To get great real estate photos, you need a skilled professional property photographer. Although you can find cheap photographers, a skilled and experienced photographer can make a good image into a great one, and their fees reflect this. Photographing a property costs between £150 and £300 on average in the UK. However, this is not the highest or the lowest price. There are many variables that determine real estate photo costs. We discuss all of that in this article.

What is Real Estate Property Photography?

Property photography is when a professional takes photographs of properties on behalf of their clients. The photos are used as marketing material or simply to show potential buyers what the home looks like inside and out. It’s important to note that not all property photographers take pictures of every house listed on the market, so it pays to do some research before hiring them. If you want to know if someone will be taking enough shots,  ask how many homes they have photographed previously.

Types of Real Estate Photography

While not as popular as wedding photography, property photography can be highly profitable as people are always buying and selling properties! In many ways, property photography pricing is determined by the same objective as product photography pricing, namely to effectively sell to the viewer what is in the image.

There are three main types of real estate photography:

• Interior
• Exterior
• Architectural

Interior photographs show the inside of a house or flat, while exterior photos show the outside of a building. Architectural shots capture the design elements of buildings such as windows, doors, staircases etc. The type of shot taken will depend on where the property is located and whether it has been renovated or built from scratch. For instance, architectural images would probably be most appropriate if a new apartment block was being marketed. However, if a historic townhouse had just undergone extensive renovation work, interior shots might be more suitable.

The price of your shoot depends mainly on the size of the area covered and the complexity of the subject matter. A typical residential photoshoot covers around 3-4 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and could easily run up to £500 depending on location and time spent shooting. This includes studio lighting, props, wardrobe changes, setups and post-production editing.

What Does Real Estate Photography Involve?

Real estate photography involves capturing images used by agents, brokers, investors, lenders, and other professionals who work within the industry. These people use these photos as part of their marketing materials, including listing presentations, sales brochures, property websites, etc.

The types of properties that can be photographed vary widely depending on where you live. Some areas only allow certain kinds of houses, whereas others may permit any kind of dwelling. You should check local laws regarding permitted uses before booking a shoot.

In addition to photographing individual dwellings, there are also shoots involving multiple properties at once. Such shoots usually involve several locations and require coordination among team members. They often entail moving furniture, setting up lights, changing clothes, and arranging items on tables and shelves.

How Does Real Estate Photography Pricing Work?

The answer to this question will vary depending on whether you are shooting houses or commercial properties. Moreover, if you go for aerial photography involving drone shots, expect to pay more. Real estate agents should be aware that commercial photography rates may also involve hourly rates or flat rates. It all comes down to the photographer. You may have to negotiate a bit to get a good deal.

When determining a price point, real estate photographers keep these factors in mind:

• How big is the space you’re covering?

A large room could easily require two people to cover, while a small one-bedroom apartment requires less than half that amount.

• What do you need to get into each space?

Suppose you have to move things like beds, wardrobes, chairs, sofas, desks, lamps, mirrors, paintings, rugs, plants, flowers, curtains, carpets, bookshelves, vases, clocks, chandeliers, statues, tapestries, pictures, artwork, etc. How much effort will you put into getting them all back in place after taking the picture?

• Is the property brand new or old?

New builds tend to come with fewer furnishings compared to older homes. In some cases, they even lack basic amenities such as kitchen appliances. Old houses, however, typically contain many original features, including wood floors, fireplaces, stained glass windows, antique pieces, etc.

• Are there any special requirements?

Will you need to take care of pets, children, elderly relatives, disabled family members, etc.?

• How long will it take to complete the project?

The more complex the shoot, the longer it takes to prepare everything. For example, if you want to photograph an entire house, you would probably spend most of your day preparing before starting the actual shoot. On the other hand, if you just need to capture a few rooms from various angles, you might not need to make too many preparations beforehand.

• Who else needs access to the space?

This includes anyone involved in selling the home, those working with the buyer and possibly contractors hired to renovate the property.