simple and completely free!

Depending on which business form you choose, you may have different taxation options for your company. For instance, some LLCs can benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

There may be state-specific taxes that apply to your company.

Open Your Business Bank Account

Asset protection requires separate banking and credit accounts from personal assets.

Because your finances are intertwined, your personal possessions (such as your house, car, and other belongings) are at risk. This is called piercing your corporation's veil.

It's also possible to obtain corporate-branded credit cards and other finance by learning how to create company credit.

Open A Business Bank Account

This protects your assets by separating them from the resources of your business. It also makes tax and accounting preparation easier.

Set up a net-30 account now

Use net-30 vendors to develop your business credit. "Net-30" is a company credit plan where the supplier is paid within 30 days after receiving products or services.

Companies that need items urgently but lack finances may employ net-30 credit arrangements.

A company's credit accounts are reported to Experian Commercial, Equifax, and Dun & Bradstreet Commercial Credit.

Get A Business Credit Card

Personal and business expenses can be easily distinguished by putting all of your company expenditures in one place.

It also builds the credit history of your firm, which might assist you in the future in raising finances and attracting investment.

Business Insurance

Like licenses and permits, insurance is necessary for safe and legal operation. Business insurance helps protect your company's finances in the event of a covered loss.

There are numerous insurance policies tailored for various types of businesses. If you're unsure about your company's risks, start with General Liability Insurance. Small companies frequently require this type of coverage, so it's a brilliant place to start.

Many firms also require Workers' Compensation Insurance. If you employ individuals, your state may require you to obtain Workers' Compensation Insurance.

Step 3: Make Sure You Have The Equipment

Setting up a real estate photography business requires the correct equipment. The best part is that they aren't too pricey or rare.

A camera is obviously the most basic piece of photography equipment. It doesn't have to be expensive to work. If the company is new, a simple camera will do. But if you can, get a better camera to focus faster and take better photos.

Lens, Tripod, And Flash

You'll also need a wide-angle lens and a sturdy tripod. These should cover most creative real estate photography bases. But ensure that it must be a crop-compatible ultra-wide-angle lens. Just about any camera body will do, and the outcome will be attractive images.

A rudimentary wireless flash might also be worthwhile to Illuminate the background. It is a diffuser with a softbox and umbrella.

Real estate drone photography can provide dramatic, eye-catching photos that help a home stand out online. Drones can be used to create a virtual tour of a property, taking viewers through each room.

Drones can generate sweeping landscape images and show off a vast home, but they can't replace your trusty DSLR camera for interior shots.

If you want to shoot real estate with a drone, be aware that they can be expensive, starting at around $1000 and rising from there.

Aside from a typical property photography contract, a drone-operating contract is required due to additional legal requirements.

Virtual tours are becoming increasingly popular among real estate agents in 2021. You'll need a real estate 360 camera to make one, and RICOH THETA can be an excellent option for that.

RICOH THETA Z1 has two 1-inch sensors. It can take high-quality 360-degree photographs, making it one of the most popular virtual tour cameras. An auto HDR (bright colors, high contrast) mode is also included.

Step 4: Invest In Software And Tools

To fine-tune your photos, you'll need professional photo editing software like Adobe Creative Cloud or Lightroom. Moreover, tools like RICOH360 Tours help you create, edit, share and analyze virtual tours conveniently.

RICOH360 Tours was built with mainly real estate agents in mind. This software makes it simple to construct virtual tours for real estate listings. You may easily integrate and enhance your photographs and make virtual tours for your website or listing sites quickly.

Step 5: Brush Up Your Skills

It takes attention to detail, architecture, and lighting. Less editing is required with these talents, creating a seamless post-processing experience. Professionals must be able to communicate effectively and work under time constraints. So, it is essential to educate yourself in the field to brush up on your skills.

You can enroll in a photography school for a degree or a short-term real estate photography course. Moreover, various online real estate photography courses are available through Udemy or Coursera that teach both skill and business.

Joining an online photography group to learn from others and practice with your camera and equipment is another wonderful way to gain real-world experience. Find local Facebook or Meetup groups to meet and learn from other photographers.

Step 6: Setup Your Website

Everyone looks up online to research about any service or a business now. So, finding clients without a website has become undeniably difficult.

A website is the finest way to promote the photographer's services. What better way to interact with your online community than to create a website? Prospective clients can browse images and sample projects online. These assist them in understanding what the photographer can offer.

Filming your own place might help build a portfolio. Or do a free photoshoot at a friend's house or room.

Use Adobe or Photoshop to enhance your photos and emphasize key features of a home or room. But remember, editing isn't about filters and an unneeded backdrop. You can keep it simple and still show the room's key features.

The portfolio should contain the best projects. So, make sure you give preference to quality over quantity. Clients will look at your productions, not your project images. Choose 10-15 high-quality photographs to show.

Also include client reviews as testimonials on your website. People reading words of praise from other people about your business is more convincing than telling them about yourself. So, encourage your clients to give feedback which you can then post on your website.

Step 7: Learn About Sales / Marketing Activities

Creating an excellent web photographic portfolio is the best way to promote your real estate photography business. It allows potential clients to see all of your real estate photographs and drone photos in one place, along with your real estate photography pricing page.

A well-designed website can also be used to find new clients. With SEO, you can help customers find your website when searching for local real estate photography services. Moreover, when they run a search query regarding real estate photography, your page will appear on the first page. It will get you the desired attention to grow your business.

Attend networking events and mingle. Mention your portfolio and hand over your real estate photography cards.

Call realtors and pitch your services: contact at least 200 realtors or motels. Stopping after ten calls is not an option. Start with 50 phone calls. Let's see how many of those meetings turn into sales. This can help you figure out how many people to contact to start the business.

Don't fear. This won't be the end of your photography career! Once you have clients, they can tell other people, and you will be sought after. But first, you must reach out.

Social Media

Get your real estate photography company on social media. My favorite social networking sites are Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and others focused on sharing photographs and videos.

Attempt to gain more followers because more followers mean more clients.

Famous hotel brands or real estate agencies may approach you if you have a large following. They may be able to offer you discounts that benefit both you and their company.

Interacting with your target audience on social media is a great way to learn about them. They can provide you with feedback in the form of likes and comments.

Consider incorporating some behind-the-scenes images. These may show your good setup and forethought.

With a huge following, you may be able to explore other fields of photography. There are real estate photographers who moved towards the hotel and then interior photography.

Reach Out To Local Agents

If your company is still in its early stages, speaking with local real estate brokers is a good idea. Showcase the greatest images from featured properties' various locales.

Step 8: Build A Relationship With Clients

Your real estate photography business can develop a steady client base. There may be hotels or real estate brokers who are exclusively interested in doing business with you. Staying in touch with them will help your business grow exponentially.

Keeping an existing customer is usually less expensive than acquiring a new one. Treat your current customers well. You can occasionally provide discounts. Alternatively, create a customer loyalty program.

Make sure you follow up with your clients regularly. Thank them for selecting you and check to see whether they are happy.

Ask For Reviews

After the service is completed, ask your clients for positive feedback. You can put them on your website as a display. Alternatively, you may make a social media post about them.

Word-of-mouth advertising is the most effective type of marketing. People tend to believe what other people have to say about a firm.

Wrapping Up

When launching a real estate photography business, preparation and strategy are essential. Moreover, money and time will also be of vital importance to get started.

However, if you do it right, your hard work will surely pay off. To obtain excellent results, keep learning and mastering new talents. Doing this will help you score more real estate photography jobs.

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Real Estate Photography

Back to All Business Ideas

How to Start a Real Estate Photography Business

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on April 22, 2023 Updated on August 6, 2024

Investment range

$5,900 - $10,800

Revenue potential

$52,000 - $208,000 p.a.

Time to build

Profit potential

$46,800 - $83,200 p.a.

Industry trend

Important elements to think about when starting your real estate photography business:

• Invest in high-quality photography equipment — Purchase professional-grade cameras, lenses, drones, and other necessary equipment to capture high-quality images and videos of properties. Ensure you have backup equipment to handle any situation.
• Obtain necessary permits and licenses — Ensure you have all the required permits and licenses to operate your photography business legally. This includes business licenses, drone operation permits, and any other local or state-specific requirements.
• Develop a strong online presence — Create a professional website to showcase your portfolio, provide information about your services, and enable online bookings. Maintain active profiles on social media platforms to engage with potential clients and share your latest work.
• Build a portfolio showcasing diverse and high-quality real estate photos — Develop a portfolio that highlights your best work across various property types and settings. Include both interior and exterior shots to demonstrate your versatility and skill.
• Collaboration with real estate agents — Establish partnerships with real estate agents and agencies to secure a steady stream of clients. Offer special packages or discounts to agents who refer clients to your business.
• Online booking software — Implement an online booking system to streamline the booking process for your clients. This can include scheduling, invoicing, and managing client information.
• Editing and software — Invest in professional photo and video editing software to enhance the quality of your work. Consider using software like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro for editing and post-processing.
• Register your business — A limited liability company (LLC) is a good legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple. Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the best LLC services on the market.
• Legal business aspects — Register for taxes, open a business bank account, and get an EIN . Ensure you comply with all legal requirements and industry regulations.
• Marketing and promotion — Use a mix of online marketing, networking with real estate professionals, and participating in industry events to promote your photography services. Highlight your expertise, portfolio, and unique services to attract clients.
• Client management and communication — Provide excellent customer service and maintain clear communication with your clients throughout the entire process. This includes pre-shoot consultations, prompt responses to inquiries, and timely delivery of final photos and videos.

You May Also Wonder:

Is a real estate photography business profitable?

Real estate photography can be very profitable. You can charge $300 or more for each  shoot. You just need to build solid relationships with realtors in your area.

What is the growth potential of a real estate photography business?

You can grow your real estate photography business locally and hire a team to handle higher client volumes. If you’re successful and ambitious, it might even be possible to franchise your business.

Can you start a real estate photography business on the side?

A real estate photography business can be a great side hustle. You’ll just need to schedule your photo shoots in your free time. Eventually, you could turn it into a full time business if you’re successful.

How do I get my first real estate photography client?

Your best bet is to visit real estate agencies to offer your services directly. You can also network with realtors on LinkedIn or place paid ads on LinkedIn. Sometimes local real estate groups hold networking events that you could attend.

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Pros and cons.

• Follow your photography passion
• Help homeowners sell their homes
• Fast growing market
• Need relationships with real estate agents
• Business fluctuates with real estate market

Real estate photography industry trends

Industry size and growth.

• Industry size and past growth – The U.S. real estate photography industry is worth $284.3 million in 2023 after expanding 5.7% annually the last five years.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/market-size/real-estate-photography-united-states/ ))
• Growth forecast – The U.S. real estate photography industry is projected to grow 2.6% in 2023.
• Number of businesses – In 2023, 6,814 real estate photography businesses are operating in the U.S.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/real-estate-photography-united-states/ ))

Trends and challenges

• Drone photography is increasingly popular for real estate
• Virtual and 3D tours are a great way to showcase a home’s features and size

Challenges 

• More photographers are entering the market, boosting competition
• Real estate market instability is cutting into revenues for photographers 

Demand hotspots

• Most popular states – The most popular states for photographers are New York, Connecticut, and Utah. (( https://www.zippia.com/photographer-jobs/best-states/#iowa ))
• Least popular states – The least popular states for photographers are Nevada, Delaware, and Rhode Island.

What kind of people work in real estate photography?

• Gender –   62% of photographers are female, while 38% are male. (( https://www.zippia.com/photographer-jobs/demographics/ ))
• Average level of education – The average photographer has a bachelor’s degree.
• Average age – The average photographer in the US is 39 years old.

How much does it cost to start a real estate photography business?

Startup costs for a real estate photography business range from $6,000 to $10,000. Costs include cameras and equipment, as well as a vehicle to transport your equipment.

You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your real estate photography business, including: 

• Wide angle lens
• Lights and light stands
• Photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom

How much can you earn from a real estate photography business?

A real estate photography job should pay about $100 to $300, or more for larger homes. These calculations assume $200 per job and a strong profit margin, if you’re working by yourself, of 90%. 

In your first year or two, you could work from home and photograph five homes a week, bringing in $52,000 in revenue. This would mean $46,800 in profit, assuming that 90% margin. 

As you gain traction, sales could climb to 20 homes per week. At this stage, you might have an office and hire staff, reducing your margin to around 40%. With annual revenue of $208,000, you’d make a tidy profit of more than $83,000.

What barriers to entry are there?

There are a few barriers to entry for a real estate photography business. Your biggest challenges will be:

• Having excellent photography skills
• Standing out in an increasingly competitive market

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Step 2: hone your idea.

Now that you know what’s involved in starting a real estate photography business, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market. 

Market research could give you the upper hand even if you’ve got the perfect product. Conducting robust market research is crucial, as it will help you better understand your customers, your competitors, and the broader business landscape.

Why? Identify an opportunity

Research real estate photography businesses in your area to examine their services, price points, and customer reviews.

• Make a list of real estate photography businesses that offer similar services. 
• Review your competitors’ services – their features, pricing, and quality – and marketing strategies
• Check out their online reviews and ratings on Google, Yelp, and Facebook to get an idea of what their customers like and dislike.
• Identify your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. 

This should identify areas where you can strengthen your business and gain a competitive edge to make better business decisions.

You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing an architectural photography business or a real estate photography company that takes drone photos. 

You might consider targeting a niche, such as aerial photography.

This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away. 

What? Determine your services

Your real estate photos should include interior shots and exterior shots. You could also create 3D and virtual tours. 

How much should you charge for real estate photography?

Expect $150 to $250 per job, but your prices will vary based on the size of the home and the services you provide. Check competitor prices in your area. Later, when you have employees, you’ll need to consider costs when determining prices.

Once you know your costs, use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify your target market

Your target market is going to be largely realtors, with whom you’ll aim to develop relationships so they consistently hire you for jobs. Find real estate agents on LinkedIn, Zillow, and other real estate websites. 

Where? Choose your business premises

In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out an office. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist , Crexi , and Instant Offices .

When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:

• Central location accessible via public transport
• Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
• Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
• Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed

Step 3: Brainstorm a Real Estate Photography Business Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “real estate photography” or “property photography”, boosts SEO
• Name should allow for expansion, for ex: “Panorama Property Portrayals” and “Blueprint Visions” over “Luxury Listings Imagery” and “Homestead Highlights”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

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Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead and reserve your business name with your state, start the trademark registration process, and complete your domain registration and social media account creation. 

Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick a name, reserve it and start with the branding, it’s hard to switch to a new name. So be sure to carefully consider your choice before moving forward. 

Step 4: Create a Real Estate Photography Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A brief overview highlighting the focus of your real estate photography business, its goals, and market niche.
• Business Overview: An outline of your business offering professional photography services for real estate agents, homeowners, and property developers.
• Product and Services: Description of services including interior and exterior photography, virtual tours, aerial drone photography, and image editing.
• Market Analysis: Analysis of the real estate market, demand for professional photography, and trends in property marketing.
• Competitive Analysis: Overview of competitors in the real estate photography market, their service offerings, and pricing strategies.
• Sales and Marketing: Strategy for attracting clients through online marketing, partnerships with real estate agencies, and portfolio showcasing.
• Management Team: Information about the individuals running the business, their photography experience, and business management skills.
• Operations Plan: Outline of daily operations such as scheduling shoots, post-processing images, and client delivery processes.
• Financial Plan: Financial projections including pricing structure, operating expenses, revenue streams, and profitability forecast.
• Appendix: Additional resources like a portfolio of past work, client testimonials, and detailed service descriptions.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose where to register your company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you are planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to real estate photography businesses. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose your business structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your real estate photography business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company ( LLC ) – Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.  Here’s how to form an LLC .
• C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.  Read how to start a corporation here .
• S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC , which just need to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have. 

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

We recommend ZenBusiness as the Best LLC Service for 2024

Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number , or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you are completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans: This is the most common method but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans: The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants: A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding: Websites like  Kickstarter  and  Indiegogo  offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like  Fundable  and  WeFunder  enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal: Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a real estate photography business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.  

Step 8: Apply for Business Licenses/Permits

Starting a real estate photography business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your real estate photography business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account. 

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked, yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability: The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business Property: Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation: Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property: Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto: Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability: Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP): This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential software and tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.  

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as UBOOKR or ULeadz , to manage your clients, scheduling, invoicing, and payments. 

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , Freshbooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.

Create a website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism. You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

Your customers are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. SEO will help your website appear closer to the top in relevant search results, a crucial element for increasing sales. 

Make sure that you optimize calls to action on your website. Experiment with text, color, size, and position of calls to action such as “Schedule Now”. This can sharply increase purchases. 

Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:

• Showcase Before-and-After Shots: Offer potential clients a visual transformation by showcasing before-and-after photos of properties you’ve photographed, highlighting your ability to enhance the appeal of a space.
• Social Media Sneak Peeks: Leverage platforms like Instagram and Facebook to provide sneak peeks of your latest projects, creating anticipation and showcasing your expertise to a broader audience.
• Start and Maintain a Blog : A blog can serve as a powerful tool to showcase your work, share your expertise, and improve your website’s SEO.
• Collaborate with Realtors: Partner with local real estate agents to offer discounted package deals, creating a mutually beneficial relationship that can lead to regular referrals and increased visibility.
• Virtual Staging Services: Expand your services to include virtual staging, allowing clients to envision the potential of an empty space and providing an additional revenue stream for your business.
• Interactive 360-Degree Tours: Differentiate your offerings by incorporating interactive 360-degree tours, providing a more immersive experience for potential buyers and setting your business apart from competitors.
• Client Testimonials and Case Studies: Gather testimonials from satisfied clients and create case studies that highlight the impact of your photography on property sales, building trust and credibility.
• SEO Optimization for Local Searches: Optimize your online presence for local search engines, ensuring that your business appears prominently when potential clients search for real estate photography services in your area.
• Drone Photography Specialization: Invest in drone photography capabilities to capture unique aerial perspectives, appealing particularly to clients with larger properties or those in scenic locations.
• Educational Workshops for Realtors: Host workshops or webinars to educate real estate agents on the importance of high-quality photography in property listings, positioning yourself as an expert in the field.
• Referral Programs for Previous Clients: Encourage word-of-mouth marketing by implementing referral programs that reward previous clients for recommending your services to friends, family, or colleagues in the real estate industry.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that sets it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your real estate photography business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your real estate photography business could be: 

• Stunning photos that sell homes fast 
• Gorgeous 3D tours of the best homes 
• The best real estate drone images in the region 

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a real estate photography business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in real estate photography for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in real estate photography. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. 

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a real estate photography business include:

• Photography Assistant – assist with photo shoots
• Photographers – handle client projects
• General Manager – scheduling, accounting

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Real Estate Photography Business – Start Making Money!

Real estate photography has boomed in recent years, and you can get a piece of the action while following your passion and helping people sell their homes. Eventually, you could have a whole team of photographers and build a local real estate photo empire. 

Now that you’ve got some business savvy, it’s time to grab your camera and become the next big real estate photographer!

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• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Real Estate Photography Business Name
• Create a Real Estate Photography Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund your Business
• Apply for Business Licenses/Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Real Estate Photography Business - Start Making Money!

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How To Start a Real Estate Photography Business

A real estate photography business involves an individual or a team who takes visually appealing photos of real property to attract buyers or renters. Your job as a real estate photographer is to help your clients make a sale. Your videos and photos will serve as marketing material.

Since you’re helping clients make money, your service is highly valued. This makes real estate photography a lucrative business.

This guide will teach you how to start a real estate photography business. We cover everything from creating your business plan to forming a legal entity and marketing.

Table of Contents

How much does it cost to start a real estate photography business?

Starting a real estate photography business can cost you anything from a few thousand dollars to over $10,000 , depending on your setup.

The reason is that buying equipment takes up the largest chunk of the startup cost. For example, a high-grade DSLR camera costs around $2,000 , while a single lens can reach up to $1,000 . So, if you are already a professional photographer with a good camera, laptop for editing, and lenses, you won’t be spending much.

If you’re starting from scratch, you may need at least $10,000 to get your real estate photography business set up.

The start-up costs of a real estate photography business will include equipment, business registration, and a business website, among others.

Create a business plan.

The first step to starting a real estate photography business is to create a business plan . This plan will guide your business decisions, from how you market your services to how you price your professional services. It will also address how you hope to fund your business and make profits.

A well-drafted business plan should reveal whether or not your business will be viable.

Your real estate photography business plan should address the following:

Choose a real estate photography niche

What type of real estate photography services do you wish to offer? Are you looking to focus on commercial properties, real estate drone photography, interior photography, virtual tours, or do everything real estate?

You can also start doing everything expected of a real estate photographer and later niche down.

You can command better rates as a specialist in a particular niche. Also, having a specific niche allows you to tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.

Define your target audience.

As a real estate photographer, your target market will likely include real estate agents, home sellers, Airbnb owners, hotel managers, and anybody looking to attract people to their property.

Identifying your target audience will further help you target your marketing message by speaking to their pain points and desires. Speaking directly to prospective clients is key to being hired and building a successful business.

Check out the competition.

To start a successful real estate photography business, it’s essential to know what other real estate photographers near you are doing. What services are they offering? How are they pricing their packages? What’s one thing you could offer to make potential clients choose you over others?

By conducting local market research, you can understand the nature of the real estate market in your city and how to make yourself stand out among your competitors.

Decide on a pricing plan.

Real estate photography goes beyond just taking one or two photos of a building. It involves the high-grade equipment used, photo editing, and lots more. Real estate photography pricing should be based on your time and effort.

That said, you may charge a flat rate per square footage of the property, the number of photos taken, or in the form of packages. A package may include five regular images and one real estate drone photography footage. Another higher-priced package may include more units.

Just be sure your pricing is clear and potential customers know what to expect when hiring you.

Form a business entity.

One of the most crucial steps to starting a real estate photography business is forming it as a legal entity. This is also known as incorporating your business. It involves choosing and registering a business structure with your Secretary of State.

On registering your real estate photography business, it becomes legally recognized as a separate entity independent of you, the business owner, thereby giving you personal liability protection.

Read on to learn how to start a real estate photography business legally.

Name your business

This name must be unique. Do a name search on your Secretary of State’s website to ensure another business isn’t using your preferred name already.

It’s also wise to do a trademark search to avoid using a trademarked name and incurring lawsuits from another company.

Choose a business entity.

These are the three common business structures most professional photographers adopt:

Sole proprietorship : The biggest benefit of a sole proprietorship business is that it doesn’t require filing any paperwork with the state, making it appealing to small business owners. Starting your photography business already makes you a sole proprietor, and the business takes your name.

The downside is that sole proprietorship doesn’t offer you personal liability protection. Hence, if your business is sued or can’t repay debts, your personal assets as the business owner will be used to settle. Imagine losing your home because of a lawsuit against your business. As a sole proprietor, you’ll report income and expenses on your personal tax return. This is because a sole proprietorship business automatically takes the business owner’s name.

If you choose to run your real estate photography business as a sole proprietor, it’s best to register a DBA name (Doing Business As) with your state. This will be the trade name you’ll use to work. Registering a DBA is not the same as registering the business itself.

Limited Liability Company : A limited liability company (LLC) is arguably the best business structure for small business owners, such as real estate photographers. Although it requires paperwork, unlike a sole proprietorship, an LLC offers liability protection. The company becomes a separate entity responsible for its own debts, lawsuits, and taxes. Hence, your personal assets will be unaffected even if things go south with your business. 

Corporation : This offers you the same liability protection as an LLC. However, most real estate photographers do not need to form a corporation as it’s more complex than required for this line of business. However, a corp is the way to go if you wish to seek funding and have other shareholders.

Registering your real estate photography business as an LLC or corporation officially becomes a company.

Register your business

As mentioned, you do not need to register a sole proprietorship business, although you may legally assign it a DBA name.

If you choose to form an LLC or corp to enjoy liability protection and reputation, register it following the steps below:

• Provide your business name
• Choose a registered agent. This person or company will receive services of process and other legal/official documents on your company’s behalf.
• File Articles of Organization (for LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (for corp).
• Provide your business address.
• Write an operating agreement outlining how responsibilities and profits are shared in your business. This document isn’t required but is good to have.
• Register for state and federal taxes.
• Check if your state has any other specific requirements.

If all that feels too complicated or time-consuming, online business formation services can help, such as  Northwest Registered Agent , Incfile , Zenbusiness ,  and  LegalZoom . These services can help you file your real estate photography business registration quickly and even serve as your registered agent. They take the pain out of legalizing your business.

Also, remember you have to provide a business address when filing your real estate photography business. However, most real estate photography businesses do not need a commercial office space. Also, it’s advisable not to use your home address since this address will go into public records. Plus, potential clients who see you work from home may not take you as seriously as when you have a commercial presence.

To solve this problem, obtain a  virtual business address  from a service provider. This will be a real street address in a commercial part of the city, enhancing your professional image. You do not necessarily have to work from that address, so this saves you the money you’d have used to rent and maintain a commercial property.

Secure your EIN

Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) online for free from the IRS. This ten-digit number serves as the SSN for your company and is required for business tax and opening a business account. Your EIN will also be required if you wish to employ staff in your real estate photography business.

You don’t need an EIN as a sole proprietor since everything goes into your tax return.

Buy domain name

If your business is Beautiful Home Photos LLC, you want your website to be beautifulhomephotos [dot] com . Buy this domain quickly, even though you’re not yet ready to build the website. This prevents someone from taking it while you’re busy setting up your business.

Get a business bank account and business credit card

Having a business bank account and credit card reinforces keeping your personal and business finances separate.

Open a business bank account.

Your EIN will be required to open a business bank account. This account will handle all income, expenses, and debts associated with your photography work. 

Get a business credit card.

With this credit card, you can obtain credit and make payments on behalf of your business. It will not affect your credit since it’s separate. Be sure to pay back on time, as a good business credit history will be useful when seeking funding later.

Seek funding

Suppose you do not have enough capital to purchase the advanced gear required of a professional real estate photographer. In that case, you may raise money through small business loans or use your business credit card for purchases.

Setting up your real estate photography studio

Your studio will be more or less your office space (perhaps a home office) where you edit your real estate images.

Speaking of which, as a professional real estate photographer, you’d typically need different photo editing software and skills from a wedding photographer. You’ll want to learn virtual staging to digitally add furniture and decor to an empty room to create a beautifully staged property.

This can blow your client’s mind away and attract prospective home buyers. Because, think about it, an empty room is not as inviting as a fully furnished one.

It’s also good to learn how to create 2D floor plans of a property and 3D tours. It’s all about using technology to process the videos and photos.

Remember that you’re helping your Realtor and home seller clients to market their properties, so you want to position the property in the best light possible.

Get the right photography equipment and tools.

The photos and videos must be sensational enough to make potential buyers or renters crave the property. Here are the equipment and tools you need as a professional real estate photographer.

• DSLR Camera : ~$2,000
• Two or three wide-angle lens : ~$1,000
• Tripod : ~$200
• Remote shutter release : $20 – $100
• External flash or strobes : $100 – $500
• Drone for aerial shots : ~$3,000
• Light modifiers : $50 – $200
• Light stands : $30 – $100
• Memory cards : $30 – $100 (per card)
• Powerful laptop for photo editing : $1,000 – $2,500
• External hard drives : $100 – $300 (per drive)
• Editing software : $10 – $50 per month (subscription)
• HDR software : $50 – $150
• Virtual staging software : $20 – $100 (per month)
• Equipment travel cases : ~$500
• Business management software : $10 – $50 per month (subscription)

Create client contracts

Create a contract that lays out everything you and your clients should expect from each other. It should cover the payment terms, project timeline, range of services you’ll cover, etc.

You may hire a lawyer to create the contract from scratch or use a template online and have a lawyer review it for accuracy.

Get business insurance

Business insurance is vital for your real estate photography business so you don’t settle out of pocket when your equipment gets suddenly damaged or stolen. Moreover, some clients only want to hire insured professionals to avoid problems when there is a loss or injury on their property.

There are many kinds of insurance, but general liability insurance should be enough for most professional photographers.

Set up business accounting.

Set up business accounting to monitor cash flow, business expenses, credit, etc. This will make your tax filing easier. Use accounting software or hire a virtual assistant offering accounting and tax filing services.

Get business licenses and permits.

Inquire from your local photography community to know what licenses and permits are required in your state.

Promoting your real estate photography business

We can’t discuss how to start a real estate photography business without mentioning the importance of marketing. You need good marketing skills to start landing high-value real estate photography jobs. The sooner you start getting hired, the quicker you grow.

Here are marketing strategies for real estate photography businesses:

Create your real estate photography portfolio website

A portfolio website is a real estate photographer’s most valuable marketing tool. Your portfolio shows how good you are and what kind of photos and videos clients should expect. Your portfolio website is your best marketer as a professional photographer, so put your best works in there to attract clients.

Start a real estate blog.

Blog about selling a home, commercial property marketing, home staging, etc. Anything relevant to real estate agents, home sellers, and Airbnb owners. Be sure to mention the importance of good photography in the content and link to your portfolio.

Social media marketing

Post engaging photos and videos on your social media platforms. Search for and connect with Realtors in your area, and join a real estate online community on Facebook. Avoid posting sale-sy content all the time, as it can drive people away from your page.

Paid ads will get you seen by prospects more quickly. Use ads on Google and social media.

Word-of-mouth and referrals

Ask your family and friends to recommend you to their friends who are into real estate. Connect with real estate agencies in your city.

Online listings

Find real estate websites and directories and sign up. These are places where your target audience hangs out. Get seen.

Local advertising and print ads

You can also leverage traditional advertising methods like bills and business cards.

Pros of starting a real estate photography business

• Real estate photography is a specialized field with high demand, and professionals can charge premium rates for their services. You are helping people market their properties.
• As a real estate photographer, you can set your schedule and exercise your creativity in capturing and presenting properties in the best light.
• Working closely with real estate agents, architects, and interior designers can provide valuable networking opportunities and potential referrals for future business.
• There’s a good chance of repeat business when working with a real estate agent.

Cons of starting a real estate photography business:

• High-quality camera gear, lenses, and other equipment can be costly, requiring a significant upfront investment.
• The cash flow is usually not uniform all year round.
• You must sharpen your photography, editing, and marketing skills to win lucrative contracts.

Frequently asked questions about real estate photography

How much should i charge as a real estate photographer.

The best way to set your pricing as a real estate photographer is to research your local photography community to find out what others like you are charging in your area. Things to consider when setting your price include:

• The value of the property
• Location of the property
• The client’s status
• Turnaround time
• Travel expenses
• Time and effort required for editing

How can I learn real estate photography?

You can learn real estate photography by taking online courses on Udemy or Coursera. Real estate photography is a very specific and professional niche, so you need to learn about the local real estate industry, architectural basics, and how to run a business in addition to taking professional photos.

Another way to learn real estate photography is to work as a photographer’s assistant.

Do I need certification to become a professional real estate photographer?

You don’t require any formal certification as a professional real estate photographer. All you need is the skills, equipment, and a strong passion.

What type of camera is best for real estate photography?

A full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with a wide-angle lens is generally preferred for real estate photography. This combination lets you capture a wider field of view and maintain image quality, especially in low-light situations.

What software do I need to edit real estate photos?

Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop are popular choices for editing real estate photos. You may add 3D virtual staging software to make your services stand out.

Should I offer additional services like virtual tours or drone photography?

Additional services like virtual tours or drone photography can significantly enhance your business’s value proposition. These services offer clients a more immersive experience and a broader property perspective.

How do I handle photo rights and usage agreements with clients?

Clearly outline the terms of use and copyright ownership in a written agreement you and your client sign. Specify how the photos can be used, whether it’s for real estate listings, marketing materials, or other purposes. Doing so can help avoid any misunderstandings or legal issues down the line.

Final Words

Starting a real estate business is a great step, as this field is highly lucrative. Just be sure you develop your skills, including strong communication skills, and possess good gear to capture high-quality images. Get exposure by building connections with real estate agents in your area, as these are your primary prospective clients.

By following this step-by-step guide on how to start a real estate photography business, you should be well on your way to becoming a big-time photographer in the real estate industry.

We hope you enjoyed this article. If so, you might enjoy these resources:

• A Comprehensive Guide to Launching Your Photography Business Successfully
• Best Virtual Credit Cards/Debit Cards In The US
• How to Apply for a Business Credit Card with EIN
• How To Start a Wedding Photography Business
• Find the Right Registered Agent Service to Keep Your Business Compliant

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Real Estate Photography - A Complete Guide with Examples

Are you thinking about starting a career in real estate photography? We have got a complete guide with tips to shoot the perfect real estate photos.

Real Estate Photography is getting top rankings in every list on "how to make money as a photographer." The real estate market is currently booming, and the demand for real estate photography is on the rise.

The purpose of real estate photography is to sell houses. Realtors are looking for unique styles that will catch the eye of prospects in a sea of those who are competing for real estate photography. While this is not easy money, but for a photographer willing to learn, it can turn out to be a gold mine.

Real estate photography is a genre of commercial photography that can be quite lucrative, especially for photographers who live away from major cities or business centres. Commercial photography jobs usually require you to be near major commercial centres where you can get in touch with companies and business owners. Real estate on the other hand is rented and sold everywhere. This makes real estate photography jobs, easily accessible and profitable for all kinds of photographers living everywhere.

If you are a photographer looking to get into real estate photography this guide is for you. We discuss all the ins and outs of real estate photography, how you can get into it, what equipment you will need, techniques, tricks and tips and more. By the end of this article, you will be fully equipped with everything you need to know in order to start your real estate photography business.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Real Estate Photography is all about creating captivating images that can sell a property and be worth thousands of dollars.

We have put together a series of real estate photography tips gathered from top photographers that would help you shoot images that sell homes and get ahead of the game.

How to get into real estate photography?

So how do you get your first few real estate photography jobs? The first and foremost step is to build a portfolio for yourself. Here is a complete guide on how to build an online portfolio , to get you started. A good real estate photography portfolio is the most important professional tool for any photographer looking to break into this niche.

If you don’t have previous experience with real estate photography, it can help if you take up a few jobs for free in the beginning. This could be for friends, family and neighbours who are looking to sell, lease or rent their properties. Once you have curated a nice collection, you will want to host these photographs on your online photography portfolio website . This will help you share your portfolio more easily. It can also help you get discovered or noticed by real estate agents, landlords or homeowners looking to sell in your area. 

To create a professional and effective online presence, consider using a website builder for realtors , which can offer specialized templates and tools tailored to the real estate industry.

Once you have a professional real estate photography portfolio done and ready, you can start reaching out to realtors and property brokers in your area. These people are often on the lookout for good, affordable, professional real estate photographers and may have a gig or two for you.

What equipment do you need for real estate photography?

The most basic equipment that you need for most real estate photography jobs would include a high-quality digital camera and a tripod. Wide-angle lenses are good for shooting large areas like living and dining rooms and are therefore quite popular with real estate photographers. Good editing software is also necessary since most real estate photography needs quite a bit of post-production. As you become more successful and establish yourself in the industry, you can build up your repository of more high-end equipment. Eventually, you will want an advanced camera system that allows for multiple lenses, a wireless trigger or trigger app, and lighting upgrades.

“Remember, in real estate photography: Higher Quality = Higher Paycheck”

These are some of the most common and basic equipment that real estate photographers use:

Full-frame digital camera, wide-angle lens, remote trigger.

• Flash and Flash trigger
• Light Stands

Full-frame cameras are the right choice for most real estate photography jobs as they can shoot large spaces and produce the highest quality images. Focus on the sensor size of the camera, rather than megapixels, as a large sensor size would give you better quality real estate images even under low light conditions. There are a lot of good quality cameras out there but even so, it is important to do your research and select a camera that is best for your needs.

Most professional real estate photographers would tell you that a wide-angle lens is the best lens for real estate photography. Wide-angle lenses create a sense of depth and emphasize the space of a room. For a full frame sensor camera, it is advisable to use a wide-angle lens of around 16-35 mm.

Using fisheye or other bloating techniques to create an unrealistic sense of space should be avoided. This practice is deceiving, and will only put off potential buyers when they feel let down on seeing the real property. DO NOT misrepresent the property or remove permanent, unsightly objects. Your job as a real estate photographer is to take real estate pictures that represent the property in an aesthetic, appealing, and authentic manner.

Stability garners quality. Most real estate photographs are taken in natural light for exteriors or limited lighting available in the room. Using a tripod naturally results in sharper images and steadiness for slower shutter speeds. A tripod also helps you maintain a horizontal plane and get clean, vertical lines. Experiment with different heights using your tripod - the view of the room can change quite a lot at different heights. Pick the best angle after experimenting with different heights (above the head level, eye level, chest level, table level). If you are planning to shoot bracketed images for post-processing blending, it's essential to photograph using a tripod.

Remote triggers let you trigger the camera to take a shot without even touching the camera. The reason why this is important may not seem obvious at first but remote triggers eliminate camera shakes that can lead to blurry photos or loss of detail. This is especially the case with real estate photography that often uses extremely low shutter speeds. At these speeds, even slightly touching the camera to trigger the shot can lead to camera shakes and unfocused photographs.

Flash & flash trigger

Natural light is not always enough or better when it comes to real estate photography. Keep in mind that not all areas of a property are equally well lit in most cases. You may find the living space to be flooded with a good amount of natural light but the bathroom or hallways may be dark. Therefore keeping a flash in hand is always a good idea. Having a flash trigger alongside your flash is also a good idea because it allows you to position both your flash and your camera in the most appropriate position and then remotely trigger them both without having to deal with any complicated logistic issues.

Light stands

If you are using flash, it only makes sense to have light stands. After all, you need something to mount your flash and other lights on. While lightweight stands work well for flashguns or strobes, if you are using larger moonlights a C-stand will be much more sturdy and reliable.

How to shoot real estate photographs?

So you have your equipment ready and you have contacted your local realtor for a gig. But how do you shoot a property to produce the best possible results? How do you approach your first real estate photography job? Let us go through some common real estate photography techniques to understand how it all works.

Here are some real estate photography techniques and useful tricks:

Vertical edges, exposing to the right, shooting interiors, using flash, using light stands, blown out windows, camera height for interior shots, shooting exteriors, exterior lighting, camera height for exterior shots.

Space and natural light sell homes. Therefore the space in the home needs to be represented accurately and expressively. There are ways of achieving this in real estate photography, the most important of which is shooting wide. Wide angle shots are much better at capturing space and this is the reason why wide angle lenses are so popular with real estate photographers.

When shooting wide, remember that:

• Every wall does not need to be in a successful photo.
• Zoom changes the feel of the room drastically.
• Shooting wide creates the illusion of a larger space.

Another real estate photography tip that realtors and photographers both agree on is keeping vertical edges straight. Wall lines must be straight up and down. A level can be placed in the hot shoe to level the camera to the room accurately. This method can result in objects like furniture being cut off so make sure to lower the tripod to prevent that.

A Tilt-Shift Lens can also help you alleviate this issue. The Lens Correction Tool in Photoshop and level options in Lightroom are options that can be used in post-production to correct any converging vertical lines.

Exposing to the right or overexposing is a somewhat advanced technique that can take a little bit of practice to get right. The name comes from the fact that when you look at the histogram showing the tone distribution of the photographs that are shot using this technique, you see a peak towards the right side. In photographs shot normally, with balanced exposure, this histogram peaks in the middle and tapers off to the sides. When mastered, shooting to the right can make a room look brighter.

Many novice real estate photographers begin with images that are too dark which is a problem because real estate photography jobs require you to produce bright and well-lit photographs of the property. Exposing to the right can alleviate this issue.

With this technique, you overexpose an image so that it looks too bright, while at the same time making sure you do not lose any of the details. Then, in post-production, you darken the image to your liking. You need to be careful though because if you overexpose too much, the areas of highlights will be pure white which means there is not enough data in there to render the details in post-production. This technique results in photographs that are more detailed and brighter than you would otherwise be able to achieve.

When shooting interior shots, you should use lighting to make the viewer's eye flow through the room. Figure out an angle in the room that captures the best perspective of the room and highlights the space and depth of the room. With proper techniques, you can create highlights and shadows to enhance detail and produce accurate and appealing images. Make sure to turn on every light in the room when you are shooting to ensure bright lighting. Even so, window lights and room lights may not be enough or give you enough control. Artificial lighting is always a good addition for more precise lighting. A strobe is another option for constant brightness.   Here is an example of  best interior photography portfolio website examples  you can check.

Outdoor lighting mixed with interior lights often conflicts colour balance. If possible, colour match interior lights to the colour of the outside lighting. These issues can also be resolved in post-production so make sure to hone your skills in Photoshop colour correction.

Flash can be an incredibly useful artificial light source for all kinds of photographers. Using flash in real estate photography helps you quickly illuminate relevant areas of the room and spots that are normally hidden in shadows. While you can use varying shutter speeds to adjust ambient light, altering shutter speeds only affect constant light sources. A flash is an inconstant light. It is, therefore, better to use multi-flash wireless systems that let you enable repositioning for best results. A removable flash allows the "bouncing" of light off the ceiling or wall. Not the best results, but workable.

Small, well-lit rooms and closets require a single light source. Large areas like family rooms or kitchens can significantly benefit from more. An inexpensive light stand (or two) enables you to correctly position lighting. This small investment will allow you to produce more professional photography, especially in hallways, stairwells, etc.

Unless the view is astounding, a photo that captures the view from the window is unnecessary. Overexposing the windows is sometimes an advantage to bring focus to the room itself.

Full-sized tripods come equipped with horizontal and vertical adjustments. By taking shots at different camera heights, you would get varying angles and perspectives. With experience, you would figure out which camera height is best for which space. But in the case that you are a novice, here are some commonly recommended camera heights for different situations and areas:

• Vaulted Ceilings: As high as possible to give the full effect of the height and shoot impressive photographs
• Kitchens: Counter height to represent the intimate and homey vibes of a kitchen.
• Bathrooms: Several inches above the counter

Today's real estate sales begin online. An exterior photo is the first thing a prospect sees. This is a shot that must grab a prospective buyer’s attention so be sure to take your time with this image.

“A real estate photography shoot comes with deadlines that may not allow time for proper setup. Timing is everything.”

Photograph the front of the property at the best possible angle and lighting. Make sure to feature highlights like:

• Landscaping
• Deck / Patio
• Pool / Hot Tub

Do not shoot in harsh sunlight where shadows would be very strong. If a cloudy day is unavailable, sunset is your best bet. When possible, plan exterior shoots at dusk. The natural light around sundown can produce dramatic results; noted as the best for selling real estate. Turn on all the lights in the house. At sunset, the remaining natural light balances the house lights. To be sure that you get the real estate photography lighting correct, shoot many shots with varied exposures.

When dusk is not an option, the sun is a problem. Take photographs with your back to the sun. Keep in mind that bright, white skies lessen the impact of images.

Exterior shots produce better results from greater heights. At times a tripod's limitations are not high enough; 6 to 12 feet is recommended. Use the painter's pole to extend the tripod. The pole must be secured to ensure your camera is safe. Stability is the priority.

How to plan your real estate photo shoot?

Like with any other photoshoot, a real estate photography shoot requires a bit of planning. Just because a house is a stationary, non-living object does not mean that it doesn’t require some preparation. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when planning your real estate photo shoot.

Timing matters

Just like with any other outdoor shoot, early morning and dusk are the best time for shooting real estate photographs. This is because the lighting is more diffused and you don’t have to deal with harsh shadows that could get in your way.

Staging - How to prepare the property for the shoot

Between you and the realtor, you will need to take some steps to ensure a successful shoot. It can help if you visit the property beforehand to get an idea of what you are dealing with and what equipment you will need to bring. Additionally, houses need some decluttering and cleaning beforehand to ensure the best results. If possible, forward a shortlist of tasks to the homeowner labelled, "Suggestions for Photos That Sell Homes." These instructions should include the following guidelines for different areas of the house:

• Clean and declutter all spaces
• Clear and wipe down counters
• Clean mirrors and glass surfaces
• Store personal items
• Mow and weed landscapes
• Garage, Shop or Basement
• Clear the refrigerator of dish towels, magnets, etc.
• Store cleaning supplies, including paper towels
• Set the table as if you are expecting guests
• Flowers or a fruit bowl adds ambience
• Toilet lid down
• Store toiletries
• Hang only a matching set of hand towels
• Add flowers or similar decoration
• Avoid including any of the current resident's personal effects in your photographs, such as family photos, pets, belongings, knick-knacks, etc.

Plan your shoot well in advance but be flexible

Discuss a flexible schedule with your realtor. You need to plan your shoot for a time of the day when there is optimum light. Considering that there are a myriad factors that can affect a shoot, including but not limited to weather, lighting, etc, success may require a second visit.

A successful shoot will take time; larger properties take longer. You need to get the hang of real estate photography pricing to make sure you are charging enough to adequately cover your time.

Advanced real estate photography services

Here we list some real estate photography services that are a little bit more advanced. These can take a little bit of investment to get right so you can try incorporating these services into your business if you are already successful or established or simply have time and capital to spare. These services can help you stand out from the crowd and provide a unique selling point to prospective clients making you more desirable.

Aerial Real Estate Drone Photography

Aerial images have become an expected addition in real estate photography jobs, especially when marketing substantial properties. An aerial view of a larger property is helpful in giving people a good understanding of what they are buying and see areas of the property that would not otherwise be visible or otherwise accessible for any reason.

Drones have made aerial real estate photography affordable. Real estate drone photography is not only a viable option in marketing today; it's becoming a necessity. Inexpensive drones are available that both record and take still images. You can start out with a cheaper drone to test things out and learn the basics and then move to a higher priced, more reliable model.

Real estate drone photography can provide details like:

• View of the entire property
• Closer inspection of the roof and hard to reach features
• The surrounding area, neighbours, and nearby amenities
• Property maps and surveys

Check out this complete guide to using drones for aerial photography.

Virtual property tours

With advances in technology, many realtors now request a Virtual Tour or 360-degree tour. For these kinds of services, you need a special camera that can take 360-degree panoramic shots of the property. You can use specialized virtual tour software that makes it easy for you to transfer your photographs to the computer and produce a comprehensive virtual tour. These value-added services help you gain a competitive advantage over your competitors.

Post-processing in real estate photography

Post-production is an important aspect of any digital photography. This is especially the case with real estate photography since your job is to ensure that the property looks good enough to sell as soon as possible. Post-production and editing should never be used deceptively or to hide flaws but to provide the best possible viewing experience for potential buyers, highlight the property’s merits and give viewers as comprehensive a tour as possible without having to visit the site.

Other than colour correction and other routine processes, blending images is a technique that is used extensively in real estate photography.

Blending images

This technique is used in the following ways and for the given circumstances. The intention is always to provide a complete and honest representation of the property and never to deceive or fool the buyer.

In cases like a floor creating a glare, two exposures are necessary. Set one shot for the best exposure of the room; set another shot for the floor. These two images can be combined in the editing process for a perfect outcome. This is a situation where a tripod can be very useful. When you need to shoot two exact positions, your tripod is your best friend.

Flambient (AKA "A Kiss of Flash") is the combination of flash and ambient light. The premise involves shooting an ambient exposed image, then shooting a flash image. For these purposes, the flash can be bounced off a wall or ceiling. In Photoshop, the two images are combined to create the perfect image. This process allows for contrast and colour alterations. Again, using a tripod for this provides the best results.

High-Dynamic-Range (HDR)

HDR real estate photography is especially useful for beginners and can easily solve the problem of different exposure ranges in a photo. HDR is a photo technique that reproduces a dynamic range of luminosity. HDR snaps several exposures of an image then combines them for rich results with dynamic shades and a very polished product. Repeat: A tripod is a must for HDR.

Here are 10 Top tips on real estate photography from the best in the industry:

• Research and learn from the best real estate photographers
• Be adaptable
• Focus on the highlights
• Explore all the angles
• Shoot horizontally aligned images; Never vertical
• Always have a hero shot
• Take into account the post-processing
• Twilight photos can be a winner
• Pay attention to what's outside the windows
• Always keep your real estate photography portfolio updated

1. Research and learn from the best real estate photographers

For beginners looking to take up professional real estate photography, the best path to start taking excellent real estate photos is to study successful examples. Study and analyze real estate photographs. What grabs your attention and why? Look at the angles and lighting used in the images. There are plenty of websites like Houzz.com which have stunning real estate photos that you can favourite and refer to from time to time.

2. Be adaptable

Adaptability is the best gift a photographer can have and real estate photography is no different in this regard. Approach your projects creatively and infuse them with character, a unique perspective, and a fresh approach. Let the property that you are shooting guide you on the best way to photograph it. Don't follow a set pattern, or else you will end up with similar-looking shots time after time.

3. Focus on the highlights

Analyze each room for its best feature/selling point, (for example, great natural light, spaciousness, a private nook). Since real estate photography jobs are all about marketing, you need to focus on the selling point in your photos. Open houses are staged with a neutral colour pallet for wide-ranging appeal. Although contradictory, in real estate photography, it's best to add a splash of bright colour. Colourful yet tasteful artwork, lively pillows or a throw help photos pop and grab online searcher's attention.

4. Explore all the angles

Don't click dull, one-dimensional images by standing in the corner of all rooms. Explore all the aspects. Compose your shots to create interest and drama by focussing on the unique elements of the property. Your real estate photography shoot should cover the property in its entirety and tell a full story. By looking at your shots, prospective buyers should be able to get a full image of the property, its character, and all the spaces.

5. Shoot horizontally aligned images; Never vertical

Real estate composition has a landscape orientation (unless impossible). A landscape orientation photo has four parts:

• Sky/Ceiling

Understanding and using it creatively is where your artistic ability plays a role. Use available elements to guide the viewer's eye. Frame the picture with available objects. Trees in the foreground can frame the property in the background. Counters or furniture can cleverly obscure the view of a room. Images should be interesting.

6. Always have a hero shot

Every property listing needs a hero shot. This is the moneymaker photograph, one that can be the main cover image for the listing. This is usually an exterior shot but you can get creative. If the property has a beautiful garden or pool for example, that can be incorporated into the photograph for a stunning hero shot. Aerial shots can also make good hero shots as long as they incorporate the front of the house.

It helps if you can talk to the property owners or agents to find out if there are any special features in the home that can be highlighted.

7. Take into account the post-processing

Most digital photography, especially commercial genres like real estate photography will go through a good deal of post-processing and editing before being ready for delivery. Focus on getting the basics right, keep vertical lines straight, capture the details, get your exposure right etc. However, don’t try to achieve perfection in your raws. You can always adjust the lighting, temperature and colours during editing. Editing is not ‘cheating’, it is a legitimate and important aspect of digital photography, especially when you are a professional photographer running a business.

8. Twilight photos can be a winner

You’ve probably heard of the golden hour and the magic it does for outdoor portraits. Well, twilight can do magical things for real estate photography. With the outdoor lighting just dimming down and darkening and the house lights on, photos taken during twilight can create a beautiful effect. These photographs highlight qualities of the house that may not be visible in daylight and are very popular among buyers.

9. Pay attention to what's outside the windows

Attention to detail is a trait that pays good dividends for photographers. Minute changes and subtle details can add a brilliant amount of nuance and beauty to pictures. While staging the house, including cleaning, decluttering and decorating are no-brainers for most real estate photographers, many people forget to consider what's outside the windows. Keep unsightly objects outside the frame even when they are outside windows. This includes trash cans that may be visible outside, electric boxes or wires, parking lots etc. If possible, angle your camera in such a way that the glare falls on the windows and obscures the view outside. Conversely, if the view outside the window is stunning, make sure to try and incorporate it into the pictures as much as you can.

10. Always keep your real estate photography portfolio updated

When you are a novice or amateur, still dabbling with finer aspects of photography, it makes sense to take it slow and easy. However, when you are looking to start a real estate photography business you need to get serious about keeping your portfolio updated at all times. Your portfolio website is how new clients and customers can discover you, it is also the first place any potential client will check when they are vetting you for a job. As such, it is important to keep your real estate photography portfolio website updated, accurate and well-curated at all times.

How to start a real estate photography business?

Real estate photography is not just an art, at the end of the day like all commercial photography it is a business. And to make sure your business is successful and efficient you need to get your ducks in a row. These are some of the things you need to consider when starting out with a real estate photography business.

Contracts eliminate unforeseen issues and protect you from legal issues. Misunderstandings can always arise in business, either between you and your clients, real estate agents or even employees or assistants you hire. A clear, legal document is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and protect the rights and interests of everyone involved.

The contract should have complete detail of your responsibilities such as:

• Stage the house (whether you will do it, and to what extent)
• Shoot the exterior, list areas
• Shoot the interior, list rooms
• Will you create a virtual tour? If yes, give details.
• Will you offer aerial stills and footage? If yes, give details

Also, include your deliverables and payment terms.

When you are entering a stranger's home, you always need to consider the risk that you may damage or break something in the process of your photoshoots. Personal belongings can have monetary or sentimental value. Additionally, if you cause accidental damage to any of the fittings or other things that are a part of the house, this can cause issues for the homeowner who is trying to sell or rent their house. If the homeowner decides to sue, you are in trouble. No matter how careful you are, accidents can always happen and therefore you need to protect yourself. For real estate photographers, insurance is the best way of doing this.

Real Estate Photography Pricing

The best place to start researching real estate photography pricing is with competitors. To know how much to charge for real estate photography, examine their pricing and services. Advanced services like real estate drone photography will increase prices.

Consider your investment: Hardware (camera, lens, tripod, drone, etc.) and software (or outsourcing). A service menu is a great way to itemize pricing. Make sure you plan for the slow season as well.

Remember, just like any other photography field, the real estate photography business is also saturated. Price your services competitively, however, do not undercut your competition by a considerable margin as you may end up with an unsustainable business and a cheap/ low-quality tag.

Real estate photography prices depend on the assignment. You can shoot a house for a realtor for $200-300 or do an architecture shoot for a real estate magazine for $2000. The quality of your work, relationships, networking, and client references are a sure shot way to move upwards and become successful as a real estate photographer.

Check out this comprehensive photography pricing guide .

Consider outsourcing your post-processing to save time

You need to decide where you best spend your time. Even photographers skilled in state-of-the-art software should consider the time it takes to edit an entire shoot. Photoshop and Lightroom offer presets that make the editing process easier. But more advanced editing may be necessary to stand out among competitors. Hiring an editor specializing in real estate photography is wise.

Quick turnaround

Successful Realtors are movers needing everything done quickly. Communicate with your agent for accurate deadlines. The faster, the better will always be, the case. The project is only complete when you deliver the digital files to your client. Agents will typically request both web-ready and high-resolution print images in specific sizes and formats.

Using an online client proofing service can streamline and speed up the process of sharing the images with your client to get feedback and the final selection of images. 

Pixpa offers an integrated client proofing platform along with your portfolio website that makes the task of sharing, proofing, and selling images to your clients easy. Sign up for a free trial now.

Here are some stunning real estate photography portfolio websites for inspiration:

Scott mcfarlane.

Scott McFarlane is a real estate photographer in the Waller county area of Texas. His work includes aerial photography, interior and exterior real estate photography as well as ranch and farm photography. Scott makes excellent use of natural light in his photography, especially exterior and aerial photography. He takes full advantage of sunset and twilight lighting to produce stunning aerial and exterior shots that gives viewers an impressive sense of the scale of the property.

Joseph Choo

Joseph Choo of Choo’s Photography is a photographer based in Santa Clarita, California and does real estate photography in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Joseph provides interior, exterior and drone photography services for his clients. He also has a special category for twilight real estate photography. Joseph has a gift for making any house look and come alive irrespective of location, architectural style and scale.

Branpot is a real estate photography agency based in Dubai that specializes particularly in providing 360-degree virtual property tours. While they serve mainly commercial clients they also do tours of villas and other properties. They also do regular, still real estate photography including interior shots, exterior shots and more.

Dario Sanz is a real estate photographer born and raised in Ibiza. Dario’s clients include homeowners, real estate agents, rental companies, boat owners and more. He works with both home and commercial properties as well as boats and event photography . Dario’s work makes full use of natural light and the bright blue skies of Ibiza.

Real Estate Photography, just like any other profession, has cut-throat competition and yet space for new entrants who can deliver exceptional quality. While you can certainly choose to specialize in real estate photography, it is a great add-on genre for many photographers who usually practice other areas such as weddings, personal, portrait, or baby photography.

Always remember that your job is to capture the property you are shooting in a way that makes it sell instantly. If you can get that knack of clicking images that sell the house, you are on your way to becoming a successful professional real estate photographer.

We hope these real estate photography tips help you succeed. Realtors are looking for professionals. Become one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you shoot impressive real estate photography.

Good equipment, good technique and good editing is the secret to impressive real estate photography. Ensure that the property is clean and manicured to provide the best possible impression. Knowing how to use the correct camera height, exposure levels and lighting for different rooms and features is important. Remember there is no one way of taking good real estate photographs. Real estate photography requires you to constantly adapt to each property and its individual quirks and requirements.

How much do you charge for real estate photography?

Real estate photography pricing depends on a lot of factors. You need to take into consideration your own business expenses, including travel, equipment costs, labour costs, costs of hiring additional help and more. Whatever pricing you set will have to cover these costs while still netting you a tidy profit. You also need to take into account your competitors and how much they are charging so that you can set your prices competitively.

What camera setting should I use for real estate photography?

When working on real estate photography jobs, you should always adapt your camera settings according to the specific requirements of particular rooms or areas on the property as well as lighting conditions, client requirements etc. For example, when it comes to aperture settings, a smaller aperture setting can work when you are trying to highlight one single aspect of the room, like a fireplace or a picture window. But if you want a detailed shot of the whole room then a larger aperture setting is desirable. Flexibility is the key here. Don’t stick to one setting for the entire shoot. Change things up according to the situation at hand.

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Guide to Real Estate Photography in 2024 (18 PRO Tips!)

Get started in real estate photography now with this guide! From what gear you'll need to how much you can earn, this guide has it covered.

Learn | Photography Guides | By Ana Mireles

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If you’ve ever looked for a property to buy or rent, you’ll know how important professional photography is in the real estate industry.

Whether you’re looking to break into the real estate photography business or to sell your own home – this article is for you.

Join us as we take a look at what you need for property photography as well as some must-read real estate photography tips and more.

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Table of Contents

What Is Real Estate Photography?

Real estate photography involves taking photos of interiors and exteriors of properties to put them on the market.

Beyond this, real estate photographers are often hired to shoot for designers or magazines who need to showcase a property for different purposes.

Equipment Needed for Real Estate Photography

Gear needed for photography in real estate work | Credit: Jade Nolan

The good thing about real estate photography is that you can start small and grow with your business.

(You don’t need to make a great investment and then wait a long time until it pays for itself.)

To start shooting real estate photography, you just need to head out with your camera, a wide-angle lens, (or the shortest focal length that you have), and a sturdy tripod .

The rest of the equipment in this list is optional and can be acquired further along the way.

Keep in mind that it’s always possible to rent gear for a day or a week. This way, you don’t have to hold back on bigger and more complicated jobs.

There isn’t a specific camera model or brand that you need to use for real estate photography. However, there are some things that you should consider when looking for the best camera for real estate photography .

Often in real estate photography, you’ll be dealing with situations where there’s a lot of contrast. For example, when you expose correctly for the interior of the room, you might end up with clipping on the windows.

For the exterior, to correctly expose the house you might need to overexpose the sky.

In summary, you need your camera to give you the best performance for these situations.

That’s why you need to be able to shoot in manual mode. This way, you can control your settings, do some bracketing, etc.

It’s best if the camera can capture photos in RAW format. This again relates to different light conditions. A photograph in RAW has more information to recover the details from the highlights and shadows.

Another must in the camera is the possibility to exchange lenses . I will get into more details about the best ones in the next section.

Finally – if you can afford it – aim for a full-frame camera. This is because they have a wider dynamic range, deliver sharper photos and have an impact in the angle of view. Here’s a list of the best full frame cameras of the year.

If you’re really on a tight budget, it’s also possible to take real estate photos with an iPhone , but I’d recommend using a dedicated camera for the best possible results.

For real estate photography, you need a wide-angle lens. Of course, properties come in many sizes – but usually, you won’t be able to fit in everything you need unless you’re using a short focal length.

Sometimes you’ll even need an ultra-wide-angle lens if the space is too small, or the building is too tall.

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A focal length range between 16mm and 35mm should cover you if you’re using a full-frame camera. For APS-C crop sensors, you can use 10mm or 12mm to 24mm.

It’s best to avoid fish eye lenses like these , though. Yes, they do cover the widest angle of view – but they also give too much distortion.

Once you’re more established in the business, a tilt-shift lens can be a great addition to your gear. This will allow you to prevent perspective distortion and keep everything in focus – see our tiltshift lens guide here .

Also consider that real estate photography is not only about the big picture, especially for high-end properties or certain clients like interior designers.

Sometimes you’ll need to photograph specific details. For example, a handmade wrought iron window or something that enhances the value of the property. For these types of photographs , a standard lens can be handy.

For some specific recommendations on lenses to use for real estate photography, see our guide .

A sturdy tripod can be your best friend in real estate photography. Sometimes you need to work with slow shutter speeds, and this will prevent any camera shake.

Also, if you’re bracketing to compose an HDR image , you need to have the same framing across your images. This would be impossible to achieve without a tripod.

Natural lighting is great for real estate photography, but sometimes it just won’t do. Maybe the weather is not great, or part of the room has a strong shadow from the furniture.

Having a flash unit is the best way to handle these difficult situations. Just make sure that you bounce it on the ceiling if you don’t have modifiers, otherwise, the light will be too harsh.

• Light Modifiers

Shooting the flash directly into the scene can cause unflattering results. Also, it might not be enough to cover the entire room.

If you use an umbrella or other light modifiers, you’ll cover a wider area, and you’ll have a softer and more even light.

A remote shutter for your camera will ensure that there isn’t any shake or change in the frame when you take your photographs.

A flash trigger can also be useful in real estate photography. These are used to fire off-camera flashes. You attach the transmitter to the camera and the receiver to the flash or strobe.

• Gray Card / Color Checker

To have a more accurate white balance in your real estate photos, you can use a gray card . There are two ways to use it.

You can take the first shot with the card included in the scene, then use that one to correct the white balance in the editing process.

Alternatively, you can photograph the card and tell your camera to use it for the custom white balance. Either way, make sure to adjust it each time you change rooms or you change the lighting setup.

Offering drone photography or video is a great way to separate yourself from the competition and gain the attention of real estate agents looking for a professional.

Note that you might need classes and certifications to be allowed to fly a drone. Also, you may need special permits to use drones in your area. So, before you make the decision to buy a drone, make sure you’ll be able to use it.

Furthermore, make sure there’s enough demand for this particular service. If you work in an area with properties that have big gardens to showcase and such, then it might be good.

If, instead, your average client offers apartments in busy areas – or not-so-beautiful areas – then they probably won’t care to have drone photos.

Check out the best drones for real estate photography and how to use a drone for real estate photography .

Virtual tours are often valuable and a required service in the real estate photography business. Investing in a 360 camera might be a good move.

There are plenty of budget-friendly options that you can start with., such as the Insta360 , a cheap GoPro alternative that allows you to shoot spherical videos.

See also: How To Create A Virtual Tour For Real Estate

At the bare minimum, you’ll need tools to edit and correct your photos. The best editing software for real estate photography will include tools for HDR merging, panorama creation and even sky replacement.

• Online courses

The fastest way to learn real estate photography is via a course, and the one we recommend is called Picture Perfect Properties .

The best thing about the course is that there’s a generous money-back guarantee, which gives you ample time to put all the tips to use first.

How to Shoot Real Estate Photography

Now that you know what you need, here are some real estate photography tips to help you out.

• Make a shot list

Creating a shot list is important for both you and your client. You should make a standard list with whatever is included in the price – i.e. two pictures of the living room, one of the bathroom, etc.

Then there might be some negotiation if your client needs any other specific angles or shots. You can charge extra for each picture that’s outside the list.

Once you agree on it, this list will be helpful for you to pack everything you’ll need, and to make a plan of action for the day of the photoshoot.

Read: How do you make a shot list  for more information on this – you can also download a free template.

• Take your time to prepare

Rushing a job is never a good idea, and real estate photography is no exception. Make time to prepare and double-check things the day before.

Pack your gear in advance and verify that everything is ready and in working order. You wouldn’t want to arrive there and realise your battery is low or your memory card is full of photos you haven’t backed up.

Remember to confirm with your client and make sure they have the property ready. If they wait for you to arrive before they start tidying up or styling the property, you’ll be wasting valuable time.

• Pick the best time

Real estate photography is time-sensitive. For the exterior, you should avoid shooting against the sun. Do some research to see what time the property will be in the best light.

The interior shots are also impacted by the time of day. It will depend if you want to have the sun coming in from the windows or you prefer to use artificial light.

• Find the best angle

With real estate photography, you often have to make compromises. To avoid perspective distortion in the interior shots, you should have the camera at chest level.

However, this is not always best for the composition. Try moving around to find the best point of view that also allows you to have the best result in-camera. This will save you a lot of time and effort in post-production.

• Be careful with reflections

This is always important, but especially if you’re adding artificial light. Make sure you don’t have the reflection of an umbrella showing up in the window, or a light stand reflecting in a mirror.

• Be meticulous

Photography for real estate is more about the details than it is about the gear. Even small things can make a big difference.

Think about things like taking off extra pillows that might make a room look cluttered, moving a plant closer to the window to add texture with its shadow, straightening wall hangings, etc.

 How to Edit Real Estate Photography

Consistency is essential in real estate photography. Since Lightroom allows you to synchronize your edits  across your images, I believe it’s the perfect editor for this.

For more complex editing you may need to switch to other programs. For example, replacing the sky is often used in professional real estate photographs. To easily do this, you can use Luminar – see our review.

• Correct white balance 

In Lightroom, it’s easy to set your white balance to one of the presets. Alternatively, you can use the eyedropper to click on the grey card if you used one, or choose a neutral tone.

Then you can sync the edit with all other photos that you took with the same lighting conditions.

• Correct lens

If using Lightroom, find the Lens Corrections section of the Develop module. There, check the box for Enable Profile Corrections.

This should take care of the optical problems automatically. You can fine-tune manually if needed. Then sync this change to all your photos that were taken with the same lens.

• Correct perspective

The perspective distortion created by the lens was corrected in the previous step. Beyond that, you can use the Transform module to correct vertical and horizontal distortions created by your angle of view.

You can use the sliders to do this manually or use the Guided Tool that allows you to draw the lines on your photo to correct it.

• Replace the sky

Real estate photographers often have major problems when it comes to taking photos of buildings in sub-par weather conditions. Specifically, poor weather can result in a lack of detail in the sky.

You’re probably used to seeing real estate photos that feature bright blue skies filled with fluffy clouds, or beautiful purple/pink sunsets.

However, capturing these skies on the day of the real estate shoot is notoriously difficult. That’s why most real estate photographers must resort to editing the image to remove the sky, then add a new one.

Often they may need to ‘relight’ the scene too, in order to make it believable.

Fortunately, there’s now a simple but powerful solution to this problem – Luminar 4’s Sky Replacement Tool – it’s an excellent one-click solution that’ll save you hours of time.

How to Become a Real Estate Photographer

Credit: Donald Tong

Now you’ve learned some real estate photography tips for getting better images. But if you want to really get professional at it, where do you start?

The first thing you have to do is take as many real estate photographs as you can. This will help you learn and build a portfolio at the same time.

You can obviously start with your own home. Then, move on to shooting the houses and apartments of family and friends.

Exterior real estate photography is easier because you can just go out and shoot what you find on your way.

Make sure that you don’t photograph any famous building or landmark that can be copyrighted.

Keep an eye on the windows, make sure no one from the inside is being captured or else you would need a contract or model release .

Once you’re confident enough and you have sufficient high-quality pictures in your portfolio, reach out to potential clients.

Build a website and open a social media profile – don’t use your personal profile but one dedicated to your business.

Visit local real estate agencies or try the old-style approach of printing flyers and delivering them in your neighbourhood to homeowners that might be trying to sell without a real estate agent.

Consider and contact everyone who needs real estate photography: contractors, interior designers, hotels, magazines… think outside the box.

Contacting a professional photographer to offer your services as an assistant is also a good way to go.

As an assistant, you’ll keep learning everything about the real estate photography trade, from pricing and contracts to technical improvements.

How Much Does a Real Estate Photographer Make?

Credit: Stephan Bechert

The price for real estate photography is usually based on a number of factors:

• The size of the property. It’s not the same photographing a 30-square-meter studio apartment or a 500 sqm villa – especially if you’re using artificial light and have to set up in each room. But even if you don’t, you still need to take and process more images.
• The amount and format of images that you’ll deliver. An average client will require two pictures per room, two of the living room and two of the kitchen. Then one per bathroom and any additional areas like the laundry room. Finally, one to three exterior shots. You can price that as a starting fee and add an extra cost per photo if they want more detail shots, shots of the garden, etc.
• The turnaround time. When the client needs extra fast delivery, you might have to push back other clients, or work extra hours. This should be reflected in the cost.
• The end goal. You should have different quotes according to the type of client and the use they will give to your photos. A homeowner that will use them to list his apartment online probably won’t pay as much for professional images. On the other hand, a fancy resort that will advertise worldwide and profit from your images has a different budget that also considers licensing fees.
• Special requests. If your client requires something particular that will require extra equipment, many hours of post-processing, several visits to the property, etc., remember to factor them into the pricing.

I know that giving you a bunch of factors that income ‘depends on’ hasn’t answered your question yet. So, I’ll include some references for you to get an idea.

Kirk Bergman once posted his income report which you can see below. While it dates a few years back, it raises some timeless points.

During his first year, he still had to keep a day job because he only brought in $1500.

By the second year, he already made something around $11k; however, only 65% of the income came from real estate photography, and the rest was from landscape photography print sales.

Of course, that’s the raw income, and you need to take off the expenses – he goes into all those details in his report.

Credit: Improve Photography

It’s just one experience, and as I mentioned, it is a few years old, but I believe it’s beneficial in its details and honesty. Plus, it illustrates how you have to be patient before you can make your full living out of working in real estate photography.

Now, let’s see some average numbers. According to Thumbtack, a real estate photographer charges between $170 and $230.

Then it goes into some examples that show how the price changes when it’s based on the number of photos, by the square footage of the property and the time of the day.

It even offers some rate examples for other services like video, virtual tours or aerial photography. You can check it out here to see the details.

If we consider the middle ground of $200 and you manage to land three clients per week, you would be making $31,200 average per year.

You can research photographers in your area to get a better idea of what you can make. Of course, you can build on that income with stock photography or architectural photography.

Final Words

Now it’s time for you to take what you’ve learned and go out and practice your real estate photography.

Let us know in the comments section if these real estate photography tips were useful. We’d love to hear about your experiences.

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Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.

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Real Estate Photography Business – How-To-Start Guide

By Tata Rossi 9 days ago, Real Estate Photography

If you enjoy selling properties or taking photos, you might have already started thinking about how to build a real estate photography business from scratch. Those who have managed to create a successful company earn about $50,000 per year .

Business owners don’t need to worry about being stuck in traffic jams. However, you need to consider a certain set of things when developing your business. In this article, you will find handy tips on how to ensure the growth of your company.

15 Steps to Start a Sucessful Real Estate Photography Business

Since it’s a niche photography industry, you can get many new clients and a stable income.

Only some tips listed below will help you quickly grow your business. You can use them to expand your client base. However, don’t disregard other steps that will help you develop various aspects of your business and prepare to photo shoots.

1. Create a Business Plan

If you are on a budget and want to learn how to start a photography business with no money , think about your goals and what steps you need to take to reach them. When creating a plan, you need to consider several things.

Specific niche . For instance, you can decide to specialize in such genres as commercial real estate photography , high end real estate photography , 3D real estate photography , real estate aerial photography . All of them have their specifics, which is why it’s better to select one of them and study it thoroughly.

Business strategy . Think about the steps that you need to take to ensure the growth of your business, the problems that you might need to fix, and your vision.

Market research . You need to analyze what things might hinder your business’ growth. Consider the photography services that your target audience might need to order.

Finance evaluation . Make sure to estimate your expenses to predict how much profit you can make.

Tip : When creating your photography business plan , try estimating how much you need to spend on basic and additional gear, marketing campaigns, staff, courses, and software.

2. Get Required License

This task might seem too difficult for those who want to learn how to get into real estate photography since the prices and requirements for licenses might differ depending on the location.

To develop a real estate photography business, you need to get a permit for two reasons. Firstly, it will allow you to collect the sales tax and then pay it to the government. Secondly, this way, you can create an LLC or corporation.

You need to have an EIN since it is used by the Internal Revenue Service to identify you as a taxpayer. It’s a must for certain types of business taxes. For instance, you will need it if you want to form a sole proprietorship, a partnership, an LLC, or a corporation.

To get an EIN, visit the IRS website, check the requirements, and apply.

3. Protect Yourself with Insurance

It’s impossible to develop a successful business without photography insurance . If you are located in the USA, you can use various types of insurance:

General liability insurance will come in handy if you cause damage to your client or their property. It might also cover damages caused to a third party.

Professional liability insurance allows you to avoid losing money because of errors or omissions. For instance, if you lose the pictures of a real estate that your client wants to sell, it might be covered by liability insurance.

Equipment insurance allows you to quickly replace your photography gear if it gets broken or otherwise damaged. Depending on the policy, you might get reimbursed if your equipment gets damaged because of a fire, flood, etc.

Tip : If you work as a freelancer, make sure to sign the real estate photography contract with your customers or get payments through Thumbtack and Upwork. This way, you will still get paid even if your client refuses to follow the terms of an agreement.

On average, photographers and other creative professionals pay about $65 per month , or $779 annually , for insurance.

4. Choose Necessary Equipment

Before starting working, make sure to buy a camera for real estate photography . It should be compatible with various lenses, support Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB), and a continuous shooting mode. You can purchase the Canon 5D Mark IV as your base photography gear. This camera allows you to take great photos at ISO up to 6400. Even if you use it at high sensitivities, you can take high-quality photos that can be published online.

As for other real estate photography equipment that you might need to use, make sure to purchase a wide lens. It will come in handy for photos of interiors since it enables you to capture the whole room. I advise you to buy the Canon 17-40mm f/4L or use other Canon wide-angle lenses .

Besides, you will need to use prime lenses , such as the Canon 50mm f/1.8 . This lens will be perfect for capturing various details of interiors.

When taking photos of interiors, keep in mind that you might need to work in poor lighting conditions. This is why you might need to use a high ISO to take a good photo. If you notice that there is a problem with noise, you can fix it by using a tripod for photographers . The Amazon Basics tripod is made of special aluminum alloy, which makes it pretty lightweight.

When planning your budget, you need to allocate about $3,000 for photography gear. This investment is likely to pay off after 10 photo shoots.

To take even more engaging videos of houses, try using a drone for real estate photography that will help you take eye-catching pictures. Camera drones will come in handy for creating a VR tour. A virtual tour will help a client to see all the details of the property.

Drones are also used for taking landscape shots. However, while you might occasionally use them to take pictures of various properties, they can’t replace a DSLR camera when you need to take photos of interiors.

5. Learn About the Market Prices and Estimate Your Profits

If you are wondering about an average real estate photography salary , keep in mind that most photographers take from $80 to $500 per shoot , depending on the size of a property and its location. Usually, the price covers the photo shoot itself and 25-50 edited photos. If you are a beginner, make sure not to set low prices since it might devalue your services in the future.

When starting a real estate photography business, remember that it might take from one to three years to make it profitable. Freelance real estate photographers can count on an annual profit of $50,000 . If you are an established professional, you can get even more than $90,000 per year . Since the overhead costs are quite low, your profits will begin to grow exponentially when you start hiring more employees.

6. Think About Post-Processing

If you are a beginner and need to meet a tight deadline, you can contact a professional editing service that specializes in enhancing photos of commercial properties, homes, or other buildings.

You might need to perform basic color correction, adjust the white balance, saturation, and other settings. In some cases, photographers edit the background, delete unwanted details, replace the sky, fix lens distortion.

To enhance images, you can use Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom since they have professional photo-editing tools. If you opt for the latter, I recommend you to use real estate Lr presets or HDR real estate Lr presets to optimize your workflow.

Both these programs have free trial versions. When a free plan expires, you can purchase the Adobe Photography Plan or buy a set of photo-editing programs for $9.99/per month.

7. Take Courses

While you can build a business from scratch even without any technical skills, it’s better to take real estate photography classes to improve the quality of your photos and make your company stand out.

Before enrolling in courses, learn more about tutors. They should be industry professionals to provide you with information that will help you build a real estate photography business. You can also read reviews left by people who took these courses before.

Most photography schools will cost you from $10.000 to $30.000 per year . If you are on a budget, you can take online courses instead of getting a degree. Online courses usually cost around $100 per month .

Tip : If you are wondering about the quality of services provided by a photographer and want to know whether they can help you get new clients, you need to find out how to generate real estate leads .

8. Practice More

While it’s one of the most obvious real estate photography tips , you need to take it seriously. If you practice more, your skills will quickly improve. However, it might take much time to become a professional and start a successful real estate photography business.

Experienced photographers claim that it took them about 10,000 hours of taking photos to master their craft. The more time you invest, the faster you can improve your skills.

Tip : To meet other professionals from the industry and promote my services among real estate agents, I joined the international real estate photographers association. The REPAI is an online service that allows clients to find photographers based in the US and other countries across the globe.

9. Think About Payment Methods

While many beginners accept payments by cash, it’s better to allow your clients to use several payment methods. You can accept payments by card or check. Many photographers add various online payment options to their websites. Your customers will like an opportunity to pay via PayPal or Amazon Pay.

10. Walk Through The Home

When you first come to a house, apartment, or other property that you need to shoot, make sure to examine all the rooms closely to analyze the lighting, select the right angles, and think about the details that you need to emphasize.

The owners of the property can move some objects or furniture pieces if they clutter the frame. It’s better to prepare a location beforehand to avoid editing out many unwanted details later.

11. Create A Standard Shot List for Photoshoot

To save time, you need to create a list of photos that you need to take at every location. It will help you to take pictures that your client needs more quickly.

For instance, you can take the following photos:

• Front exterior (experiment with angles and distances)
• Wide-angle photos of bedrooms, kitchen, den, etc.
• Pictures of laundry, pantry, garage, basement
• Backyard images

Tip : Besides, you need to think about how to organize your digital photography workflow . Make sure to create a backup, import and export photos, prepare them for publishing and printing.

12. Have a Website With Your Portfolio

When starting a real estate photography business, you need to build an easy-to-navigate website with a photography portfolio . It will allow your potential clients to see your works before ordering your services.

If you are interested in well-paying real estate photography jobs , you need to add the best photos to your website. However, make sure that you have the right to post them online.

When creating a portfolio, there is no need to add all your photos to the website. Select the 10-15 best photos. Professional photographers upload several high-quality photos.

Keep in mind that you will need to pay from $100 to $1,200 for website maintenance every year. Make sure to include these expenses in the list when creating your real estate photography business plan.

13. Be Active on Social Media Platforms

By using the best social media for photographers , you can improve your online presence and develop your business. Make sure to register on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Many people use these services for finding photos.

If you already have a large client base, some brands or real estate agencies might contact you directly and offer favorable cooperation terms. It will help you promote your brand and find new clients.

The Content Factory conducted research and concluded that companies spend between $200 and $350 per day on average to promote their businesses on social media platforms. It means that large companies are ready to spend as much as $6,000 or even $10,500 per month. Their annual budget ranges from $72,000 to $126,000.

Tip : If you regularly update your social media feeds, you can use in-built analytics tools to learn more about your target audience. Besides, your clients can provide feedback by liking your posts or leaving comments.

14. Provide Excellent Customer Service

Make sure to always keep your promises. If your price covers 25 photos, you need to send at least 25 images to your client. After scheduling a photo session, make sure to write down the date and arrive on time. It’s better to come early since it looks more professional.

People who want to sell a house or an apartment always ask real estate agents to list it quickly. In the real estate photography business, a quick turnaround time is crucial. You need to meet tight deadlines to ensure your clients’ satisfaction.

Besides, you need to provide great customer service and help your clients with solving any questions they might face. It will help you build long-term relationships with them.

Tip : You can also use a photography business app for scheduling your photo shoots. Such apps allow you to write down information about the number of photos that you need to take, etc. This way, you can save time and make your workflow more efficient.

15. Use Print Advertising

Besides using online ads, make sure to use various types of traditional print ads as well. For instance, you can design and print photography business cards and give them to your potential clients.

To create business cards, you need to pay from $10 to $500 . On average, people pay $194 for them. The total cost depends on the quality and design of a business card.

Bonus Tools

To get pro-level real estate photos, try using these handy actions and effects that will help you enhance your images. Take a look at this collection of professional Photoshop actions that allow you to quickly make your photos more eye-catching.

Use these actions to edit photos of buildings, office spaces, and interiors. They are compatible with the most recent versions of Photoshop, such as CC and CS6.

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Real Estate Photography: A Complete Guide

Table of Contents

Your Real Estate Photography Market and Competition

Let’s make our way through the boring stuff first just to get it out of the way. It’s a good idea to know if your market can support you before you start doling out wads of cash on gear. Generally, the bigger the city, the better. If the photographers’ schedules all seem booked up, there is probably room for a fresh face. But if you live in a small town, or you see all the businesses cutting their rates, maybe you should reconsider.

As you are gauging the other photographers in the market, also take a look at their rates, and what they offer their clients. You will probably want to come in a little under them because you are the new guy and you have to make a name. I would not come in drastically under market value, that just hurts everyone in the market and honestly, you won’t last too long even if you do think you will grab a ton of business.

A race to the bottom on rates only has losers competing.

Compare Costs to Your Real Estate Photography Earnings

Now let’s take a look at your real costs. You will have insurance, business licenses, and many other items you have probably not even considered. You will need a phone, Internet, hosting fees, gas, the Adobe tax, and many other things just to get started. Oh, yeah- and taxes! Uncle Sam wants his share, too!

To help you get a realistic handle on all these costs, head over to Nick Adam’s cost calculator . Fill this out honestly, and see what you have to gross and net a month or a year to survive. How do these numbers compare to what your pricing schedule will allow you to earn? Can you make that work?

You need to plan for no business for at least six months — can you survive that long? If not, reconsider working for someone else as you bring your skill level up.

Essential Camera Equipment for Real Estate Photos

Let’s look at basic essential gear. Believe it or not, nothing fancy here.

A Camera and Lens

You will likely be delivering images at about 2000px wide, so you don’t need to buy the Nikon Z9 or Canon R3 thinking that will make you a real estate photography rock star. Some of the best shooters in the business rely on Sony APS-C cameras and 12mm Rokinons .

The initial investment in gear is not much, especially considering you can probably use the body you have now. If you insist on buying new, I suggest going mirrorless. But as far as a brand — Sony, Nikon, Canon, or Olympus — that’s all up to you. Most modern systems will have a very affordable 16-30 f/4 (APS-C 10-20mm) lens in their line; that is all you need to get started (most shoots will be f/6.3-f/11 so paying extra for an f/2.8 is throwing beginner money away!).

If you want to splurge, do so on a tripod. A steady, stable platform to shoot from is paramount. Though it may be hard to wrap your head around, spending a thousand on a Gitzo or an RSS will save you a lot of money in the long run as you won’t be re-buying 2 to 3 cheaper tripods down the road. (And with the money I saved you on NOT buying that 14-24 f/2.8, you can afford the Gitzo!)

For mounting, the ideal head is a geared head. Ball heads flop around too much, and are much harder to level. The Benro’s and Leofoto’s are ok to start with, and the Arca-Swiss Cube is what fills a real real estate photographers’ dreams.

Flash. Start with simple strobes… and every few jobs, reinvest in your business by adding more and better flashes. I would recommend going with Godox (AKA Flashpoint).

Start with a couple of strobes and the R2 wireless flash system . Add an Godox AD200 when you can — this is the flash I use the most in the field. I find using a Magmod sphere on it gives a great quality of light. For the big jobs, I also keep a few Godox AD600s around — no need to pay extra for TTL, as we shoot everything manually.

Other gear you will need include:

Umbrellas . Shoot-through or reflector, it does not matter — just get white silk, not silver.

Light stands . Heavier is better.

Extra batteries . Get backups of every important piece of gear in your kit. Nothing is more unprofessional than NOT having a piece of gear that you need.

Extra Gear You May Not Need Right Away

Depending on your business model and what you want to do, there are at least three additional gear purchases you may want to look into for your business. I would seriously consider all of these… but you also might want to hold off on them until your business is a bit more established.

A 3D Camera

The first is a 3D camera, and while Matterport is probably the best known, there are other options. A Ricoh Theta Z for instance will set you back one thousand dollars and CAN be used on the Matterport platform. The Theta is also faster than a Matterport camera, but the Matterport camera blows it away in quality. (The full Matterport camera runs about 3 grand, and you will need an iPad also). Other options include full systems like iGuide (which is also Theta Z-based) and editor/showcase sites such as Eyespy360 and 3DVista.

Another service you may want to add is drone footage. My favorite drone is the DJI Mavic 2 Pro- a very stable platform and a top-of-the-line camera. With the recent release of the Mavik 3, the 2’s are going down in price, which is a real plus for you just starting out. And the 3 doesn’t add any functionality you will need, certainly not when the steep price bump is taken into consideration. If you are going to shoot drone footage commercially- still or video you WILL need an FAA license. Do NOT try and get around this… this is the law, and you must follow the law here. You will also benefit from having a drone insurance rider on your regular commercial photographer’s insurance package.

Video Equipment

Finally, you almost have to consider adding video to your service list. There are so many options here, that this subject should have its own article written. But if you are thinking in terms of also shooting video, think about a video stabilization system… either as a stand-alone unit (Osmo), that your camera can mount into (Ronin), or that you can use to stabilize your iPhone with.

Basic Skills in Real Estate Photography

So now that you have a mountain of gear, what are you going to do with it? Let’s start with working on your basic skills. You can — but I don’t recommend — just hit the ground running. I feel it’s much better to go in knowing at least something about what you are doing.

Composition

The first thing you need to learn is photography composition . Composing in a frame is a skill that goes back a thousand years, so there is no shortage of places to learn good composition from. You could start by looking at how master painters composed. Then you could look at how your favorite TV show or movie is framed. They all use the same basic rules… or don’t use them when they want to shake you up.

Now I am not going to go into this, or even mention the rule of thirds , because that is not what this article is about. You want this job, here’s one of your homework assignments: learn and study composition.

Join real estate forums on Facebook and read the critiques in real-time. Even post your current images. Now is the time to learn! So put on an asbestos suit, post your test shots, and let the pros help you get better for free.

This is also a good time to start to learn to work with light. In your own home, shoot your living room in the morning, and then in the afternoon. Take a good look at your shots. What has changed? What worked? What did not work? Get a dark spot? Add a flash and see what happens. I would HIGHLY recommend you do this and look at your shots right away, so you can see how different flashes and exposures make or break your images.

Get used to light by shooting in different weather and at different times. Bug your friends, parents, or even people you may know selling their homes. Start small, and add to your knowledge base any way you can.

Four Styles in Real Estate Photography

There are four different styles of photography in the real estate world.

Ordinary Photography

The first you probably already do: just shoot it. It won’t take you long to realize this just won’t cut it in real estate. Your interiors will either have blown-out windows or be too dark — certainly not the sweet images you aspire to shoot. What can you do to improve your images?

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

Most real estate photographers start by shooting HDR or High Dynamic Range images. In this method, you set up many exposures- one for the windows, one for the room, and one for the darks- and you combine the best parts of each for a final image. Lightroom will do this out of the box, and there are specialized add-ins (Enfuse, Photomatix, Aurora) for more finesse and control of your blending in Lightroom and Photoshop.

HDR makes shooting and editing relatively easy. For some business models, the main advantage here is the speed- you can shoot a 2000 sq ft home in 20 minutes if you are fast and know your stuff. HDR works great in some cases, and well in many. But it is not perfect, particularly with capturing accurate color. One of the key considerations is the color of the light in the scene to improve color reproduction. When you mix colors — incandescent and daylight for instance — you get tinted, skewed, and off colors.

Flash Photography

Color and light issues can be corrected by overpowering the relatively low levels of mixed light colors with a strong singular source of light: a flash. Correctly balanced, the flash will reproduce beautifully accurate colors. And flash turns dark rooms bright and light.

As problem-solving a solution as flash seems, it has major drawbacks. The cost of the units themselves is an obvious impediment. Flashes are large, cumbersome, and slow down your work process. Bringing in, setting up, and using light stands just complicate things more. Unless you are very good at lighting (and are willing to spend a LOT more time crafting the light), flash tends to be a very flat look. In a word, it looks “flashy”.

Flambient Real Estate Photography

The fourth style of photography is a literal combination of the first three, and is colloquially called “Flambient.” Here, an ambient, naturally-lit frame is combined with one (or more) flash layers emphasizing the best parts of each layer. It also combines the bad aspects of all three… it takes a lot more time, you have the additional cost of flash, and it adds a lot more time in the edit.

It takes a lot more skill on the part of the photographer to do it well.

Shooting a ‘Flambient’ Photo with HDR and Flash

As I stated earlier, shooting an “ordinary” single photo of home interiors can be difficult and lead to poor-quality results due to the huge dynamic range between interior lighting and sunlight outside the home’s windows.

To overcome this, we can shoot a flambient photo that combines HDR and flash. We start by using exposure bracketing, or capturing the same composition in multiple photos with different exposures.

In this example, I captured a room in a photo with “correct” exposure, a photo underexposed by two stops, and a photo overexposed by two stops:

The resulting HDR photo is “good enough” for delivering to clients and for listing on MLS, but the wide dynamic range still leaves something to be desired. To reduce the dynamic range, we can use a flash to add more light to the darkest areas of the room to bring them more in line with the sunlight outside.

I used two flashes in this instance, one handheld behind my camera in real estate photography’s infamous “Statue of Liberty pose”, and one placed on a counter behind the wall to illuminate the adjacent space.

A test shot shows nice even light and color across the walls and ceiling of the room.

The result of this flash photo looks too “flashy,” though, so the trick is post-processing. The magic of “flambient” photography happens in editing.

By opening both the ambient HDR photo and the flash photo as layers in Photoshop, you can using masking to paint the ambient photo into areas of the flash photo that are too flashy (or paint the flash photo into areas of the ambient photo that are too dark).

The result is a more aesthetically pleasing real estate photo with a narrower dynamic range.

I have also written a more in-depth step-by-step tutorial on how to shoot HDR and flash photos and then combine them into flambient real estate photography.

The Business of Real Estate Photography

You will need to decide on a business model and a work style you feel comfortable with, and then work on the techniques that work best for that business model.

You may start just doing anything you can, and that’s fine. But there are many other options for you. You can work for someone else as you build up your skillset. Not as personally fulfilling, but a guaranteed paycheck is sorta nice.

You can decide to be a volume shooter. Shoot at very economical prices, and do a lot in a day. Do a shoot for $75, and do 7 of them and you are seeing some nice demand. This is a very viable alternative, and many places do very well with this model.

Or you can target high-end homes with higher-end photography packages. You can spend 1, 2, or even 8 hours shooting a home, and charge accordingly. But you will have to be good because you are selling quality.

Marketing Your Real Estate Photography

You also need to consider how you will drive clients to your business. As in any business, word-of-mouth is gold. and as a beginner, you won’t yet have that. You do have lots of other options. Creating a website is a great place to start. These days, that goes hand-in-hand with creating a social media presence.

Get out and meet the brokers and agents you want to hire you. And ads- don’t discount ads! While expensive, they can be a great way to jump-start an otherwise ignored business.

Finding Success as Real Estate Photographer

What will you need to do to be successful? No one can fully predict what it may take to win in this field, and I would be a fool to try. I am happy to let you know what worked for me and hope you can adapt that to your situation.

Running a Small Business is a Challenge

Honestly, a lot of things will have to come together for you. It’s not like you need Jupiter to align with Mars, but you will need to be very proactive in running your business. A lot of what you should do is just common sense, too. If you have never run a business, reach out to your local community college or Small Business Administration (SBA) center . I am sure some people there will help you plan, and critique your plan (and probably for free!)

Don’t judge your place or progress in this field by where you think other photographers are. We are all on different paths and have different goals we are trying to achieve. And we all start from different spaces. Be slow and very deliberate. This is not a race; this is something you want to get right the first time. Take your time, practice, and know what you are doing and where you are headed.

It Pays to Be Professional

Concerning business practices, do not take the cheap way out, especially if your business objectives are selling quality. Don’t fake it, and don’t lie. If you want to be treated as a professional, treat your job as a profession. Always dress appropriately; sloppiness will reflect on you (and not well, either).

If you make a mistake, take responsibility, then make it more than good to the client. Ten minutes early is on time; on time is late. When you are with your client, they should be the ONLY people on Earth to you. Do not talk about other customers, your next shoot, or answer your texts — the customer in front of you right now is your whole world, and their property is all you care about.

Stand Out from Among the Crowd

There are a hundred thousand “photographers” out there vying for jobs and a million more behind them screaming, “But my iPhone is good enough!” To stand out against this backdrop — to be noticed — you must emerge from that field and stand for something. Create your segment in your market, both in product and in the business itself. For me, I want to be known for creating quality images and premier customer service, and that is the business I have built.

Please don’t think that everything I have laid out here is the perfect path to success in this business or the only way to prosper in this field; that would be impossible to put down in an article ten times this long. This is simply what I have done, what I see as helpful, and what I wish I had known when I first started. I set this all down to give you an idea of where to place your feet as you start the journey down this road. The road is wide, it accommodates many travelers, and there are many junctions ahead; you must find your own route.

Ultimately though, you should base your path based on what is important to you in photography and in business; You be you. If you are good and honest in your dealings with customers as well as colleagues you have every reason to succeed.

Be Active in Your Photography Career

Once you have established your business, you will have to work equally hard to keep it relevant and alive. You have to be active in your career and work hard to be a better photographer every day. My friend Joe Edelman has a saying I simply love: “Your BEST shot, is your NEXT shot!” Figure out what that means, and apply it to your daily workflow. Be active in the forums on Facebook, and in professional organizations like PFRE and PPA .

Look at and analyze the work done by your peers, and those the industry regards as good. Look at other photographers on Instagram. And not just real estate photographers! For sure you will follow real estate and architectural photographers such as Mike Kelley, Scott Hargis, Rich Baum, Wayne Capili. But you would also be well served by spending time keeping up with a broad spectrum of visual artists like Kat Irlin, Lindsay Adler, Joanie Simon, Joe McNally, Dondre Green, Moose Peterson, Sean Tucker, Simone Bramante, and anyone else that catches your eye.

You can learn from anyone, and bring what you like into your style. Never stop feeding your eye; never stop being inspired, and placing yourself in positions to be inspired.

And always ask questions online: there is NOTHING professional real estate photographers love more than sharing their opinions!

Real Estate Photography is 1% Picture Taking

Photography is about a lot more than taking pictures. There is a quote by Thomas Edison: “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” I would alter that for photography and say that this business is 99% problem solving and 1% picture taking. If you are not prepared for that, if you think a photography career is pushing a button, instantly spitting out a beautiful picture, and then collecting a large check, get ready to be massively unhappy and gravely disappointed.

But if you love the process of making pictures, problem-solving, hard work, and being your own boss, then there is no better place to be.

About the author : Dave Koch is a working real estate and commercial photographer based in Utah . With over a decade of experience in the field, Dave has been recognized by his peers with the Best of State award twice for his commercial photography. Before stepping out on his own, Dave spent fifteen years as a professional photojournalist across California, Arizona, and Utah. For fun, Dave enjoys spending his free time exploring the length and breadth of his adopted home state of Utah with his wife and daughter. You guessed it: taking pictures. You can find more of his work on his website , Facebook , and Instagram .

Image credits: All photographs, unless otherwise labeled, by Dave Koch.

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Get Into Real Estate Photography: What is It?

The purpose of real estate photography is to sell or rent out a property. It includes taking pictures of exteriors and interiors . And it requires skills in architectural and interior photography.

Photos should show space, features, lighting, layout and follow specific rules. In other words, you need to take both wide-angle and more detailed shots.

Typical real estate photography clients are estate agents, designers, architects, decorators, and builders. But you might even shoot for magazines and work with editors and publishing houses.

The range of expectations in real estate photography is high. And competition between photographers and businesses is also high.

Recommended Real Estate Photography Gear

A suitable camera , tripod , and wide-angle lens are essential equipment for any real estate photographer.

Ultra-wide-angle prime lenses often result in crispier sharpness and less lens distortion . But I recommend zoom lenses over prime lenses because of the flexible zoom capability.

For cameras with a crop sensor, a lens with a focal range of about 10-24mm would be perfect. Some brands will have varying focal ranges. It’s not a big deal to choose a different focal length , like 10-22mm or 12-24mm.

For a full frame camera , a wide lens will also do the job. Something like 14-24mm, for instance. But I recommend going one step further and using a lens like the 16-35mm. It’s more versatile. And you don’t shoot that wide all the time.

Some real estate photographers use extra lighting. If you’re one of them, you’ll need several external flashes.

One of the most popular brands for flashes is Godox. It offers a full range of settings needed for real estate photography. I recommend the  Godox V1 , and you need at least 2 of those.

You can also consider using a softbox to create diffused lights.

Lighting Techniques for Real Estate Photographers

Lighting is the most controversial part of real estate photography.

There are two types of real estate photographers:

• Those who use natural light
• Those who use flashes

Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages.

With natural light, you don’t have to carry a truckload of equipment. And you also finish shooting much faster. But in post-processing, you have to use HDR a lot of times. It would be best if you blended several exposures to form a final shot.

With flash photography , it’s much easier to create a more even dynamic range. But it’s also easy to overdo and create unreal and theatrical scenes.

I prefer natural lighting and try to avoid flashes.

Tips and Techniques to Shoot Perfect Real Estate Photos

1. use a low camera height for a realistic perspective.

Camera height is important because it affects perspective . In my experience, it should be lower than a person’s height.

My rule of thumb is to position the camera 20-30 cm above the highest surface. A table will still look like a table, not like a plank of wood.

Some areas, like the bathroom, will look better if the camera is a little lower than in other rooms. The surfaces are lower, and everything is very close together.

Another rule of thumb is to put the camera even lower in narrow areas.

2. Keep Vertical Lines Parallel to Avoid Distorted Impressions

An essential rule for real estate photography is to keep vertical lines vertical. They shouldn’t curve, they shouldn’t bend, and they shouldn’t fall to either side. All those lines should be vertical.

You might want to consider using a tilt-shift lens . Architectural and interior photographers use this lens to ensure lines are parallel. Or it can take a lot of time to fix it in editing.

Some cameras have a built-in function showing the alignment of the photo. It helps, but you still need to fine-tune the vertices in editing. It’s straightforward to do in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) or Lightroom . I’ll show you how to do it in the real estate photography editing section below.

3. Use Natural Light for More Pleasing Real Estate Images

I don’t have a preference for having the lights on or off inside a property. Most of the time, it depends on what the client wants and what their property has.

Once, I shot an apartment with bare lightbulbs, and it was a painful experience. It didn’t look good at all, and each bulb overexposed the area around it.

When shooting interiors, some properties have decorative lighting that adds to the photo. Some don’t.

Also, some properties may have a lot of natural light as a feature. That’s very helpful with interior photography.  Natural light is more beneficial when adjusting white balance . Plus, it gives a more organic feeling of the space.

One important detail. Shoot the whole property in one united style. Do not mix lighting styles . The only exception is the bathroom. It may be too dark to shoot without any artificial lighting .

4. Take Lots of Pictures to Achieve Correct Exposure in Post-Production

Correct exposure for real estate photography is a tricky concept. It’s rare when you can expose correctly with one shot.

More often than not, real estate photographers need to take many shots during the photoshoot and blend them in Photoshop later. There are two main techniques:

• For HDR blending , take 3 or 5 exposures per photo and then combine them later. It would help if you used exposure compensation for them. Shoot -1.5, 0, +1.5 for 3 images. Take 2 overexposed, 2 underexposed, and 1 correctly exposed for a total of 5 image exposures. If you choose the HDR technique, you’ll need more time to edit the final photos.
• For flash photography , the idea is to take as many shots as required. Move the flashes around to create proper shadows, flares, and anything else you need. The critical detail when using flashes is to point them right at the windows. That way, there won’t be any light bleeding over the edges of the frame. Avoid flares on the windows!

How to Correctly Expose Window Views

The other important detail is whether to expose the outside view in windows correctly.

One approach is to blend images in a way that shows the outside properly exposed . This includes showing a blue sky, houses, trees, etc. The other method is to overexpose the view in windows, making them white and bright.

What you want to do depends on the situation.

If the view outside adds value to the image, I’ll show it. I’ll create a natural blend so that the view will still be a bit brighter than the interior. If the view outside doesn’t add any value, I’ll overexpose it.

5. Avoid Using The Widest Angle to Avoid Exaggerated Distortion

How wide is wide enough? That’s a counter-intuitive question when you’re starting in real estate photography. It would be best if you didn’t use the widest possible lens at the widest angle for most of your shots.

Some real estate agents will ask you to. But that’s only because they like to exaggerate the area, making it look bigger.

It would be best to use focal lengths of 18-24mm on a full frame camera in regular scenarios. Those numbers signal the equivalent focal range. You’ll need to do some maths if your camera is cropped.

Also, you’ll need an even longer lens for detailed and atmospheric shots. I use a 50mm for both, moving closer or farther away from the subject.

Atmospheric real estate shots show a part of the property that has a special ambience. Detail shots show exciting features such as vases and impressive lamps.

6. Plan for Perfect Light to Take and Edit Stunning Twilight Exterior Shots

The sky should look blue and inviting. That’s why you should check the weather and the direction of light. Do some research and figure out the time of day when the light hits the front of the house and be there on time.

This type of real estate photography is a great candidate to test your HDR skills if the light isn’t perfect.

Some clients want you to photograph the house during twilight . It’s one of the top services a real estate photographer can provide.

You should schedule this separately from the main shoot. And you can price it as an additional cost too.

Steps to Take and Edit a Twilight Exterior Image

You may need help preparing for and taking this shot. Just follow this process:

• Clear the area in front of the exterior of any cars, people, or other distractions.
• Turn on all of the interior lights.
• Set up a tripod and compose a shot.
• Then make several shots as the ambient light from the sky dim, and the artificial interior lights grow stronger.

Here are the steps to blend the imaged together in Photoshop :

• Open one of the first shots as a base shot.
• Then put a couple of shots taken later as layers on top
• Blend them in Lighten Blending mode .
• Use Opacity to manipulate how bright the lights are.

How to Edit Real Estate Photography Images

1. post-processing a single exposure.

Let’s talk about the lucky scenario where you can capture what you want in a single exposure. In this case, the editing is simple:

• Correct the distortions.
• Fix the perspective (vertical lines).
• Turn down highlights.
• Lighten the shadows.
• Adjust the white balance (the correct color temperature ).
• Fix the brightness and contrast.
• Set the sharpness and clarity to a moderate level to emphasize the details.

This is a simple workflow. I edit 99% of such photos in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) without even loading JPEGs.

2. Blending Multiple Flash Shots

First, apply the basic edits I outlined above to all photos.

Then load the images into layers in Photoshop and use masks to blend the images one by one.

Finally, finish this image as you would for any regular shot.

3. Blending Multiple Exposures, Including Merging to HDR

There are three ways to blend multiple exposures of an image.

One method is to blend directly in a raw converter (ACR or Lightroom). I use this method as Adobe does a fantastic job blending photos.

You need to select all the photos, right-click them, and then choose Merge to HDR . More often than not, this will even merge the windows.

Check out this video tutorial for the step-by-step process.

Sometimes you need to merge the photos manually if the above method fails. It’s unpleasant and not efficient at all. You can use manual masking or luminosity masking , or a combination of those. I tend to blend as much as possible using the first method and then finish up with the manual merge if required.

The third method is an aEnfuse plugin for Lightroom . It’s next to free (Donationware), and it does a good job of blending shots with a couple of clicks. The only downside for me is that it’s not available in ACR, only in Lightroom, which I dislike.

Starting a Real Estate Photography Business

So, how do you start a real estate photography business and make money ?

First, you need to decide on pricing your services. We have a detailed article on how to set your real estate photography prices here.

Then there you have to establish yourself in the real estate photography market. How do you do that? We list a few steps below.

1. Build a Real Estate Photography Portfolio to Promote Your Business

First of all, you need to create a real estate photographers portfolio. This is easy to do. Take pictures of a couple of apartments or houses. You can photograph your own apartment, your friend’s house, your partner’s townhouse, etc.

Then, edit the photos. You can also outsource editing. But make sure that your photos are of professional quality and follow the tips discussed earlier in the article.

You should then create a physical copy of your real estate photography portfolio . Print pictures, a small booklet, or a brochure you can show people. And have a business card on hand that you can give to clients.

2. Create an Online Presence to Get Noticed

Second, build up your online presence. Create an  online portfolio .

If you own a site, that’s great. If you don’t, there are many free platforms to show your real estate photography. For example, you can use 500px, Behance, Flickr , or Instagram.

You can also create your own website with Format, Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress. And to make it more professional, use a personalized and unique domain name rather than a free subdomain.

Also, register with lots of different sites where people look for real estate photographers. You’ll need to research your own area. But I use houzz.com, photographers.com.au, oneflare.com and a few others.

Using this method, you’ll start to get orders now and then. Just make sure your real estate photography profile is outstanding.

3. Network to Find Potential Clients

The relationships you build are crucial in the real estate photography business. It helps if you get acquainted with the real estate business and get to know real estate agents.

Leverage your relationships with friends and past clients and see if they can introduce you to some agents to show your work.

If you have zero ties to agents, get creative. Send out personalised e-mails to agents who list properties online. But don’t spam them!

You can write something like this:

Hi , My name is , and I’m a professional real estate photographer looking to broaden my portfolio. I was browsing properties and found the listing at . I think it could benefit from some top-notch real estate photos. Here are some examples: <link to your online portfolio >. Please let me know what you think.

Another option is to bring your printed portfolio to real estate offices. You can either show it in person or drop it off for them to view it later.

At the end of the day, building relationships and word of mouth is still the best method to grow your real estate photography network .

Conclusion: Get Into Real Estate Photography

Real estate photography is like preparing a property’s resume for an interview. The initial impression (along with its price tag) attracts home buyers or potential customers.

To be successful in the real estate photographer business, you have to deliver professional quality real estate photos.

Putting in the extra effort in real estate photography editing to make your photos top class will make your photos stand out. This is a sure way to get more clients and succeed in the real estate photography business.

Do you want to be a real estate photographer? Check out our Picture Perfect Properties e-book for a more in-depth look into everything you need to get started.

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How to Get Into Real Estate Photography

Do you want to learn how to make money with real estate photography? We’ve got all the answers about what it takes to do professional real estate photography.

Whether you’re an experienced photographer looking to expand your skillset or a beginner exploring new possibilities, this guide is designed to help you get started.

We’ll provide answers to your burning questions, including how much real estate photographers make & how to set your pricing

Additionally, we’ll cover important topics like drone photography and the best practices for capturing stunning real estate shots.

So, let’s dive in and explore how to launch a successful real estate photography business!

What Does Real Estate Photography Involve?

Realtor photography involves more than you might think.

You can venture into the world of house photography or commercial real estate property. When you’re contemplating how to start a real estate photography business, you have to be prepared to wear many hats.

In addition to taking photos, real estate photographers should be prepared to spend additional time and resources on things like house staging, photo editing, marketing, sales, and admin work.

If you’re used to taking your time when editing images, then you won’t have that luxury when shooting real estate properties.

Realtors usually need a quick turnaround time on the real estate photos, with deadlines of 24 to 48 hours being most common. The main way to work in the real estate photography business is by working alongside real estate agents, photographing homes or commercial real estate for online listings.

However, you may want to consider dipping your toes into real estate stock photos as well.

By making your real estate stock photos available online through resources like Shutterstock, you can add an additional income source that is entirely passive, meaning less work for you in the long run.

How Do Real Estate Photographers Price Their Work?

When setting your real estate photography pricing, make sure to consider the work you’ll put in outside of the real estate photography itself, like preparation, travel, and associated fees, and the amount of time it will take you to edit the photos. Of course, suppose you don’t already have all the necessary equipment for real estate photography. In that case, you’ll also need to factor in those expenses (like, say, if your camera doesn’t have the best lens for real estate photography).

Don’t underestimate the amount of time a particular job might take you, either—for more advanced real estate photography. You may be asked to make significant edits that can eat into your time and your profits. You should also consider setting a higher rate for super-fast turnaround times.

At this point, you might think, “is real estate photography a good business?”

The answer will depend on a number of factors, including your working style. You have to be willing to put yourself out there to find new business opportunities and be flexible on your turnaround times.

Real estate photography rates will also vary depending on where you live—unfortunately, a small-town real estate photographer just won’t be able to charge as much as someone doing real estate photography in a big city.

However, always make sure you’re valuing your work by paying yourself a fair wage , regardless of where you’re located, your skills, and the equipment you’re using.

What Kind of Real Estate Photography Pricing Guidelines Should I Follow?

If you’re new to photography, start by researching the basics of pricing your photography .

You can also ask your local photography community (MeetUp, Facebook Groups, etc.,) to ask how much does a real estate photographer earns specific to your area. This can give you a good starting point and give you an idea that real estate photography can be lucrative.

As professional photographers, you have to consider the expenses you have that allow you to edit photos and account for your costs. This may include your camera equipment, insurance for your camera equipment, editing software, your experience, your transportation, and marketing.

Like any creative business, real estate photography rates will differ based on location and experience, but here are some basic tips you can follow.

Set Different Real Estate Photography Rates For Different Sized Homes

The larger the house, the more rooms, and features you’ll need to capture and edit. It only makes sense that you charge based on the property you’re shooting.

You might charge under $200 for homes 3,000 square feet and under and over $200 for 3,000 square feet and up.

Adjust Your Real Estate Photography Pricing Based on Time of Day

Sometimes it’s difficult to coordinate shooting times with the homeowners and the real estate agent, which means you might be given unconventional hours to shoot.

Shooting high-quality real estate photography at sunset or in the dark will involve more equipment and editing than daytime shoots, so get all the details before you provide your client with your final rate.

Higher-End Listings Mean Higher Rates

Suppose you’re photographing a home that will be listed at upwards of $1 million. In that case, your real estate photography pricing should reflect that—your rates could jump from around the $200 mark to closer to $500, depending on the value of the real estate listing.

Here are some real estate pricing photography tips:

• Some people also set their real estate photography rates based on square footage, using a pricing formula of around nine cents per square foot.
• If you do real estate drone photography, you can charge more than regular photos, with one minute of professional video costing anywhere from $200 to $400.
• Video tours of home interiors and individual rooms should cost upwards of $1,000. When you set your real estate photography pricing, base them on deliverables (i.e., 25 high-quality images, one minute of drone video) rather than an hourly wage, and work the time your efforts will take you into your pricing formula.

What Makes a Good Real Estate Image?

Your photos are selling homes, which means they have an important role in highlighting the property’s best features. When it comes to home photography, certain beginner’s mistakes can easily be avoided using these tips.

When it comes to home photography, there are certain beginner’s mistakes that can easily be avoided using these tips.

Always Use a Wide-Angle Lens

Have you ever noticed that quality real estate photography can make even the tiniest of spaces look spacious? Well, the trick to that is a wide-angle lens. A wide-angle lens has a short focal length and allows for more of the scene to be included in the image, enhancing the perspective.

Emphasize the Room’s Best Features

Every room will have one key feature you can focus on, whether it’s a beautiful picture window or a rustic fireplace. What separates professional real estate photography from “amateur hour” is to hone in on what makes each room special and emphasize that to the viewer.

Avoid Bad Weather and Lighting

Yes, it can be inconvenient working around mother nature’s unpredictable schedule, but if it’s super-foggy or muddy out, your real estate photography may not end up looking as great as you hoped.

If you’re skilled in photo editing, you may be able to account for unforeseen weather forecasts, and you can turn cloudy skies into beautiful sunsets. As a skilled editor, this should also reflect in your real estate photographer pricing.

Take Advantage of New Technology

If you want your real estate photography to stand out, or if you’d like to make a bit more money, real estate drone photography can be a great option for you. Keep reading for more information on using camera drones to bring your real estate photography to a whole other level.

What is the Best Lens for Real Estate Photography?

If you’re new to photography, read up on the basics before buying your real estate photography equipment . You’re probably wondering: what is the best lens for real estate photography? For starters, it’s all about that wide-angle lens. To get those super-wide real estate images that we’re so used to seeing, your lens should be in the range of 10-24mm.

While wide-angle is great for capturing the extent of the space and making a room look bigger than it is, you want to stay away from fisheye lenses as it adds too much distortion and looks unnatural.

You should also remember that you will probably be shooting indoor and outdoor real estate photography, so choose a camera setup that works with both. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some options for the best lens for real estate photography.

• Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED

This Nikon lens can shoot at 16mm for interiors and go up to 35mm for exterior real estate photography.

• Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

The ultra-wide-angle lens and range of focal length from 17-40mm make this one of the best lenses for real estate photography.

• Sigma 1-24mm f/4 DG HSM

This lens is made for Canon cameras, and with zero distortion and fast focusing, it’s an ideal lens for real estate photography.

• Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L UD

This is an ultra-wide tilt-shift lens, which allows for unique real estate photos that stand out.

What Does Real Estate Drone Photography Entail?

In addition to real estate pictures, video can be an extremely lucrative option when pursuing a career in real estate photography.

Dramatic, eye-catching visuals can be created using real estate drone photography, which can help a property stand out from the pack online. Camera drones can be great for creating a virtual tour, moving through each room of a property so an online viewer can experience the space.

Drones can also create sweeping landscape shots and showcase a large property, but they won’t take the place of your trusty DSLR camera—when it comes to interior shots, your best bet is still traditional real estate photography.

If you’re interested in adding real estate drone photography to your repertoire, be aware that drones can be pricey, generally starting at about $1000 and going up from there.

Other than the cost of equipment, there are other factors that prevent people from becoming drone operators. To legally fly drones in the United States, you must first obtain an operator’s license. You need to spend some time learning how to use the drone before trying to fly it yourself. So it’s best to contact a real estate drone photographer if you’re just beginning.1

• Drones will take longer to set up than traditional cameras and require more equipment. You need to be ready for long video segments and then cut them into shorter clips in post-production. To produce high-quality videos, you’ll require a three-axis gimbal for holding your camera steady as your drone moves around. It gives you more control over your real-estate drone photography by allowing you to zoom and pan your shots.
• For real estate drone photography, be prepared for the weather conditions to change throughout the day. Make sure to take multiple shots of each perspective so that you don’t miss any potential views. If you want to take good photos of the property, you should aim for a calm day when there aren’t any strong winds.
• You should always be able to preprogram your drone before flying so that you don’t have to make any last-minute adjustments midflight. Make sure you’re careful when flying near things like wires and trees because they could damage your drone and cost you a lot of money if something goes wrong.

Along with a general property photography contract, you’ll need a specific drone-operating contract since there are additional legal requirements for drone operators.

Real Estate Photography Tips

If you’re wondering how to take real estate pictures that impress, we’ve got you covered in that department too. Here’s a comprehensive list of tips to make your first few sessions go smoothly as a real estate photographer.

Create A Standard Shot List

Establishing a list of the photographs you’ll need for the home will save time when you’re on location and help you cover all the assets you’ll deliver to your client.

Here’s an example of the shots that you may include in your shot list:

• Front exterior (at multiple angles and distances)
• Wide-angle shots of the bedrooms, family room, kitchen, and den
• Shots of feature rooms (laundry, pantry, garage, basement)
• Backyard/deck photos

Of course, every home will have its unique features, so ironing the required shots ahead of time with your clients will help speed your working process when it comes time to shoot and provides a seamless client experience working with you.

Walk Through The Home

When you arrive on site, get a feel for the space you’re working with before picking up your camera to shoot. You can take mental notes of the lighting, angles, and stand-out features of the homes you’d like to feature in your photographs.

If the homeowners are there, you can also ask if they can move objects, furniture, or declutter areas that may become a distraction in the image. The less editing work to remove clutter or other imperfections in the image, the better for your overall workflow.

Flash Photography in Real Estate

Often, you don’t have control over when you arrive at the shoot, and there’s no telling what kind of natural lighting the home has.

Flash photography may be required to get the rooms in the house looking their best. The problem is those flash units on a camera can create harsh lighting and shadows, which means you’ll have a lot of work post-production to even out the vignetting (dark edges of the photo and a bright center).

We recommend you use a flashgun rather than your camera’s standard pop-up flash so that you can move around its position. Try turning the flash on the camera so that it’s facing a wall to reflect light. Having the light bounce off the walls will create softer light for a more even look.

Correct Distortion

Lens distortion is an important factor to account for when doing any type of photography. When it comes to real estate photography, where your subjects are rooms with very crisp, angular lines, you may want to correct the lens distortion to fix bent or unnatural lines and curves.

Luckily, programs like Adobe Lightroom make it easy to correct lens distortion in a matter of clicks. To minimize how many adjustments you need to make when editing, make sure you’re shooting your rooms straight on—use a tripod and your camera’s leveling meter if you have to.

The Client Review Process

Being a good real estate photographer is more than capturing images of beautiful spaces. You’ve got to manage your clients’ expectations too.

Once you’ve got the shots, it’s a good idea to review the photos with the real estate agent while you’re on-site to avoid any unhappy clients and having to revisit the property for missed shots.

You can count out the images from your setlist to ensure you’ve gotten the complete list of promised shots and that all looks good in the viewfinder before leaving the property.

As the hired creative professional, you can’t assume that everyone understands your process or the photos you’ve taken. Make this time the opportunity to explain why you like the particular shots and what they can expect them to look like after you’re done editing them.

Where Can You Learn Real Estate Photography?

If you’re wondering “how do I become a real estate photographer?”

There’s no one place to get started.

There are plenty of real estate photography courses available online through platforms like Udemy or Coursera that help you understand the basics of technique and business aspects.

Additionally, seeking out online photography groups to learn from colleagues and get practice is an excellent way to get real-life experience and practice with your camera and equipment. Look for Facebook or Meetup groups to connect with and learn from other photographers in your area.

What Kind of Background Do You Need to Run a Professional Real Estate Photography Business?

You don’t need to come from a particular background to become a successful real estate photographer, but having experience as a photographer and freelancer helps.

Running a real estate photography business is much more than just taking professional real estate photos. You’re solving a problem for real estate agents, and they’re going to you for professional expertise as well as your deliverable photographs.

You’ll also need to set up an invoicing system, photography contracts and spend time and effort looking for new freelance clients . A big part of working as a real estate photographer is also developing a social media strategy to get your work seen.

How Do I Promote My Real Estate Photography Business?

The #1 way to promote your real estate photography business is to set up an amazing online photography portfolio . This way, prospective clients can see all your real estate photos and real estate drone photography in one place—along with your real estate photography pricing page .

A portfolio website as a photographer is a valuable tool for demonstrating your credibility and professionalism.

On top of this, a well-built website can also serve as a marketing tool that finds you new clients. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key component in helping to increase your web page’s visibility when users conduct searches for local real estate photography services.

Don’t have one yet? No worries—just use a website builder to create one in minutes.

Make sure to pick an online portfolio website that offers beautiful templates so your real estate photography website will make a strong, stylish impression. Another great feature to keep an eye out for? A built-in online store , so clients can purchase your real estate photography packages immediately.

Looking to book more photography clients? Create a stunning photography portfolio website to wow your clients with beautiful galleries and deliver your client work with our powerful private proofing tool. Start your 14-day trial with Format today, no credit card required.

Congratulations—you now have all the information you need to start your very own real estate photography business! Soon, you’ll be right at home in the real estate photography world and landing your dream clients.

Want more tips on making money with photography ? How to Start a Successful Photography Business 10 Ways to Promote Your Portrait Photography Business The Ultimate Photography Hashtag Cheat Sheet

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Real Estate Photography Business Plan [Sample Template]

Home » Business ideas » Art & Craft Industry » Photography Business

Do you want to start a photography company and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample real estate photography business plan template & feasibility report. The photography industry is very vast and there are loads of niche ideas opening up in the industry. The truth is that there are several photography business opportunities a photographer can start and one of such opportunities is a real estate photography business.

Real estate photography business involves taking photos of the exterior and interior of buildings with the sole aim of helping in selling or renting out the properties. The photography should show space, features, lighting, layout and follow specific rules; it must capture wide and detail shots that will help buyers make their decision without necessarily inspecting the property.

A Sample Real Estate Photography Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Real estate photography business is niche business idea under the photography industry and this industry is made up of companies and individuals that offer a range of photographic services, including still photography and videography for private events and businesses. Commercial and portrait photography studios are also included in this industry.

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The Photography industry will continue to experience growth in all parts of the world. Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 199,500 licensed and registered photography companies (strictly real estate photography companies), and they are responsible for employing about 239,526 employees.

The industry rakes in a whooping sum of $10 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at 0.3 percent within 2015 and 2022. Please note that aside from Shutterfly Inc., the Photography industry has no other company with major market shares in the United States of America.

A recent research conducted by IBISWorld shows that growing per capita disposable income and corporate profit have driven growth for the Photography industry over the five years to 2019, as both commercial photographers and portrait photographers have benefited from increased demand for their services.

Over the past decade, improvements in digital technology and its increasing affordability made it possible for individuals to start their own photography businesses. Meanwhile, the decline in newspaper and magazine publishing has driven a decline in employing photography enterprises.

Over the next five years, slower corporate profit growth is expected to make the industry more vulnerable to external competition, while consumer demand for professional photography services is anticipated to increase alongside growing per capita disposable income, driving marginal growth in revenue.

If an aspiring entrepreneur who intends starting his or her own real estate photography business has the right skills, connections, networks, managerial skills, and takes delight in working in the real estate industry for clients, then he or she is going to find real estate photography business very rewarding and lucrative.

2. Executive Summary

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is a real estate photography company that will operate in all the West Coast of the United States of America but will be headquartered in San Diego – California.

We intend to become specialists in real estate photography and offering our services to those who are involved in managing, selling and renting/leasing disposing student accommodation, residential apartments, office apartments and hall facilities et al.

Part of our goal as a real estate photography company is to grow to become one of the top 5 largest real estate photography companies in the whole of the West Coast and to take photo of properties across major cities in this region.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. will be committed when it comes to taking photographs of diverse portfolio of high quality apartment, office structures and hall facilities. We will also focus on providing a dynamic, proactive and vibrant work environment for all our employees.

As part of our plans to make our customers our number one priority and to become one of the leading real estate photography companies in The United States of America, we have perfected plans to adopt international best practices that can favorably compete with the best in the industry. Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. have overtime perfected plans that will help us to become a specialist and a leader in our area of business.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is founded by John Johnson, Carson Reeves and Lance Taylor. John Johnson is the company’s president and CEO. John Johnson has over 15 years’ photography and real estate experience including, significant senior management positions in the areas of sales, marketing, new technologies, and franchise management for top real estate and photography companies in the United States of America.

3. Our Product and Services Offerings

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the Photography industry in The United States of America. Our intention of starting our real estate photography company is to favorably compete with leading players in the Photography industry both in The United States of America.

We are well prepared to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in The United States of America to achieve our business goals, aim and ambition. Our business offerings are listed below;

• Taking photos of exterior and interior of buildings with the sole aim of helping in selling or renting out the property
• Help homeowners stage their homes to achieve the best visual results
• Real estate photography consultancy and advisory services

4. Our Mission & Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become one of the top 5 real estate photography companies in the West Coast of the United States of America within the first 10 years of starting Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc.
• Our mission of starting a real estate photography business is to grow the business beyond the city where we are going to be operating from to become a national and international brand by opening offices all across key cities in West Coast of the United States of America and franchising.

Our Business Structure

Our company’s structure is not entirely different from what is obtainable in the Photography industry. We have decided to create a structure that will allow for easy growth for all our employees and also, we have created platforms that will enable us attract some of the best hands in the industry.

We are quite aware that the success of any business lies in the foundation on which the business is built on, which is why we have decided to build our real estate photography company on the right business foundation. We will ensure that we only hire people that are qualified, honest, hardworking, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more depending how fast we meet our set target.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is fully aware of the modus operandi in the Photography industry, hence adequate provision and competitive packages has been prepared for independent real estate agents.  Our marketing department will be responsible for managing this aspect of our business structure. Below is the business structure we will build Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. on;

• Chief Executive Officer
• Company’s Lawyer / Secretary

Admin and HR Manager

Real Estate Photographers

• Business Developer / Sales and Marketing
• Customer Service Executive/Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO (President):

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Accountable for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Accountable for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Reports to the board

Company’s Lawyer/Secretary/Legal Counsel

• Responsible for drawing up contracts and other legal documents for the company
• Consults and handle all corporate legal processes (e.g. intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, financial / securities offerings, compliance issues, transactions, agreements, lawsuits and patents et al)
• Develops company policy and position on legal issues
• Researches, anticipates and guards company against legal risks
• Represents company in legal proceedings (administrative boards, court trials et al)
• Plays a part in business deals negotiation and take minutes of meetings
• Responsible for analyzing legal documents on behalf of the company
• Prepares annual reports for the company
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.
• Photograph homes listed for sale to meet the online marketing and print needs of Realtors and their Brokerage firm
• Meet brokers/clients on site and perform photo session
• Label and upload images to our in-house studio, the same day of the shoot
• Take photo shoots of interior space of residences – common room, living room, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, etc., and show the flow of the space
• Ensure good photo composition, angles and positioning of the space taken
• Editing and manipulating photos for lighting, contrast, and watermarks
• Video real estate properties
• Edit videos for web content with navigation structures and text/graphic overlays

Marketing and Sales Executive/Business Developer

• Identifies, prioritized, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of real estate photography projects.
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managers with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Front Desk/Customer’s Service Officer

• Receives Visitors/clients on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels/documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization
• Distributes mails in the organization
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the line manager in an effective and timely manner

6. SWOT Analysis

The fact that real estate photography business is a very rewarding business does not mean that there are no challenges in the industry.

Starting a real estate photography business in the United States of America comes with its own fair share of challenges, you would have to abide by the law and also compete with loads of other photographers and entrepreneurs in the real estate business value chain who also are interested in making a living and building a business in San Diego, California.

In order to compete favorably in the real estate photography line of business we have been able to hire the services of tested and trusted business and HR consultants to help us conduct critical SWOT analysis for us. We intend maximizing our strengths, explore all opportunities we will come across, properly manage our weakness and confront our threats.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc.

Some of our strength that we will be bringing to the table in the Photography industry is our robust relations with real estate companies and properties investment moguls in the whole of the West Coast of the United States of America. We have a team of experts who have cut their teeth in the Photography industry.

As a newbie in the Photography industry, we might have some challenges competing with big time real estate photography companies that have been in the industry for many years; that perhaps is part of our weakness.

• Opportunities:

As the economy of the United States of America began to grow and demand for rental apartments rose, industry revenue grew at a rapid pace hence opening vast opportunities for real estate photography companies. We are well-positioned and ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a real estate photography company in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies, global economic downturn and unreasonable real estate companies who may not want to play by the rules.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

A close watch of happenings in the Photography industry shows that vacancy rates indicate the relationship between industry supply and demand. High rates represent an oversupply of residential rental property relative to demand. These rates are also a good indicator of trends in industry revenue and profitability. Profit margins tend to shrink as vacancy rates grow because residential rentals are being underused.

As a matter of international best practices, the national unemployment rate is a benchmark for determining the overall health of the US economy and has had mixed effects on industry demand. As the unemployment rate falls, individuals tend to have more money to spend on living expenses and can afford higher rent prices.

Simultaneously, with more money to spend, individuals may choose to purchase a home rather than rent, which can influence industry demand.

Another obvious trends that are common with real estate photography companies in the United States of America is that most of them are improvising on more means of making money in the industry and they are also acting as property developers and home staging agents amongst many other functions.

One thing is certain for every real estate photography company; if they are hardworking, creative and proactive, they will always generate enough income to meet all their overhead and operational cost, keep their business going without struggle and make reasonable profits from all business deals that they are involved in.

8. Our Target Market

Our target market as a real estate photography company cuts across different players in the real estate industry. We are coming into the industry with a business concept that will enable us work with a wide range of clients. In other words, our target market is the whole of the United States of America and below is a list of the people and organizations that we have plans to do business with;

• House Flippers
• Real Estate Wholesaling companies
• Property Developers
• Real Estate Agencies
• Land Owners and landlords who are interested in renting / leasing out their properties
• Corporate organizations (real estate agencies, property development companies et al) who are interested in renting / leasing out their properties
• Foreign investors who are interested in owning properties or leasing properties in the United States of America
• Managers of public facilities

Our competitive advantage

The availability of competent and reliable real estate photographers under our payroll, our business process, the location of the company, high-quality cameras and lenses and of course our pricing model are part of our competitive advantage.

Another possible competitive strategy for winning our competitors in this particular industry is to build a robust clientele base, ensure that our pictures are top notch. Our organization is well positioned, key members of our team are highly reliable and competent and can favorably compete with the some of the best in the Photography industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and objectives. We will also engage freelance marketing agents on a commission level to help us market our services.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

We are quite mindful of the fact that there are stiff competitions in the photography cum real estate photography market in The United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization. The training is not restricted to only our full-time employees but to also our freelance staff.

Our goal is to become one of the leading real estate photography companies in the West Coast in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force in the industry.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies;

• Introduce our real estate photography company by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to real estate agencies, real estate wholesaling companies and other key stake holders throughout the city where our company is located.
• Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, car parks, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
• Use friends and family to spread word about our business
• Post information about our company and the services we offer on bulletin boards in places like car parks, schools, libraries, and local coffee shops et al
• Place a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our company and the services we offer
• Leverage on referral networks such as agencies that will attract clients (real estate companies) who would need our services
• Advertise our real estate photography company in relevant real estate magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
• Attend relevant real estate expos, seminars, and business fairs et al to market our services
• Engage in direct marketing approach
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients
• Join local chambers of commerce and industry to market our product and services.

Sources of Income

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the Photography industry. We have successfully built a vibrant real estate network that covers the whole of the West Coast in the United States of America so as to help us build a profitable business.

Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc.;

• Taking photos of exteriors and interiors of building with the sole aim of helping in selling or renting out the property

10. Sales Forecast

It is a known fact that as long as there are real estate agencies, real estate wholesaling companies and property developers in the United States of America, there will always be need to for them to hire the services of real estate photography companies from time to time to help them take photos of the properties they have for sale, rent or lease.

We are well positioned to take on the challenges that are synonymous with real estate photography businesses in the United States of America, and we are quite optimistic that we will meet out set target of generating enough income / profits from the first month of operations and grow the business beyond San Diego, California to other Provinces in the United States of America within record time.

We have been able to examine the real estate photography line of business and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the sales projections for Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. it is based on the location of our business and the related services within the Photography industry that we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year (FY1): $175,000
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $250,000
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $300,000

N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and the arrival of a competitor in same location as ours within the period stated above. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to take the Photography industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our company.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our real estate photography business;

• Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant TV shows so as to be able to communicate our brand and what we do
• Maximize our company’s website to promote our business
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and other platforms (real estate online forums) to promote our business
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
• Attend landlord association meetings with the aim of networking and introducing our business.
• Ensure that all our workers wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company’s logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Part of business strategy is to ensure that we work within the budget of our clients to deliver excellent photos to them. The real estate industry is based on commissions and properties are valued by professionals based on the area the facility is located, the type of facility and other factors.

Since we are not directly in control of the pricing system in the real estate industry, we can only abide by what is obtainable when it comes to pricing structure.

Part of what we intend doing that will help us cut cost is to reduce to the barest minimum all maintenance costs by hiring some freelance real estate photographers to help us take photos of properties in some locations, especially locations that are far from our operational base.

• Payment Options

At Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. our payment policy is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans without any hitches and we will also pay our freelance real estate photographers with same platforms. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for our services.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget on achieving our aim of establishing a standard and highly competitive real estate photography company in San Diego, California and here are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;

• The total fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $750.
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
• Marketing promotion expenses and printing of (8,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $3,580.
• The total cost for hiring Business Consultant (business plan inclusive) – $2,000.
• The amount needed for the purchase of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $30,800.
• The total cost for the purchase of photography editing software, accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
• The total cost for leasing office /studio facility for the business – $60,000.
• The total cost for facility remodeling – $20,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
• Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Cameras and Camera Accessories, Computers, Laptops, Printers, Telephone, TVs, , Office Tables and Chairs et al) – $20,000.
• The cost of launching a Website – $600
• Miscellaneous – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard real estate photography business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. will be owned and managed by John Johnson, Carson Reeves and Lance Taylor. They are the financier of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of stocks
• Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $150,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Part of the plans we have in place to sustain Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. is to ensure that we continue to produce detailed and professional photos of properties, deliver quality services, improvise on how to do things faster and cheaper. We are not going to relent in providing conducive environment for our workers and also the required trainings that will help them deliver excellent services at all times.

We are quite aware that our customers are key component to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better and the products they want to see in our store. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, best practices and diversifying our services.

Jerry Smith® Real Estate Photography, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re-training of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check : Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Renting of Office Facility and remodeling the facility in San Diego, California – The United States of America: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from the CEO / President and Business Partners: Completed
• Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed cameras, lenses and other camera accessories, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (networking with real estate companies and membership of relevant real estate bodies): In Progress

45+ Best Lightroom Presets for Real Estate Photography

One of the most important aspects of selling real estate property is making the houses, apartments, and property look good on your website, flyers, and banners. It’s the first step in attracting prospects. Thankfully, there are amazing real estate Lightroom presets you can use to enhance your photos with just one click.

You invest so much time and effort into making your properties look good but it all goes to waste if the photos you take don’t reflect the real beauty of the property. This is why you should not only hire the best photographers to take professional photos but also use the right post-processing effects to enhance those photos.

In this collection, we feature some of the best Lightroom presets for real estate photography.

Whether you’re managing a real-estate agency or a photographer working for one, these presets will help make your photos of property look more amazing and attract more clients to your business.

2 Million+ Lightroom Presets, Add-Ons, Actions + More

Download hundreds of Lightroom presets, Photoshop actions, and thousands of design assets with an Envato Elements membership. It starts at $16 per month, and gives you unlimited access to a growing library of over 2,000,000 presets, add-ons, templates, fonts, photos, graphics, and more.

Wonderlust Presets

Lightroom preset.

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Explore Lightroom Presets

Interior Design – PS Actions & Lightroom Presets

This is a must-have Lightroom preset pack for real estate photography, offering a selection of 40 carefully crafted presets to enhance the look and feel of photos. These presets, compatible with both Photoshop and Lightroom, aim to create clean, modern, high-contrast HDR-style images, working perfectly with a range of interior design styles. The set includes Lightroom Desktop Presets, Lightroom Classic and Camera Raw Presets, and Photoshop Actions- making it an all-rounded tool for transforming your photos.

ARTA – Real Estate Presets for Lightroom

ARTA’s real estate presets for Lightroom provide a toolset for enhancing both mobile and desktop photos. Ideal for bloggers and photographers seeking a cohesive look, these presets upgrade images with modern colors and quality. They’re compatible with iOS and Android Lightroom apps, as well as the desktop version, and work with both professional DSLR and phone camera shots.

15 Real Estate Lightroom Presets

This bundle offers customizable Lightroom presets for enhancing real estate photography. Perfect for showcasing interiors, landscapes, office spaces, and natural scenes, these presets can be used both on desktop and mobile. The pack includes 15 presets each for desktop (xmp and lrtemplate files) and mobile (dng files).

8 Real Estate Lightroom Presets

This Lightroom preset pack is perfect for both photographers and real estate agencies for easily improving their property photos. The bundle includes desktop, mobile, and Camera Raw presets along with a helpful guide. It’s effective in every image format, supporting a one-click transformation of your pictures.

Home Lightroom Presets for Desktop & Mobile

Another collection of Lightroom presets for real estate photography, suitable for outdoor and indoor photos. This pack includes 06 presets for Lightroom Desktop, Mobile, and Classic versions. The presets are carefully designed to enhance images with just one click, compatible with all image formats.

HDR Real Estate Lightroom Presets

This HDR Lightroom presets pack will help upgrade your real estate photos instantly. These presets offer one-click applications ranging from HDR to dramatic effects, without needing any additional plug-ins. The results are impressive on images of various sizes, with both 72 and 300 DPI resolution options. Ten different effects are included, as well as a helpful guide.

INTERIOR Real Estate Lightroom Preset

The presets in this pack offer a bright and natural tone, making them ideal for indoor and interior design photography. Easy to install and use, the Lightroom presets also provides step-by-step video tutorials. The package includes 10 desktop and mobile presets, along with a bonus desktop adjustment toolkit for easy and fast editing.

Professional Real Estate Lightroom Presets

Another professional and fantastic Lightroom preset pack designed specifically for photographers invested in real estate photography. This pack includes unique presets that can seamlessly enhance any photo, offering precise calibration and clean arrangements.

50 Real Estate Mobile Lightroom Presets Pack

A huge collection of Lightroom presets aimed at enhancing your real estate photography. This set takes the fuss out of manual editing, offering unique effects and color blends to elevate your photos. Also ideal for event and sports photographers or bloggers, these presets work flawlessly on both RAW and JPEG images and can be easily tweaked to match your requirements.

6 Real Estate Lightroom and Photoshop Presets

This bundle of Lightroom presets is designed to enhance real estate photography. These presets can give your interior photos a polished look and can be used on both smartphone and professional camera images. The pack includes 6 presets for mobile and desktop versions of Lightroom and Photoshop.

Get your real estate photos Instagram-ready with the 15 Real Estate Lightroom Presets. These presets give you the perfect modern color palette to enhance the quality of your images, ideal for photographers, bloggers, or anyone wanting to level up their aesthetic. Easy to use and compatible with DNG, TIFF, and JPEG formats, these presets offer professional, clean retouching features to transform your photos with just one click.

10 Interior Lightroom Real Estate Presets

This collection of Lightroom presets offers high-quality, creative filters for your interior design photographs. Ideal for Instagram, blogs, or portfolios, these presets enhance your images with a modern colour palette, elevating their overall quality. All presets are adjustable, providing you with the flexibility to create uniquely beautiful images in a single click.

Perfectly suited for real estate and interior photography, this collection of 20 Lightroom Presets will help you correct colors, tone, contrast, and noise, and enhance the overall look and mood of your pictures.

Real Estate Deluxe Edition

Check out the Real Estate Deluxe Edition featuring Lightroom presets purpose-built to give a bright, and airy look to your real-estate and interior pictures. The collection comes with 3 presets for mobile, and 3 for desktop.

Interior Collection Lightroom Presets

Transform your photos into unique artwork with Interior Collection featuring 7 Lightroom presets, each working to make the dark areas brighter, and add warm, cozy tones, making your pictures look really light, natural, and professional.

Free Architecture & Interior Lightroom Presets

Add natural light and brightness to your architecture and interior pictures with these Lightroom presets that work on improving the tone, color, and contrast, without compromising on picture quality. The best part is that these presets are free for download.

Home Interior Lightroom Presets

Give the photos of your home’s interior a beautiful aesthetic look with the help of this Lightroom presets collection. It features presets that can be used to enhance real-estate, architecture, and a property’s interior shots.

Blue Hour Lightroom Presets

If you’re looking for cool real estate Lightroom presets, this product is well worth checking out. It offers 20 presets that will make your pictures look like they were shot at a blue hour. Don’t hesitate to take these amazing presets for a spin.

Free Interior Lightroom Presets

These Lightroom presets will help you enhance your home’s interior photos without having to sweat over considerable hours trying to edit the pictures from scratch. The collection is free for you to get your hands on, so try it out for your real estate and interior photos.

Real Estate Mobile & Desktop Lightroom Presets

This collection of Lightroom presets are specially designed just for real estate photography. It includes 11 different presets you can use to optimize landscape photos of houses, lands, and apartment buildings. They will quickly enhance colors and improve the lighting conditions of your photos to make them more attractive.

12 Modern & Clean Interior Lightroom Presets

Making photos of interiors look amazing is one of the most difficult tasks of real estate photography. Mainly because you have to work with very poor lighting conditions. You can easily fix those terrible interior photos by using these Lightroom presets. They are easy to use and instantly enhances your interior photos without an effort.

40 Bright Interior Lightroom Presets

A clever trick most real estate agencies use to wow their clients is using bright interior designs when showcasing houses. The reason is that white and bright interiors make the rooms look more spacious. These Lightroom presets will help you achieve that goal quite easily. It includes 40 different presets for enhancing the brightness of different types of real estate photography with just one click.

14 Pro Architecture Lightroom Presets

This bundle of Lightroom presets will be much useful to real estate agencies for showcasing large properties such as mansions and buildings. These presets are designed to enhance the architectural beauty of the structures. It includes 14 professionally designed presets you can apply to your own photos with just one click.

12 Clean Interior Lightroom Presets

Want to make your clean interior photos look even brighter and more colorful? Then this pack of Lightroom presets is perfect for you. It includes 12 different presets that allow you to optimize the colors and exposure of interior photos as well as to improve the colors at the same time. These presets will work with any type of photo, even if you shot them using a smartphone.

50 Corporate Lightroom Presets

This set of 50 Lightroom presets will help elevate your real estate photography. With so many options at your fingertips, manipulating pictures in a way that can create a sensation on the internet has never been so easy.

Architecture Lightroom Presets

Here we have a bundle of 16 presets for Lightroom that will help you bring sharpness, color contrast, and brightness to your shots. These filters are good for real estate, architecture, travel, street, and lifestyle photography.

10 Real Estate Lightroom Presets

The above-featured product consists of 10 Lightroom presets that give you an effective, and simple way to transform your photos. The presets can be customized in just one click, and are compatible with nearly all versions of Lightroom.

Hygge Interior – Free Lightroom Preset

This is a free Lightroom preset made just for improving your interior and indoor photography. The preset comes with a bright and airy effect that enhances your photos with a bright tone. It’s perfect for improving apartment interiors and showcasing rooms.

Quiet Street – Free Lightroom Preset

When selling a property, showing off the neighborhood and surroundings is also important. This free preset will help make those photos look even more amazing by optimizing the colors and brightness.

20 Interior Design Lightroom Presets

Let’s face it, most prospects care about the interior design of a property than any other aspect. And it’s your job to make sure your interior photos wow them at first glance. These Lightroom presets will help accomplish that by making interiors look more modern. The presets are made to enhance lighting and apply a moody tone to interior photography.

50 Desaturated City Lightroom Presets

Want to show off what your apartment building, mansion, or house looks like during night time? Then these Lightroom presets will help make your property look even more amazing at night. This bundle includes 50 different presets featuring desaturated effects. They optimize saturation to enhance specific colors of your photos. Giving them a unique look and feel.

Modern Interior Lightroom Presets

Making your interiors look modern and attractive is also part of selling real estate property. These presets will help make your modern interior photos look more natural and subtle with the help of 20 different effects. The presets are made to optimize photos shot in different lighting conditions and are especially suitable for apartment and hotel interiors.

14 Pro HDR Lightroom Presets

This is a collection of multipurpose Lightroom presets. They are designed to apply an authentic HDR look and feel to your ordinary photos. The HDR effect is quite difficult to create with ordinary cameras. But with these presets, you can duplicate the effect in Lightroom. The effect will make your real estate property and interior photos look more amazing.

Clarity – Free Real Estate Lightroom Preset

Just as the name suggests, this Lightroom presets is all about making your photos look more clear and brighter. The preset can be used to add clarity as well as for adding texture and toning effects to your photos as well.

Free Real Estate Lightroom Preset

This free Lightroom preset is perfect for quickly retouching your real estate photos. Whether it’s photos of a house, mansion, or an apartment, this preset can handle them all.

Moscow – Mobile & Desktop Lightroom Presets

This collection of Lightroom presets are most suitable for making your photos look more dreamy in flyers and websites. It includes 9 presets designed to give your photos a fantasy-like effect inspired by the designs of Moscow. These are ideal for enhancing photos of buildings and properties with a colorful look.

Campania – Mobile & Desktop Lightroom Presets

Inspired by the beautiful city in Italy, this Lightroom presets bundle will allow you to give a subtle country-side look to your real estate photography. These will come in handy when promoting your suburban properties. It includes 11 presets and they are compatible with both desktop and mobile versions of Lightroom.

Urban Walk Lightroom Presets

The presets in this bundle are perfect for improving urban photos, especially for showcasing apartment buildings and business locations. The pack includes 20 different presets for optimizing both street and buildings photography. They are easily customizable as well.

14 Pro Interior Lightroom Presets

Another collection of Lightroom presets made for enhancing interior photography. This bundle includes 14 professionally crafted presets that allow you to instantly enhance and improve the interior photos of your properties. The presets support both JPG and RAW image formats and works with Lightroom 3 and higher.

Dawning – Free Real Estate Lightroom Preset

Easily enhance photos taken in dark and cloudy lighting conditions using this free Lightroom preset. It will instantly improve your photos by adjusting brightness and exposure. It’s totally free to download and use.

Drone Zone – Free Lightroom Preset for Real Estate

This free Lightroom preset is perfect for improving the aerial photos of your real estate properties. It’ll do wonders for enhancing photos taken with drones as well. And it’s free to use however you like.

Street View – Free Lightroom Preset

You can use this free Lightroom preset to quickly optimize the street view photos of your real estate properties. The preset is easily adjustable to your preference and works with all kinds of image file types.

Free Lightroom Presets for Real Estate Photography

A collection of free Lightroom presets you can use to make your real estate photos look more beautiful. This bundle includes 10 free presets with various HDR and color-enhancing effects.

Interiors – Lightroom Presets for Real Estate

Make even the darkest corners of a real estate property shine with this assortment of bright Lightroom presets. Designed to help lift the lighting of the room, whilst still maintaining the same color balance of the picture, these presets will work wonders with those harder to capture interior shots.

Interior Design Lightroom Presets

Looking for presets that specialize in interior shots? Then this Lightroom preset collection for mobile and PC is what you’re after. The package includes thirty presets, designed to provide natural light and toning to your pictures without losing quality.

Neighborhood – Real Estate Lightroom Presets

Bring an extra dash of light to those darker areas of your locality and showcase your neighborhood in the best light possible with this Lightroom collection that includes ten premium presets, each working to enhance your real estate photography in a non-destructive fashion.

Sweet Home – Real Estate Lightroom Presets

The Sweet Home collection comes to us from the specialized hand of Din Studio, an expert in the field of professional Lightroom presets. It helps to bring a soft white hue to your interior shots, and drown out harsh colors.

Home Kit Deluxe Edition

The Home Kit Deluxe Edition provides a range of moody Instagram-inspired Lightroom presets to spice up your real estate pictures. Each preset is tailored to provide a different level of contrast saturation, meaning you have all the control over how your pictures turn out in the end.

For more presets, check out our best professional Lightroom presets collection.

How To Write a Business Plan for Real Estate Photography and Videography Services in 9 Steps: Checklist

By alex ryzhkov, get full bundle.

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Welcome to our blog post on How To Write a Business Plan for Real Estate Photography and Videography Services in 9 Steps: Checklist . Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out in the industry, having a solid business plan is crucial for success. With the rapid growth in the real estate market, there has never been a better time to revolutionize property marketing with professional aerial and 3D imaging for a striking visual experience.

Let's start by looking at the latest statistical information about the industry. According to a recent report by Grand View Research, the global real estate photography and videography services market is expected to reach a whopping $4.59 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.4%. This impressive growth is driven by the increasing demand for high-quality visuals to showcase properties and the rise of online platforms for property sales and rentals.

Now that you're aware of the immense potential in the industry, let's dive into our 9-step checklist to help you write a comprehensive business plan for your real estate photography and videography services. Remember, a well-crafted plan will not only provide a roadmap for your success but also help you secure financing, attract clients, and stand out from your competitors.

The first step is to identify your target market and competitors. Understanding who your ideal clients are and analyzing your competition will allow you to tailor your services and marketing efforts accordingly. Market research comes next, providing valuable insights into the current trends and demands of the industry. Armed with this information, you can define your unique selling proposition, which will set you apart from the competition and attract clients to your business.

Once you have a clear understanding of your target market and unique selling proposition, it's time to determine your pricing and revenue model. This step is crucial in ensuring you achieve your financial goals and maintain profitability. Creating a marketing and promotion strategy is equally important to attract clients and create brand awareness. Don't forget to establish a budget and make financial projections to keep your finances in check.

Next, assess the resource and infrastructure requirements for your business. This includes equipment, software, and any additional resources you may need to deliver high-quality services to your clients. To drive customer acquisition, develop a strategy that encompasses various marketing channels, such as online advertising, social media, and networking. Lastly, create a preliminary operations plan to outline how your business will function on a day-to-day basis to ensure smooth operations and client satisfaction.

By following these 9 steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a solid business plan for your real estate photography and videography services. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts, where we'll delve deeper into each step, providing you with valuable tips and insights along the way. Good luck on your entrepreneurial journey!

Identify Target Market And Competitors

Before launching your real estate photography and videography services, it is crucial to identify your target market and understand your competitors. This process will help you tailor your services and marketing strategies to meet the specific needs of your potential customers.

To begin, determine the types of properties you aim to target. Are you focusing on residential properties, commercial properties, or both? Consider factors such as location, size, and value, as this will help you narrow down your target market.

Next, research your competitors in the real estate photography and videography industry. Identify who they are, what services they offer, and how they differentiate themselves. Pay attention to their pricing, portfolio, and customer reviews to gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses.

Once you have a clear understanding of your target market and competitors, you can start developing strategies to position your business effectively. Your goal should be to offer unique and valuable services that cater to the specific needs of your target customers, while also distinguishing yourself from the competition.

Tips for identifying target market and competitors:

• Attend real estate industry events and networking gatherings to meet potential clients and learn about industry trends.
• Create buyer personas to gain a deeper understanding of your target customers' preferences, challenges, and motivations.
• Utilize online tools and platforms such as social media, industry forums, and review sites to research competitors and gather customer feedback.

Conduct Market Research

Conducting thorough market research is essential for understanding the landscape of the real estate photography and videography services industry. This step will help you gather valuable insights about your target market, identify potential competitors, and gain a deeper understanding of the industry trends and customer preferences.

When conducting market research, it is important to gather data from primary and secondary sources. Primary research involves directly engaging with potential customers and industry experts through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. This enables you to gather specific information about their needs, preferences, and pain points.

In addition to primary research, secondary research involves studying existing market reports, industry publications, and online resources. This helps you gain a broader understanding of market trends, industry size, and competitor analysis.

• Identify your target market: Determine the specific demographic and psychographic characteristics of your ideal customers. Understand their preferences, challenges, and expectations regarding real estate photography and videography services. This will enable you to tailor your offerings to meet their needs.
• Analyze competitor offerings: Identify and analyze your competitors' services, pricing strategies, and marketing tactics. This will help you differentiate your business and identify potential gaps in the market that you can capitalize on.
• Understand industry trends: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, advancements, and technologies in the real estate photography and videography services industry. This will help you adapt your business model and offerings to meet the evolving needs and expectations of your target market.

Tips for conducting effective market research:

• Utilize online survey tools to gather feedback from potential customers and industry professionals.
• Join industry forums and social media groups to connect with professionals and gain insights.
• Attend trade shows, conferences, and industry events to network and stay informed about the latest industry developments.
• Keep track of industry publications, blogs, and podcasts to stay updated on trends and market dynamics.
• Consider partnering with local real estate agents or agencies to gain firsthand insights into their needs and preferences.

Define Unique Selling Proposition

Defining your unique selling proposition (USP) is essential in a competitive market like real estate photography and videography. Your USP is what sets you apart from your competitors and highlights the value you can provide to your target market.

To define your USP, consider the following:

• Identify your strengths: Take an inventory of your skills, expertise, and resources that differentiate you from others in the industry. This could include specialized equipment, drone capabilities, or unique editing techniques.
• Understand your target market: Determine the needs and preferences of your target market. How can you cater to their specific requirements and deliver a superior visual experience?
• Highlight your benefits: Identify the key benefits your services can offer to potential clients. This could include time-saving solutions, enhanced marketing opportunities, or increased property visibility.
• Showcase your portfolio: Create a portfolio that showcases your best work and demonstrates your ability to capture stunning aerial and 3D images. This visual evidence can speak volumes to potential clients.

Tips for defining your USP:

• Research your competitors to identify what they offer and how you can differentiate yourself.
• Interview existing clients to understand the reasons they chose your services over others.
• Stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies to offer innovative solutions.
• Continuously refine and improve your skills to stay ahead of the competition.

By defining your unique selling proposition, you position yourself as the go-to provider for professional aerial and 3D imaging in the real estate industry. This will not only attract potential clients but also build a strong reputation for your business.

Determine Pricing and Revenue Model

One of the key factors in creating a successful business plan for your real estate photography and videography services is to determine the right pricing and revenue model. Pricing your services appropriately will not only ensure profitability but also attract and retain clients. Here are some important considerations:

• Research competitors: Begin by researching your competitors in the market to understand the pricing range for similar services. This will help you set your prices competitively.
• Evaluate costs: Assess all the costs associated with running your photography and videography business, including equipment, software, marketing expenses, insurance, and overhead. Consider both fixed and variable costs.
• Value-based pricing: Determine the value you provide to your clients and set your prices accordingly. Consider the quality of your work, the unique selling proposition of your services, and the expertise you bring to the table.
• Tiered pricing: Consider offering different pricing tiers based on the level of service or additional features you provide. This can help cater to a wider range of clients and generate additional revenue.
• Offer packages or bundles of services at different price points to cater to different client needs.
• Consider offering add-on services such as virtual staging or video editing for an additional fee, increasing your revenue potential.
• Regularly review and adjust your pricing strategy based on market trends and feedback from clients.

Create A Marketing And Promotion Strategy

Once you have identified your target market and competitors, and conducted thorough market research, it is time to create a comprehensive marketing and promotion strategy for your real estate photography and videography services. This strategy will help you effectively promote your unique selling proposition and attract potential clients.

1. Define your target audience: To create an effective marketing strategy, it is crucial to clearly define your target audience. Consider the demographics and psychographics of your ideal clients, such as real estate agents, property developers, or interior designers. Understanding their needs and preferences will inform your messaging and promotional efforts.

2. Build a strong brand: A strong brand is essential for establishing credibility and recognition in the real estate industry. Develop a cohesive brand identity that reflects your unique selling proposition and resonates with your target audience. Design a compelling logo, create a professional website, and use consistent branding across all marketing materials.

3. Utilize online platforms: In today's digital age, online platforms play a vital role in marketing and promotion. Create engaging content for your website, optimize it for search engines, and regularly update your blog with relevant articles and resources. Leverage social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to showcase your portfolio, engage with your audience, and generate leads.

4. Network with industry professionals: Networking with real estate agents, property developers, and other professionals in the industry can lead to valuable partnerships and referrals. Attend industry events, join local business associations, and build relationships with key influencers. Consider offering incentives or referral programs to encourage word-of-mouth marketing.

5. Offer special promotions and packages: To attract new clients and incentivize repeat business, consider offering special promotions and packages. This can include discounted rates for first-time customers, seasonal offers, or bundle deals that include both photography and videography services. Highlight these promotions on your website, social media platforms, and other marketing channels.

Marketing Strategy Tips:

• Invest in professional photography and videography to showcase the quality of your services.
• Collaborate with real estate agents and property developers to feature their properties in your portfolio.
• Collect testimonials and showcase them on your website to build trust and credibility with potential clients.
• Consider partnering with local businesses, such as home staging companies or interior designers, to cross-promote each other's services.
• Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of your marketing efforts using analytics tools, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

By creating a well-rounded marketing and promotion strategy, you can effectively showcase your real estate photography and videography services, attract clients, and differentiate yourself from the competition.

Establish A Budget And Financial Projections

When starting a real estate photography and videography services business, it is crucial to establish a budget and financial projections to ensure a solid financial foundation. This step will help you determine how much investment you need, identify potential revenue sources, and predict future profitability.

1. Calculate Startup Costs:

Start by assessing all the expenses required to get your business up and running. This includes purchasing high-quality cameras, equipment, editing software, hiring staff, renting a studio or office space, and marketing expenses. Be sure to account for both one-time costs and ongoing expenses.

2. Determine Operating Expenses:

In addition to your startup costs, you will need to estimate your monthly operating expenses. This can include rent, utilities, insurance, website maintenance, employee salaries, and marketing expenditures. Having a clear understanding of your fixed and variable expenses will allow you to plan for profitability.

3. Forecast Revenue:

Research the market and analyze your target audience to estimate potential revenue. Consider pricing your services competitively while also accounting for the value and quality you provide. Identify how many real estate agents or property developers you can target and analyze their potential spending on photography and videography services.

4. Create Financial Projections:

Based on your startup costs, operating expenses, and revenue forecast, create financial projections for at least the first year of your business. This will help you understand when you can expect to break even and start generating a profit. Be realistic and conservative in your estimations to ensure stability and sustainability.

• Consider consulting with a financial advisor or accountant to ensure accuracy and reliability of your financial projections.
• Take into account any industry-specific trends or seasonal fluctuations that may impact your revenue and expenses.
• Regularly review and update your budget and financial projections to adapt to any changes in the market or your business.

Taking the time to establish a budget and financial projections will provide you with a clear roadmap for the financial success of your real estate photography and videography services business. It will also demonstrate your professionalism and strategic thinking when seeking funding or investors.

Assess Resource And Infrastructure Requirements

Assessing the resource and infrastructure requirements is an essential step in developing a business plan for your real estate photography and videography services. This process allows you to determine the necessary equipment, technology, and personnel needed to successfully run your operations. By carefully evaluating these requirements, you can ensure that you have the necessary resources in place to provide high-quality services to your clients.

To begin, make a comprehensive list of the equipment needed for your photography and videography services. This may include cameras, lenses, drones, tripods, lighting equipment, and editing software. Consider the specific needs of your target market and the type of services you plan to offer to determine the appropriate equipment for your business.

• Regularly update your equipment and software to stay current with industry trends and technology advancements.
• Consider partnering with professional print labs or online platforms that offer high-quality printing services for your clients.
• Invest in backup equipment to mitigate the risk of equipment failure during critical projects.

Additionally, evaluate your personnel requirements. Depending on the size and growth of your business, you may need to hire photographers, videographers, editors, and administrative staff. Determine the necessary skillsets and qualifications for each role to ensure you have a capable and efficient team in place.

Furthermore, consider the physical space needed to operate your business. Determine if you require a dedicated office space, a studio for photographing or filming, or storage facilities for your equipment. Assess the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining these spaces, as well as any permits or licenses required by local authorities.

By thoroughly assessing your resource and infrastructure requirements, you can create a realistic plan for acquiring the necessary resources and managing your operations effectively. This step in the business planning process sets the foundation for a successful real estate photography and videography services business.

Develop A Customer Acquisition Strategy

Developing a strong customer acquisition strategy is critical for the success of your real estate photography and videography business. Here are some key steps to consider:

• Identify your target audience: Determine the specific segments of the real estate market that you want to target with your services. This could include real estate agents, property developers, property management companies, or individual property owners.
• Understand your customers' needs: Conduct in-depth research to understand the pain points and challenges faced by your target audience. This will help you tailor your services and marketing messages to address their specific needs and offer solutions.
• Create a compelling value proposition: Differentiate yourself from your competitors by clearly defining your unique selling points. Highlight the benefits of using your professional aerial and 3D imaging services, such as superior image quality, faster turnaround times, or a more immersive visual experience.
• Utilize digital marketing channels: Leverage online platforms and social media channels to reach your target market effectively. Develop a strong online presence through a professionally designed website, regular blog posts, and engaging social media content that showcases your work and demonstrates your expertise.
• Network with industry professionals: Attend real estate industry events, trade shows, and networking functions to connect with potential clients. Build relationships with real estate agents, brokers, and other professionals who can refer your services to their clients.
• Offer competitive pricing and packages: Determine your pricing strategy based on market research and competition analysis. Consider offering attractive package deals or discounts for new clients to encourage them to try your services.
• Request and showcase client testimonials: Ask satisfied clients for testimonials and showcase them on your website and marketing materials. Positive reviews and recommendations can help build trust and credibility with potential customers.
• Provide exceptional customer service: Aim to exceed your customers' expectations by delivering exceptional value and service. Respond promptly to inquiries, provide clear communication, and ensure that your clients are delighted with the final results.
• Consider offering a free consultation or sample shoot to potential clients to demonstrate the quality of your work.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in real estate photography and videography to stay ahead of the competition.
• Create partnerships with related businesses, such as interior designers or home staging companies, to offer complementary services and expand your customer base.

Create A Preliminary Operations Plan

Once you have identified your target market, conducted market research, defined your unique selling proposition, determined pricing and revenue models, created a marketing and promotion strategy, established a budget and financial projections, assessed resource and infrastructure requirements, and developed a customer acquisition strategy, it is time to create a preliminary operations plan. This plan will serve as a roadmap for how you will efficiently and effectively run your business.

In your preliminary operations plan, you need to outline the specific activities and processes that are essential for the successful execution of your real estate photography and videography services. Here are some key components to consider:

• Equipment and technology: List and describe the equipment and technology you will need to provide high-quality aerial and 3D imaging services. This may include drones, cameras, editing software, and other necessary tools.
• Workflow and production process: Detail the step-by-step process of how you will handle client inquiries, schedule appointments, conduct photo and video shoots, edit and enhance images, and deliver the final products to your clients.
• Quality control measures: Explain the measures you will put in place to ensure the consistency and quality of your work. This may involve setting up quality control checklists, conducting regular reviews of your portfolio, and seeking feedback from clients.
• Staffing and team structure: If you plan to hire employees or work with contractors, outline the roles and responsibilities of each team member and how they will contribute to the overall operations of your business.
• Customer communication and support: Describe how you will handle client communication, including inquiries, booking confirmations, and post-service support. Consider implementing a customer relationship management system to streamline communication and enhance customer satisfaction.
• Time management and scheduling: Implement effective scheduling systems to ensure efficient use of time and resources. Consider using project management tools or software to manage appointments and deadlines.
• Regularly review and update your operations plan to adapt to changing market conditions and technologies.
• Consider creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for key processes to ensure consistency and streamline operations.
• Collaborate with industry professionals or seek mentorship to gain insights and refine your operations plan.
• Continuously seek customer feedback and use it to improve your operations and overall service quality.

By creating a thorough and well-thought-out preliminary operations plan, you will be better equipped to handle the day-to-day activities of your real estate photography and videography business. This plan will help you maintain high standards, deliver exceptional service to your clients, and ultimately achieve success in revolutionizing property marketing through professional aerial and 3D imaging.

In conclusion, writing a business plan for real estate photography and videography services is essential for success in the industry. By following these nine steps, you can effectively identify your target market, understand your competitors, and develop a unique selling proposition. Additionally, conducting market research, determining pricing and revenue models, and establishing a marketing and promotion strategy will help you attract clients and generate revenue. Lastly, assessing resource and infrastructure requirements, developing a customer acquisition strategy, and creating a preliminary operations plan will ensure a smooth and efficient business operation. With a well-written business plan, you can revolutionize property marketing with professional aerial and 3D imaging, providing a striking visual experience for your clients.

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Spencer is crazy awesome at what he does! We have always been able to get him in as soon as we need him to. He does such a great job with all aspects of the real estate photography that we need with stills, tour videos, and drone photography. He does such a great job making our listings look amazing each time! I highly recommend him!

Radley Buxton - Google Review

Spencer and Andrew are as professional as they come. We list multi million dollar properties as well as residential homes and vacant land and they have been a pivotal part in our marketing to entice premium prices and capture the essence and marketability of our properties. Couldn't do what we do without their premier and streamlined services with quick turnarounds.

Countrywide Properties Group - Google Review

Our experience with Altair productions was 5 star and then some. Our office needed a listing photographed in short notice and Spencer was able to accommodate our needs promptly! The photos were of amazing quality and the turn over time was very quick. We would recommend Altair Productions to any agent who is in need of some professional real estate photography.

Claire C. - Google Review

Spencer was wonderful to work with and was the key to selling my home in a day. Beautiful pictures and great quality . I know who to call when I am in need of Awesome photos again!!

GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BY LISTING WITH PROFESSIONAL DRONE PHOTOS AND VIDEO FOR REAL ESTATE.

No Compromises

We don't compromise on quality, no matter what. We might be fast, but we're also the best. We've shot thousands of homes, so you can count on us.

Quick Turnaround

We guarantee a 24hr turnaround, so you can list it fast. No more waiting to get your photos back. And if you need it faster, same day edits are included on all Fast to Market Packages.

We Do It All

No need to call your photography, your videographer and you virtual tour expert. We do it all! We make it easy so you can focus on the sale. Whether it's photos, drone media, virtual tours or videos, we can help. 

Real Estate Photography Services in Moscow, PA

Real estate photography, aerial photography, floor plans, sign installation, frequently asked questions, marketing kit, we work with local brokers just like you.

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How a Professional Real Estate Photography Company Can Enhance Your Marketing

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As a real estate agent, you’ve likely built your business from the ground up. Connecting with clients, referrals, word-of-mouth, and all those listing presentations have paid off to net your present success. But even if you’re a successful real estate agent and have a vendor for everything, you may be leaving money on the table. 

Why? According to NAR’s recent study , over 41% of all buyers’ first step in the home buying process was looking online for properties, and 84% of all buyers using the internet found photos to be the most useful website feature. If you aren’t using high-quality photos for your marketing materials and listings, you could be losing potential buyers before you even have a chance to connect! 

As a professional real estate photography company, Virtuance knows how important visual marketing is. Studies have shown that agents who use professional photography solutions sell their listings faster and for more money. Keep reading to learn how your marketing and real estate business can improve by using a professional company over a freelance photographer. 

Benefits of using a professional photography company

A professional photography company can offer consistency, experience, and availability that other photography solutions may lack. Additionally, you may miss out on marketing opportunities by working with a freelance photographer. Professional companies typically have marketing solutions built in, allowing you to quickly market your listings without adding another vendor to your process. 

While working with a freelance photographer may generally suit your needs, it often isn’t a long-term solution if you want to grow and expand your business. 

Consistency

Professional photography companies have a department for every step of the process, creating a level of consistency you may not see with freelance photographers. 

For one, you’ll likely see variances in your photos if you're consistently using different freelancers. Images can differ stylistically between photographers based on how they are shot and edited. 

You may also find variances between property shoots if you work with a freelancer who outsources their editing. Initially, stylistic or editing differences may not seem like an issue. But as you begin to scale your business and create marketing materials, the lack of consistency can be off-putting to potential clients. You want to show leads you produce high-quality results for every client and listing! 

With a professional company, you won’t have to worry about stylistic details or quality varying between shoots. Their photographers and editors follow the same guidelines. 

For example, Virtuance has created HDReal® to set a new standard in image quality and consistency. Every photo shot by a Virtuance-certified photographer goes through a set of machine-learning algorithms. Then, in-house visual marketing experts review every image before the photos are delivered. Even if you have 50 listings a year, Virtuance can guarantee each will be marketing material worthy with consistent quality. 

It’s common for freelance photographers to specialize in several areas rather than focus their talent on only one. As a result, they may lack the training to shoot a property to sell. Real estate photography is more than photographing each room of a home—angles, lighting, feature highlighting, and staging all matter and vary depending on the property. 

As professional photography companies have multiple departments, there’s no guesswork involved at a property shoot. Each photographer knows what’s needed to highlight and make a property shine. And since the photography team at Virtuance spends most of their time shooting properties, they are considered experts in the real estate space. 

Availability 

Real estate professionals know owning a business can be difficult, especially if you’re a one-person show. 

Similarly, freelancer photographers often have to balance all aspects of their workflow. Whether it’s customer service, shooting, editing, or scheduling, their day is likely jam-packed. Because of this, it may be challenging to connect with your photographer. High-quality freelance photographers are likely in high demand during your busiest season (and every other real estate professional’s), with the potential for shoot or editing delays.  

While it’s common for professional photography companies’ services to be in high demand, there are solutions for availability issues. If you need assistance with something, there’s a customer service department. There’s also likely an easy way to schedule your shoots. 

The solution for availability at Virtuance is 24/7 online ordering and scheduling. Although Virtuance has a dedicated customer service team, you can schedule your shoot anytime that works for you. Further, all shoots are delivered by 5pm the next day—meaning your listing is up and ready to sell faster! 

The bottom line 

Every agent is different, and depending on your personal preferences, where you live, and the number of listings you handle, you may prefer working with a freelance photographer instead of a professional company. 

That said, it’s important to recognize that Virtuance found over 95% of real estate professionals utilize real estate photography in their listings. To remain competitive, having high-quality photography in your marketing materials is essential! 

Apart from enhancing your listings and marketing materials, a professional photography solution can offer consistency, more experience, and open availability. 

At the end of the day, time is money, and building your real estate brand requires consistent, high-quality, and dependable results, whether in your marketing materials or how you interact with leads and clients. Using a professional photography solution can simplify your processes. You’ll have more time to focus on your business, knowing you have an all-in-one visual solution at your fingertips. 

About Virtuance 

Based in Denver, Virtuance was founded in 2010 and is one of the world's fastest-growing real estate photography companies. Virtuance is the creator of HDReal®, an award-winning proprietary imaging system designed to market real estate. HDReal® combines the art of photography with artificial intelligence and the science of visual marketing. The result is consistently stunning images proven to sell real estate faster and for more money.

Emily Maracle Author

Emily Maracle is the Content Managing Editor at Virtuance. When she's not writing about all things real estate, you'll find her out and about with her two pups.

Category 12 minutes read

How to start a photography business

November 29, 2021

Starting a photography business takes a lot more than some skill with the camera (although that is a significant part of it). To be successful, you’ll also need to tap into your entrepreneurial spirit and embrace the business side of the industry. If you’re thinking of turning your passion for photography into a side hustle or full-time gig, you’re in the right place. Read on for a complete breakdown of how to start your own photography business, including the pros and cons of being a small business owner, what you’ll need to get started, and how to create your photography business plan.

Pros and cons of starting a photography business

Turning your love of photography into a full-time (or even part-time) business is a big decision. There’s a pretty significant difference between doing something because you love it and relying on your passion to pay the bills and put food on the table. So, you may want to consider the pros and cons of going from hobby photographer to professional photographer before you make the leap.

Pros of starting your own photography business

• Turn your passion into your dream job. When you start doing professional photography, you get the chance to escape a day job that may not be fulfilling and actually make money doing what you love.
• Be your own boss. Part of being a business photographer means that you get to call all the shots. This gives you the freedom that you may be missing in your nine-to-five job.
• Meet new people and gain new experiences. As a photographer, you’ll get the chance to meet all sorts of people and photograph different events and locations. If you like variety, you can set up your business so that no two days are ever the same.
• Be a part of the magic. Depending on which type of photography you do, you may get the opportunity to capture some of the most special memories in a person’s life, such as weddings and a parent’s first moments with their newborn. As you embark on this journey, you may wonder, “how long does it take to get an LLC approved?” The process can vary depending on the state you’re in, ranging from a few days to a few weeks, but having an LLC can provide legal protection and added credibility to your photography business. Moreover, understanding the LLC cost associated with this process which is also different depending on the state is essential for planning and budgeting effectively.

Cons of starting your own photography business

• It’s more than just photography. When you run a small business, you’re also responsible for marketing, administration, accounting, and other tasks. You’ll need to spend a lot of time researching how to start your own photography business, including your target market’s pricing, packaging, and branding practices.
• There’s less stability. When you’re working for yourself, you won’t have as stable an income as you’d have in a regular full-time job. You may even need to work two jobs while you build up your photography business. Plus, you’ll be in charge of finding your own health insurance and retirement savings accounts.
• You may need to work unconventional hours. If you’re an event photographer, you’ll probably have to work a lot of nights and weekends. This can make it difficult to spend time with friends and family that go to school or work more traditional nine-to-five jobs.
• Impostor syndrome is real. When you’re first starting out, it can take a while to build up confidence in your skills as a photographer and business owner. While you’re getting used to things, you may find it difficult or awkward to market yourself and charge professional rates.
• You turn your passion into work. As a professional photographer, you have to take photos whether you feel inspired or not. When you’re photographing and editing all day for your clients, you may find you have less time and motivation to work on personal photography projects. What’s more, if you’re not sure how to market “you as a brand” online, it can be intimidating to know where to start .

If running a successful photography business was simple and easy, every amateur photographer would do it. However, if this is what you really want to do, you shouldn’t be scared off by a little hard work. You can go far in making your dreams a reality if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.

What do you need to start?

To start your own professional photography business, you’ll need more than just a good camera. Your exact needs will depend on the type of photography that you specialize in, but some general photography must-haves include:

• A camera, back-up camera, and lenses that can capture high-quality photos. Before you buy, make sure that you research which photography equipment is best for the types of pictures you’ll be taking.
• Memory cards and an external hard drive to store your photos.
• A tripod, flashes, and lighting equipment.
• A bag to carry your photography equipment in while you’re on the job.
• Photo editing software, such as Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, or Picsart.
• A computer or laptop to edit your photos on.
• Backdrops and props. Depending on which type of photography you do, you may also need a studio space or home photography studio .
• A photo printer and quality photo paper (if you’re planning on selling prints of your pictures).

In addition to photography equipment, you’ll also need some general business supplies. These can include:

• A photography website and online portfolio. To increase website traffic , you should look into buying a unique domain name and research best practices for search engine optimization (SEO) for your site.
• Business cards and brochures.
• Professional social media accounts, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest.
• Any business licenses and insurance policies you need to operate a photography business in your state.
• Accounting software and payment systems.
• A business bank account and possibly a business credit card.
• Client contracts (you should be able to find templates online).

Elements of a good photography business plan

If you’re really serious about being a business owner, you’ll want to do everything you can to ensure the success of your new venture. This includes researching your industry and target market to create a plan for your business. Elements that you should have in your photography business plan are:

• Your business name and business type (you’ll probably be a sole proprietor or limited liability corporation when you’re first starting out).
• An executive summary that includes a description of your photography services, business idea, and mission statement.
• A detailed description of your company, including your business goals, the products and services that you intend to sell, and your potential clients.
• An analysis of your market and your competitors. This should include industry demand trends, pricing practices, a summary of local businesses you’ll be competing with, and a description of how your business will stand out from the rest of the pack.
• A description of your costs, including startup costs, marketing materials, and operational costs that you’ll incur while running your business.
• A marketing plan that describes your business branding , how you’ll find new clients, and how you’ll market your products and services to your target audience.
• A financial projection of your expected expenses and revenue during the first year of business.

Doing the research you need to create your business plan can give you valuable insight into how to start your own photography business. Even if you never end up showing this document to someone else, it will still give you the direction you need to operate a successful photography business. Furthermore, if you want to start a photography business, you should consider a membership platform . It streamlines operations, from contract to communication, ensuring growth and retention.

8 ideas for your photography business

A key part of starting your own photography business is putting together ideas for photographs and deciding which type of photography you want to go into. Most successful photographers specialize in one area because it makes it easier to find clients and book jobs (think about it – you’re not going to hire a real estate photographer to take pictures at your wedding.)

This is a big decision because different types of photography will have different startup costs, business hours, and target audiences. To help you brainstorm, here are a few ideas for specialized photography businesses:

Edit your professional photography with Picsart

Now that you’re familiar with the basics of how to start your own photography business, let’s get into how you can edit professional-quality photos using Picsart:

In the app:

1) Open the Picsart app and tap the purple plus sign (+) at the bottom of the screen to upload one of your photos.

2) Tap Tools and Crop in the bottom toolbar to crop any non-essential parts from the image. You can also click Resize to edit the size of your photo. When you’re finished, tap Apply in the top right corner.

3) Tap Adjust in the Tools menu to adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, highlights, shadows, and temperature of the image. Then, click Apply.

4) Select Effects to add a filter to your photo. Tap on your filter a second time to edit how it’s applied to the image. (Pro Tip: Create your own custom presets and save them as a Picsart replay to easily apply the same edits to every photo in a series.)

5) After you’re finished editing your photo, tap Next on the top right of your screen to save and share your creation.

In the web browser:

1) Open the Picsart photo editor and select a size for your image.

2) In the left-hand toolbar, select Uploads to select the image you want to edit. If you need to, click Fit in the toolbar to adjust the size of your image.

3) A toolbar will pop up above the photo. Click Adjust to alter the brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, highlights, shadows, and temperature of the image.

4) Click on Effects in the left-hand toolbar to add a filter to your photo.

5) After you’re finished editing your photo, tap Export on the top right of your screen to save and share your image.

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Picsart is a photo and video editing platform and creative community. A top 20 most downloaded app worldwide with over 150 million monthly active users, its AI-powered tools enable creators of all levels to design, edit, draw, and share content anywhere. The platform has amassed one of the largest open-source content collections in the world, including photos, stickers, backgrounds, templates, and more. Used by consumers, marketers, content creators and businesses , Picsart tools fulfill both personal and professional design needs. Picsart has collaborated with major artists and brands like BLACKPINK, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Warner Bros. Entertainment, iHeartMedia, Condé Nast, and more. Download the app or start editing on web today, and upgrade to Gold for premium perks!

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Real Estate Photography

Framing to selling: masterful real estate photography.

If you are in need of high quality, focus stacked real estate photos, virtual tours, or drone phototography, BoomHeadshot has you covered! I have shot real estate for companies all over the the Pullman area, Lewiston and Clarkston, Spokane, Walla Walla, and in Oregon. My photos come with no watermarks, in 2048px and 8000px resolution photos, and focus stacked so that everything in the photos are in focus.

Past Clients:

Some of the real estate and realtor companies I have worked with in the past include:

• Assist2Sell of Lewiston
• Aspen Heights Apartments
• AAA Clearwater Storage Depot
• Evolve Apartments
• Fair Home Buyers
• Foxhole Airbnb
• Helene's Property Management
• JLL Capital Markets
• Marcus Millichap
• RE/MAX of Pullman
• RE/MAX of Moscow
• Retreat Apartments
• Shield Storage of Spokane
• Siesta Motel
• SkyView Advisors
• Timsom Construction
• Starbucks in Spokane
• University Crossing Apartments
• Weber Dental Center
• Will Elfering

Confirmed Headshots

Real estate pricing:.

Please contact me if you are interested in real estate photography. My prices vary based on the size of the property, distance, if you are needing photos, drone, virtual tours, etc. Prices can range anywhere from $150-300+ depending on photos, drone, virtual tours, and distance.

“Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work.” - Martin Parr

Contact Eric

Pullman, WA 99163 t: 509-288-9516

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