Utilizing Mother Nature’s Gifts To Provide Dramatic Effect
Some photographers take pictures and there are some who paint images through the lens of a camera. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to watch my husband (Rick) master his photographic skills. As an amateur photographer, he enjoyed taking landscape photography. Every trip we took was another journey in learning his craft. It is a passion of his to capture and freeze a moment in time. He relishes sharing it with others. The highest compliment one can give him is “WOW”! BTW – Rick is self-taught!
My tours have garnered almost 237,000 views. There are 6 separate homes displayed below and those homes alone have over 98,500 views. All are no longer active (sold) but they continue to get a lot of views! The top 5 tours have garnered over 108,000 plus views.
As Rick has transitioned into a Professional Real Estate Photographer, who has an exclusive contract with me (Ha! Ha!), I can see how much he has grown. With every listing we secure, we work as a team to give it life. Together, we discuss what we need to emphasize, highlight and promote. To us, “Dramatic Effect” is our friend.
– What are the best angles to capture the essence of the home?
– What is the best time of day to seize the proper lighting and bring out the very best in every picture. If I may be so bold, lighting is the makeup of the “model”. Proper “makeup” brings out the very best features of the subject in the artistic imagery. Rick has found that the more natural the lighting and sometimes a little fill light brings out the best in a home.
– When possible, we come back several times to get the very best Mother Nature has to offer for lighting and weather. Clouds are also our friend. However….
– Shadows are the enemy – Whenever possible, stay away from shooting a picture with harsh shadows. There are special filters that can help to minimize the effects of harsh shadows. This is another reason we come back at different times of the day.
– Staging is a must. Sometimes we don’t have complete control over staging a home. Simple staging to highlight an area may be as simple as flowers strategically placed or place settings at a table. More complex staging may involve rearranging furniture. Ever watch a movie or TV Show, no one has their back to the camera. To get the right angle a piece of furniture may have to be taken out of the picture. A diligent artist will make it happen.
– Don’t sacrifice the beauty and charm to sell a view. Make sure you have an image to complement the entire room beside any view that may be a feature you are trying to promote.
Key Point...– I get my sellers' buy-in by educating them on what we are trying to accomplish.
This picture was a picture that we rejected. It was taken near sunset and did not take advantage of the magic a morning sunrise would hold. Also, the clear sky does not add a dramatic effect to the shot. We were fortunate to have clouds roll in the next morning to provide that dramatic effect. Notice
Another secret revealed…With a home that faces east, use the rising sun as natural lighting that will enhance the image. Get there before sunrise and snap away. Use different angles. This pic was taken 2 feet off the ground to use the rocks as a frame and give the picture some depth of field. Notice the clouds in the reflective glass of the owner's suite on the right side.
In this image, we are highlighting the pottery that is part of a pillar that would not be in any other shot. The pottery and the pine tree frame the image and draw your attention to the signature water feature.
Two more secrets revealed – #1 – Natural lighting…there is no substitute! #2 – You are trying to sell your customer a lifestyle. Take advantage of the perfect setting. Can you picture yourself sitting in one of these chairs reading a good book with the fire feature dancing in the background? I can! BTW... If you have been to my SellSedona.com website, this is the first image you will see.
Here is the triple treat – Showcasing 1) Views – 2) The Home – 3) The Garden and the park bench. This area is a very special garden area that offers privacy and it was showcased from 4 different angles highlighting other features of the property. See one more example below.
Sometimes a feature is the whole room. Our client who built this home loves skiing in Colorado. This influenced his design of the fireplace. Notice the subtle framing of the natural beam pillars.
Here is the other side of the fire feature. It is the first thing you see as you enter the foyer.
In the picture below, you have seen the fire feature and are now entering the Great Room with 20 ft ceilings and a magnificent view of Castle Rock in the Village of Oak Creek.
Rick will not compromise the listing with shabby pictures. He understands that there are many homes that a potential buyer may want to view and there is only so much time available. We owe it to our sellers to give them the very best solutions to fulfill their desired goals.
Some of these pictures are from current listings and others are from listings that were sold in previous years.
Two Luxury Listings Showcased on the Covers of HomesandLand and View Magazine
15 E. Dove Wing
57 E. Dove Wing
Here are the full tours to see the rest of the pictures highlighted here.
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