Using Feature Photos to Over Deliver

Dream Kitchens - Feature (lr)-1Real estate photography in much of the world, not just the U.S., suffers from a much maligned perception. This is often because the quality of pictures on online listing services are so absolutely terrible.

Fortunately, the overabundance of terrible photography makes it possible for professional taken photographs to really stand out.

One of the things I try to do, when opportunity permits, for my real estate photography customers, is capture some nice feature shots.  These are those nice little ‘character’ or future nostalgia shots that everyone can appreciate.

What makes for a nice feature or nostalgia shot? Sometimes it’s my call. Often it comes from listening to the customer.

Torben Photography - Feature Kitchen (2)Here’s an example…  A few months ago I did a shoot for Old Towne Builder. The developer emphasized that the kitchen Dream Kitchens - Feature (lr)-2islands he created were a key selling feature, something he wanted highlighted.

Spending some time giving it extra focus really produced a nice image (on left) while making the customer just that much happier.

Providing services for a custom kitchen developer, Dream Kitchens, I had the opportunity to visit some recently completed kitchens. Nice, pristine kitchens, the owners left out a couple décor items.  Seemingly insignificant to them, I’m sure, the cup, glass, and brush made for some nice feature shots.

Dream Kitchens - Feature (lr)-3For Sellers, these pictures can make for greatly appreciated keep sakes, pictures they’ll look back at years down the road, nostalgically remembering the home where their kids grew up, or perhaps simply a nice picture to pass around to friends, showing off their new remodeling efforts.

These shots often come understanding what is important to the customer.

These shots often come understanding what is important to the customer.  For instance, as a custom kitchen designer, they were very interested in showing off certain highlights, like one-of-a-kind sinks, detail work in their back-splashes, and sometimes the nice accent lighting.  A typical kitchen shot might only show off a ‘nice room.’

Dream Kitchens - Feature (lr)-5Feature shots are not always possible. Creativity demands time and opportunity. The tighter a shoot’s schedule, the harder it is to take special shots. In other cases its simply a matter of the right time of day. For instance, the one shot of the jar and brush was a function of a late afternoon Sun, beaming through windows. The image only existed for about 90 seconds.

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The Livingston Post is the only locally owned, all-digital information and opinion site in Livingston County, Mich. It was launched by award-winning journalists who were laid off from the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus by Gannett Co. Inc. in 2009.