Tips for Staging Your After Pictures
Ask any professional home stager and they're sure to tell you that their after photos of their home staging projects are perhaps one of the most critically important components in their marketing arsenal. They know and understand that prospective clients will be reviewing their photos and reviewing those of their competitors to make a decision as to whom they'll hire.
Fortunately, there are many opportunities to ensure you've captured the perfect picture.
I'll use the following picture, taken last week for a home staging project I completed in Atlanta, to show you some of things I should have done.
- Study what's in your view finder - Had I done this very thing, I would have noticed that the napkin on the right wasn't right. I likely would have moved the wine glasses as the one on the left is directly in front of the faucet. Sure, these are minor. However, picture those changes made.
- Check your lighting - Home stagers know the importance and benefits of bringing as much light as possible into the home. The same opportunity applies to your photos. Ensure all lights are on (including theoften-missed under cabinet lighting).
- Capture different angles - You're going to be amazed at just how big a difference capturing different angles can make in how the room appears. Try a variety; from getting on your knees to using a step-stool, chair or ladder.
- Sweat the small stuff - Ever return from a home staging project, upload your pictures only to find that the pillows on the sofa were askew or that bed skirt you spent hours ironing isn't laying right? These small things can be irritating and ruin a great shot. Study your room before you even grab the camera as these are simple things that can help create the perfect shot.
Perhaps the best advice I can provide is to give yourself ample time at the end of your home staging project. In doing so, you can be further ensured that the project you've just spent an incredible amount of time on will come out picture perfect.
Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392
RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011
Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.
With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.
Home Staging Website: Home Staging Atlanta
Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:
Email: Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com
Blog: Atlanta Home Staging
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Kathy - great tips! It seems that by the end of the day all we can see is the door out. You make a good point to make sure you have the time to take great photos! Thanks for the ideas and reminders.
Turning the light under the cabinets and stove is always a winner-Great tips here Kathy and your staging is so lovely I did not even see the napkin out of place.
Kathy, great tips. I think if we all studied our viewfinders before snapping the picture, there are lost of little things we'd change in a listing picture for the internet, also. Thanks!
Terrific post, Kathy! You make some very good points, not the least of which is giving yourself time to make sure everything is perfect for the photos. The varying angles idea is a good one too.
Debi
Great tips Kathy. With DST over in the northwest we usually finish our jobs when it's dark outside, so have to take pictures on another day. This allows us to really take the time, as you suggest, to make sure they are right. Thanks!
Great post. This is something I really need to remember to do.
Hi Kathy,
Your last point about giving yourself ample time really hits home with me. It seems like, no matter how I try to schedule things, I'm running just ahead of the photographer and I often don't have time to tweak the small stuff. Every time I look at a the photo all I see are the little things that are off.
As God is my witness, from now on, I'm going to leave more time.
Shelley - That "door out" does look inviting after a hard day of staging. However, given how important our photos are, it's so important to make the time.
Thanks, Cathy. I look at that photo and al I can see is that napkin (smile).
Jill - that view finder can tell us a lot!
Glad these were helpful tips, Debi.
David - you take great pictures as all your projects look great.
Thanks, Wanda.
Susan - I'm holding you to it.
Kathy
Kathy, Thanks for reminding us of the importance of the perfect photo. Thanks for sharing.
Kathy -- good tips here for our photos. When I look at them in my computer and notice some little thing that I didn't expect, it drives me crazy. Back to the house for a retake!!
Fabulous advice Kathy! Thank you for the reminders.
Your photos are always superior Kathy - thanks for sharing some tips.
Kathy: Spending an extra couple of minute with your camera may mean the difference of whether you get that next job or not. Having great photos to showcase your work is sooo important.
I wish the quality of my photos was as good as the one your are critiquing! Great tips though. I know I don't allow enough time at the end of the job for the photos. I'm usually tired by then! Good reminder. Why go to all the trouble and then take lousy shots?
A photo can be worth a 1000 words..especially if you are the seller. I think you did a great job.
Kathy, You are so right about looking at what you've captured. We had a client point out several items that were askew - so a retake of photos had to be done. This could have easily been avoided!
Very helpful post. I'm going to use it for my next photo session.
there's nothing like looking thru the lens of a camera to see the "little things"...even after reviewing a room with a naked eye.
Life's in the details :) Great post. Valesca
Kathy....Great information....I never take enough time before I snap the photo....Thanks again and have a great weekend!
Thanks, Patty.
Maureen - It drives me nuts as well. I'll be going back to re-take the picture included in this post likely on Monday.
You're welcome, Lori Kim.
Awe, thanks, Michele for your kind words.
Michelle - You are "spot-on!"
Kim - I hear you on being tired at the end of the staging. But, it's SO important we make the time.
Angelica - thanks for reblogging this post! I provide all of my after photos to the seller, so... that's just one more reason why everything needs to be right.
Susan - I'm giving myself extra time now at the end of the staging to ensure I capture all those small things that can make or break a picture.
I'm glad you found it useful, Linda.
Valesca - Looking thru the view finder can sure tell us a lot. I'm studying that more and more before I click the picture.
Thanks, Rob.
Kathy
Kathy ~ I hate when I think I have a good picture and then their is something small that ruins it. Sometime I can fix it in Adobe with masking. Have you tried that? The lighting in this photos is terriffic.
Hi Kathy! Yes, I do take photos from lots of angles...use my tripod and have all of my lights on. However, sometimes, I end up with darker than what I wanted photos...and that is frustrating. Ceiling lights 16ft in the air do not help if the natural light is not there...no matter the time of day. My favorite camera died...so I need to learn how to use the new one. Knowing how to use the camera properly makes for great photos as well!! (Now where is that instruction booklet....)
Kathy, it is true that somehow our eye overlooks small details, but a photo can bring it into glaring view.
I once showed up to photograph a home that was really not ready for the market--let alone the photos--and so spent a fair amount of time "tweaking" things. One of the teenagers' beds was a total lumpy mess, and since I was only hired (and being paid) to photograph the house, I felt funny remaking beds. Anyway, I did my best to smooth out the top of the bed. When I got the photos home to do my regular post-processing, I noticed how awful the side of the bed and comforter looked--which were far more noticeable in the picture than the top of the bed! I felt sick about and swore never to make that mistake again! While I haven't made that same mistake again, it still is so easy to overlook those small things.
We have all experienced this type of frustration with our photos. Why is it that the little things seem so obvious after the fact, and we don't even notice them when taking the pictures? Great post!
Kathy,
Great reminders. It's hard to save the time at the end of a staging, so we usually will return when we are fresh. I liked your suggestions about different angles and to get down low at some point. I have just found a new photographer and he takes as many pics as I want for $100! That price includes a virtual tour for the agents as well. But even using a pro, I feel better when I'm there during the shoot. Once I start to show him that yes, that pillow placement is VERY important, I'm hoping he will sweat the small stuff.
Great post!
Mel
Kathy,
I appreciate all the tips on how to make the most of your photos. We sometimes Stage homes that are an hour or more away from us...so taking the right photos the first time is so important. Thanks...and your Staging is always so awesome that I would never notice any flaws.
Hi Kathy, Great job, of course. I actually bought a camera, started taking my own photos and creating virtual tours all b/c of some "professional" photographer whose pics included fallen pillows, bad lighting, even toilet seats left up. But yeah, the end of the day fatique is hard. Also, true is how different shots look through the viewfinder than the naked eye. Question. What camera are you currentlly using? My Kodak v570 is starting to seem inadequate to me. Yours seem better.
Hi, Monique - I haven't tried masking. Given that there are a couple of other angles I want to capture, I'm going to go back and re-take the kitchen photos. I too love the lighting in this picture. I'm using a Nikon D90 and had it on a macro setting when I snapped this one.
Kathleen - I hear you on the need to learn how to use the camera. There are many things that I need to learn with mine and I simply need to make the time.
Deena - It's hard to ensure we're catching all those small things. However, I'm now going to view a photo as tho it's THE photo. Perhaps that will help me ensure things like napkins are straight (smile).
Sharon - Those small things certainly do coming glaring out of the photo, don't they?
Linda - You're welcome. An hour to and an hour back is definitely a long way. Thanks for your kind words.
Kathy
Hi, Pat - I think I was typing at the same time you were. It's a Nikon D90. However, prior to going the Nikon route, I had a smaller, less expensive camera. The pictures were actually good. However, that has a lot to do with angles, lighting, etc... In other words, all the things that are important with a high-end camera apply to a less expensive model as well.
Kathy
All great points, Kathy. I'm actualy going back to day to get more shots of a house we Staged last week because I'm simple not happy with some of the little things you mentioned here. Thank you!
Oh so important Kathy..thanks so much for creating a blog post on this. I know that I should wait and return the next day because when the job is done I'm almost always too pooped to do a good job with my photos AND the lighting is rarely optimal at that hour. Bookmarking as a reminder!
I use a wide angle, and it just doesn't cut it for a stager, you can't really catch the details on it. Pictures are the key and king in a portfolio.
Connie - I'll be going back to re-shoot this one as well. Glad these tips are helpful!
You're welcome, Ginger.
Cindy - you're so right. Our photos are so important!
Kathy
Kathy, these are excellent points. I am guilty as charged:) I do get a chance to take few shots at the de-staging time though.
Great tips Kathy, these are things I really need work on, I have more photos I can't use than I can.
Ana
Hello Kathy,
Terrific tips and points! Thank you for sharing!
Chris
Kathy, you are so right on the details. There have been times that I'll upload my photos for a listing and notice something askew - crooked curtains, a chair out of line, some odd item on the floor. It does make a difference.
Great photos really enhance out Homestaging Businesses! We have to make sure that everything is right before we take our after photos.
Thanks Kathy. I'll look into the Nikon. I also think I will start taking a stool to use in picture taking at the end of the day. Speaking of which, I think the end of the day is usually a particularly good time of day for light. No?
Kathy:
You do very nice work, a couple of observations I have as a professional photographer:
Oh, and if you can't shoot your afters like Kathy - hire a professional that can. You get some great images for the Seller/REALTOR to use to market the property AND, you get some great shots for your portfolio to market to other potential clients!
But really, you do exceptional work with your camera, and you really showcase your talents as a stager. The photographs definitely convey your expertise in your craft.
@Mel: $100 for ALL the pictures you want? AND a virtual tour? I would use this guy as much as you can until he realizes that after travel time, location time, post processing time and delivery he is only making about $10/hour.
Or begin looking for a new one as he may not be in business very long being that inexpensive. Of course, if it is just a hobby for them to make some extra cash, then you struck gold.