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Angles and Agents
“I don’t know if you know this, but we’re a pretty big deal. Yeah, we know how to shoot real estate like photographic ninja wizards with cameras. HDR - got it. Off camera lighting - check. Night/dusk shots - no problemo. No detail goes un-noticed. No creative angle left un-photographed. No room left un... What? Oh, you say we got some great shots of the sink, the Viking Range and the tile backsplash but you don’t see any shots of the entire kitchen? Surely they must be here somewhere in the... I’m sure we must have... hmmm... Well, Mrs. Real Estate Agent, how would you feel about asking your client to get their house all cleaned up again so we can come back and get that shot of the kitchen you say you can’t live without. Pfftht. Demanding aren’t we?”
Please tell me I’m not the only one this has happened to. For the record, I don’t really think we’re all that - it was simply to make a point that all the “technical know-how” in the world isn’t going to help you if you’re not delivering what the client wants. Not what YOU want to deliver or think is good, but what your paying customer wants to see. Most of you reading this probably already know much of what is to follow in this article. However, I think it’s easy for us as photographers to get caught up in the lenses and software and methods and lose sight of the most important thing - our customers.
Angles.
One of the most critical steps in setting up a successful photography business is knowing your target. Not just knowing who your target market is, but really KNOWING them! You’ve studied photography and shot landscapes, weddings, portraits and pets. But does all your creative composition and style translate into what a real estate agent is looking for? The rule of thirds; vertical lines; never shoot wider than 28mm - does your target market care about these things? The answer isn’t what you might think.
Many times a non-photographer (think real estate agent) will like a photo and not know why. Odds are it’s because you have put the rule of thirds to use - or because you’ve kept the lines vertical. However, all the composition in world isn’t going to matter if you’re not showing the space well. Agents want to show the space and the features. That’s what home-buyers are looking for. While it might be a nice add-on to the rest of your photos, that close up of the lava lamp in the left third of the frame at F2.8 is doing little to accomplish the end goals of the agent which are showing the space and how it’s connected!
Don’t get me wrong - we love to throw in micro-detail shots of features of the home! But we try to not ever let that be at the expense of the “boring” wide-angle photos of all rooms of the house. One final thought on angles and your audience. Are straight verticals important? - Yes. Are shots at 28mm as wide as you should go? - Sometimes. Bottom line here is that you’re shooting photos for a real estate agent. You work for them and therefore should provide them what they want. You’re not shooting for Architectural Digest, and you’re not being paid as such either! While knowing all the “rules” of photography is essential and will help you provide better photography than the amateur, knowing when to break them for the sake of providing what the client wants is critical.
Agents.
You can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em. They provide your paycheck. They expect the job to be done yesterday. They’re often a “people person” and fun to hang out with. They’re upset you missed the close-up of the custom toilet-seat cover. They love your photos. They hate your photos. They refer you a lot of other agents. They warn a lot of agents to never use your services.
Remembering three key things about real estate agents will help you immensely in your business. 1. They are connected to a LOT of other agents. 2. They are under pressure from their boss - the seller. 3. In most cases they are putting their personal money on the line up-front in a gamble that they will sell the house and recoup their investment.
What does this mean to you? 1. Customer service is CRITICAL. If you do a good job and do what it takes to make them happy - they will spread the word and you WILL get referrals. On the other hand, if you do poorly or upset them it’s going to hurt. 2. You are the lowest on the food chain. Everything is waiting on you. The agent. The homeowner. The magazine. The MLS. The print shop. Almost nothing can happen to get the home on the market without your photos! When the agent is pushing you for a quick turn-around, it’s not that they are just being difficult - they’re under pressure! Whatever your turn around time is, the best bet is to be very clear on it up front. Verbalize to them when their photos will be ready and stick to it! 3. If an agent has 10 homes on the market and they spend just $200 each on photography, $400 each on various advertisements (signs, magazines, flyers etc.), that’s $6,000 out of pocket they have to put up in hopes the homes will sell without the seller backing out so they get their commission.
Be creative! Remember you’re a business-person, not (just) a photographer. Thinking of creative ways to meet the needs of your clients and exceed their expectations will pay dividends. Share your thoughts or stories you may have on great customer service for your clients - I’d love to hear from you!
Tim
Please tell me I’m not the only one this has happened to. For the record, I don’t really think we’re all that - it was simply to make a point that all the “technical know-how” in the world isn’t going to help you if you’re not delivering what the client wants. Not what YOU want to deliver or think is good, but what your paying customer wants to see. Most of you reading this probably already know much of what is to follow in this article. However, I think it’s easy for us as photographers to get caught up in the lenses and software and methods and lose sight of the most important thing - our customers.
Angles.
One of the most critical steps in setting up a successful photography business is knowing your target. Not just knowing who your target market is, but really KNOWING them! You’ve studied photography and shot landscapes, weddings, portraits and pets. But does all your creative composition and style translate into what a real estate agent is looking for? The rule of thirds; vertical lines; never shoot wider than 28mm - does your target market care about these things? The answer isn’t what you might think.
Many times a non-photographer (think real estate agent) will like a photo and not know why. Odds are it’s because you have put the rule of thirds to use - or because you’ve kept the lines vertical. However, all the composition in world isn’t going to matter if you’re not showing the space well. Agents want to show the space and the features. That’s what home-buyers are looking for. While it might be a nice add-on to the rest of your photos, that close up of the lava lamp in the left third of the frame at F2.8 is doing little to accomplish the end goals of the agent which are showing the space and how it’s connected!
Don’t get me wrong - we love to throw in micro-detail shots of features of the home! But we try to not ever let that be at the expense of the “boring” wide-angle photos of all rooms of the house. One final thought on angles and your audience. Are straight verticals important? - Yes. Are shots at 28mm as wide as you should go? - Sometimes. Bottom line here is that you’re shooting photos for a real estate agent. You work for them and therefore should provide them what they want. You’re not shooting for Architectural Digest, and you’re not being paid as such either! While knowing all the “rules” of photography is essential and will help you provide better photography than the amateur, knowing when to break them for the sake of providing what the client wants is critical.
Agents.
You can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em. They provide your paycheck. They expect the job to be done yesterday. They’re often a “people person” and fun to hang out with. They’re upset you missed the close-up of the custom toilet-seat cover. They love your photos. They hate your photos. They refer you a lot of other agents. They warn a lot of agents to never use your services.
Remembering three key things about real estate agents will help you immensely in your business. 1. They are connected to a LOT of other agents. 2. They are under pressure from their boss - the seller. 3. In most cases they are putting their personal money on the line up-front in a gamble that they will sell the house and recoup their investment.
What does this mean to you? 1. Customer service is CRITICAL. If you do a good job and do what it takes to make them happy - they will spread the word and you WILL get referrals. On the other hand, if you do poorly or upset them it’s going to hurt. 2. You are the lowest on the food chain. Everything is waiting on you. The agent. The homeowner. The magazine. The MLS. The print shop. Almost nothing can happen to get the home on the market without your photos! When the agent is pushing you for a quick turn-around, it’s not that they are just being difficult - they’re under pressure! Whatever your turn around time is, the best bet is to be very clear on it up front. Verbalize to them when their photos will be ready and stick to it! 3. If an agent has 10 homes on the market and they spend just $200 each on photography, $400 each on various advertisements (signs, magazines, flyers etc.), that’s $6,000 out of pocket they have to put up in hopes the homes will sell without the seller backing out so they get their commission.
Be creative! Remember you’re a business-person, not (just) a photographer. Thinking of creative ways to meet the needs of your clients and exceed their expectations will pay dividends. Share your thoughts or stories you may have on great customer service for your clients - I’d love to hear from you!
Tim
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