How to Get Your Property Ready for Virtual Staging
It may come as a surprise to some, but there are still many real estate agents and sellers who are unaware of the concept of virtual staging. Those who have been in the industry for a longer period of time, and stayed current with technology, are familiar with virtual staging and understand how to use it. It is said that no professional skills are needed to take pictures for virtual staging. However, the editing of the photos might require some knowledge of image manipulation, or what many people nowadays refer to as “photoshopping”. It also takes a keen eye to make sure the digitally added furniture and fixtures look realistic. Read on to learn how to get your property ready for virtual staging.
Now that this has been discussed, let’s address the main issue or topic at hand. Therefore, you may be wondering if you need to employ a professional photographer to snap pictures of bare rooms that you will be able to furnish with elements from your desired lifestyle. Here are some pointers to help you decide if you can handle this task on your own.
Take Every Photo with the Highest Resolution as Possible
It is simpler to edit pictures that have a high resolution compared to blurred images that would require you to reduce the resolution. Additionally, you would not prefer the blurring to remain in the final product. As the photographer is also the editor in today’s context, they have the ability to change the brightness and tones of the photo and with high resolution photos, it is possible to bring out the best in the image and make it look its best.
Use Wide Angle Lens
The ideal lens to use here would be a 12mm lens. This ensures that there will be no warped dimensions in your images. If you opt for a larger lens, it may result in photos where the space will look bigger than it is in real life. And that is a big no-no in real estate photography as your property will be prone to misrepresentation.
And so, logically, anything tighter than 12mm will make the room look smaller.
Here’s some good advice to keep in mind: keep your photos within 12mm, not wider, or approximately 16-18mm on full frame cameras. Think of it this way, although the goal is to make your photos as appealing as possible, it is also important to keep things realistic.
Keep Everything at Eye Level
When it comes to taking photos intended for virtual staging, there are some unspoken precepts that should be followed. Most importantly, do not shoot from beneath or from overhead. Taking the photo from either of these will make it too difficult for the editor to effectively insert the furniture into the image. It is important that the room be seen as it is, not bigger or smaller, and at eye-level. When shooting, always keep in mind how the furniture and other items will be added in post-production. Make sure to provide plenty of space to insert the elements. However, do not exclude other parts of the room as they are still important.
Shoot from the Corner
Using the corner of the room to take the shot will improve your results dramatically. Corners are excellent vanishing points and depth indicators. Indeed, they are wonderful framework elements for decorating. Even in a small bathroom, a good angle to shoot from is from the door.
Keep it Professional
The photos you post to your listings should be at the highest quality in order to make the greatest impact in virtual staging. Remember that you want the photos to appear attractive but realistic at the same time. It’s a no-brainer. It’s time to maintain your listings clean and at the level you see in professional photographs. However, in the real estate business, it’s important to invest as much time, money, and effort as possible, in order to get the most efficient ROI. If that’s the case, you may leave the labour to us and let us handle the post-production.
