For me, photographing real estate is an opportunity to look for the visual differences that make a house unique.
The fundamental requirement is to visually document a house for the agent. Show the rooms, show the flow. Create images that will help prospective buyers appreciate it as their new home.
My background and years doing advertising and commercial photography make me want to do more than just document the property. I look for and make images that are visually appealing. Images that make a prospective buyer stop scanning pictures and spend time looking at the image and then go on to the next and the next.
While studying advertising and graphic design, I became interested in searching out graphic design elements as they present themselves in the environment. I enjoy searching for these elements with my camera; everything from a door knob to molding on the ceiling.
Documenting a property for sale is straight forward and something most competent photographers can accomplish just by walking into a house and looking around.
Creating visually compelling images that intrigue the viewer, whetting their desire to see more; that requires collaboration between the agent and the photographer to find the two or three views that sell. I’ve worked with art directors and designers on most advertising projects. An agent is the art director for a real estate shoot when they want to find the selling shots. I enjoy the collaboration.