10 Steps To Better Real Estate Photography – Step 5
Shoot Wide

It’s been more than two weeks since I’ve posted, due in part to the rush of activity that followed my workshop in Phoenix.  In the end, I’m a photographer and (definitely) not a writer, so shooting will always win out over posting!  (Plus I get paid to shoot, which is cool!)

Having said that, I’ve decided that after posting the rest of the Photography For REALTORS class content (or as much of it as I can in this format), I will transition this site back to a photoblog, which means more photography and less writing.  I hope the photos I post will be appropriate examples of the principles of good real estate marketing photography so there is still a benefit to those who want to improve their own images.  I would like to think the site will continue to be a good resource for agents who enjoy taking their own marketing images.

OK, on to step five:

Shoot Wide – But Not Too Wide!

Shooting wide seems like a no-brainer for real estate, right? Still, there are some who don’t know that their camera lens can be zoomed out to show a wider view.  More importantly, many agents don’t know that there are wide-angle adapters made for most newer point-and-shoot cameras that will increase the angle of view the camera is capable of, significantly.  Just Google the make and model of your camera along with the words “wide angle adapter” and you’ll know whether there is a model made for your specific camera.

For those who are thinking about buying a new camera that will be used for real estate, I recommend using the camera comparison tool listed under the resources link above.  It will allow you to choose the wide-angle capability you want and then tell you all the current models that meet your needs.

So, how wide do you want?  And how wide is too wide?  Great questions!  Without getting into a very technical conversation, the angle of view a lens is capable of seeing is measured in degrees, but most camera and lens manufacturers are more likely to publish the focal length of a lens, which is measured in millimeters. Before digital cameras became the norm, most of us owned cameras that used 35mm film, and lens focal lengths were determined relative to the size of a 35mm film frame.  With that in mind, and speaking very, very generally, a lens with a focal length between 40-50mm was considered a normal lens – or one that mimics what the human eye sees.  Below 40mm, lenses are considered wide-angle, and above 50mm lenses are considered telephoto.

Not wide enough...

Because most consumers tend to want cameras with zoom lenses that favor longer telephoto capability (to photograph the kids, sports, etc), many point-and-shoot cameras have limited wide-angle capability, typically starting around (the equivelent of) 35-38mm.  While this is technically considered wide-angle, it’s really not wide enough for real estate purposes.  I would suggest buying a camera (or a lens adapter) that gives you the capability of a lens with 28mm focal length at most.  24mm is better, and I belive there might be at least one point-and-shoot camera that goes down to 21mm, which is perfect.  Sice new cameras seem to be released every week, there might be more than I realize.  Again, check the camera comparison tool under the “resources” link above.

Just barely wide enough...

Now, if you use a camera with inter-changable lenses (an SLR or DSLR), you can purchase any lense you want.  But be careful…  Because the sensors on all but the most expensive cameras are smaller than the 35mm standard, the focal length of a lens is not what it seems.  For instance, I use a 10-22mm zoom lens for 95% of my real estate photography, but because the sensor in my camera is not “full-frame” I have to multiply the focal length by a crop factor of 1.6X.  That means my lens is actually the equivelent of a zoom lens with a range of 16 – 35mm in 35mm terms.  I know this might seem trivial, but if you’re going to buy a camera and lens for real estate it’s actually very important.  Most “kit” lenses that come with DSLRs are advertised to have a range of something like 17-55 or 28-105mm.  It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most are in this range.  The problem is that 17mm on a Canon is really 28mm 9which is OK) and 28mm is 45mm (which is not).  On a Nikon (which has a crop factor of 1.5X, the focal lengths would be 26mm and 42mm.  Just remember to ask (or Google) for the “35mm equivelent” focal length and get something that is 28mm or below.

About as wide as you'll find on a point-and-shoot camera

Now, how wide is too wide?  Depends on the lens, and how prone it is to distortion at extremely wide angles, but as a general rule, I live between 18-24mm (even though my lens will go down to 16mm).  Any wider and I see two problems – barrel distortion (where lines at the edge of the frame appear to be curved – very common in photos done by some virtual tour providers), and an exaggerated sense of perspective.  If you photograph straight down a rectangular room it can end up looking like a bowling alley!  For most agents using point-and-shoot cameras though, getting too wide is definitely not going to be a problem, because “too wide” is wider than any point-and-shoot camera will go!

Now we're talking...!

So there you are.  Shoot as wide as your camera will allow, and if you’re purchasing a new camera or lens for real estate purposes, give me a call.  I’ll be happy to help you do the research and get a camera and/or lens that will help you produce terrific property marketing photos!