Real Estate Photography

mconner

I have a Nikon D5100 with the kit lens. I am going to start doing real estate photography. Can you suggest some accessories I should need, and tips for doing so? I have a tripod. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Molly

Moose

Howdy @mconner - The key for awesome real estate shots is great light.

For Exteriors, try to shoot during the blue hour (immediately after sunset) and turn on all the lights (inside and outside). You'll need to use your tripod to get these shots without camera shake (blur).

For Interiors, start by turning on all the lights and opening the shades to all the windows. Then place some can lights (you can get these at Home Depot/Lowes) in strategic places throughout the room hidden behind furniture and architectural elements. If you've got the budget, you can use speedlites and pocket wizards to illuminate parts of the room.

In addition to the lighting, I would also utilize an HDR technique, where you take 3 to 7 images of the same scene at varying levels of exposure, from bright to dark. You then merge these images together using HDR software, like Photomatix or Nik HDR Efex Pro.

This will enhance your interior shots so that your windows aren't blown out (overexposed - overly brightened). With HDR, you'll actually be able to "see" out the window.

The only accessory I might consider at this point is a remote for your D5100. This will allow you to run about the room making adjustments and then you can simply trigger the shutter when you're ready.

Hope that all makes sense and happy shooting! :)