Listing agent: “This dark, grainy photo of a sofa covered in pillows will tell buyers so much about the house! It’s brilliant!”
They liked this ceiling fan so much they included its photo twice.
Same with these bushes.
You don’t need actual walls when you use the toilet, do you?
Oh well hey. The home got a “yard of the month” award from BBF? SOLD.
Why do I get a sudden flash of some sort of demented supportive living environment?
That’s right! We won Best Yard last year! All right, we may not have ranked in this year’s Couch Pillows Derby, and our ceiling fan only got an honorable mention, but next year – next year, we’re gunning for Most Improved Bathroom! We are! And We’re going to win!
So tell us, Marty, do real estate agent classes ever include lessons on how to take *proper* photos of a client’s property? You know, the sort that actually make people want to consider buying it? If not… boy howdy, they should! On the upside, while these may not be very informative, they aren’t nearly as bad as some we’ve seen.
Oh, and was there supposed to a link to the actual listing or not?
I don’t think real estate classes cover photography. Like many other professions photography is one of the things that separates the professionals from the beginners. I know that when a lot of people first try to put things up for sale (refurbished cars, handmade items, furniture etc.) their pictures generally stink and the sales suffer. Once they learn how to properly illuminate the subject, choose the right lens on a real camera (not cellphone) and add the right finishing touches (staging) things become much more likely to sell.
@Emerald63: Haha, real estate agent classes. That’s a good one.
And yes, there was supposed to be a link. Fixed that now. Thanks!
See? Just look at picture #8… they ARE going to win “Most Improved Bathroom.”
@Marty E.: Thanks for the link… I think. Whoo-ee, ALL the pics are that bad. Even if they showed nice curtains, furniture, or kitchen cabinets they’d still be crappy pictures.
Real estate agents have to pass a licensing test, yes? If there are no classes, where do they learn the stuff for the test? I new a guy in college who decided college was not for him. He was very personable and bright, just not into traditional college courses. I know he studied his ass off to get his RE license and I could swear I remember him going to classes, too. Ended up making good money, had a nice car, clothes, jewelry, and cologne. Did way better than a lot of us who stayed in college. :|
I’d bet that some of the better firms (especially national ones) do have at least a weekend workshop on photo taking. I’m not sure you’d need more than that, unless there was one for beginners and one for more advanced photographers, say for really upscale clients.
@Emerald63: I may have a business degree, but I suspect it would take far more than a weekend workshop to educate my fingertip out of the camera’s way…
@anodean: Really? I suppose having a background in design and art history has helped me, as well as having a photojournalist brother. Still, before my one trip to Europe, I read the “How to Take Great Travel Photos” book my brother got me. Not too much text, just really good pointers and lots of examples of both good and bad results. I think just about anyone can get better with the right tips and a bit of practice. :D