Overview of Growing a Career as a Real Estate Photographer
In the visual world of the real estate industry, photographs of a property can make or break the buying and selling experience. This type of photography focuses on lighting, staging and making everything look bigger and brighter, and often, this requires serious skill. There is a lot of work involved in creating a real estate photography business, and it involves much more than taking fantastic photos. Photographers must also have an in-depth knowledge of editing programs that enhance their photographs in the appropriate manner, and they must complete this editing within a fast turnaround – generally between 24-48 hours – so time management skills are also essential. Furthermore, real estate photographers carry out a great deal of administration including networking which can take up a lot of time and requires a specific set of skills to be successful. Whether you are a professional photographer, or are just starting out, there are plenty of resources available to you that will help boost your career.
Requirements for a real estate photographer
So, you’ve made the decision to move forward with this new path. What is first? Research. Firstly, it is important to look into the legal requirements of the real estate photography industry, such as licensing and certification to ensure your business is covered, this is going to be dependent on your own personal circumstances. This can be a daunting process, so ensure that you have an adequate support system in place in case things become overwhelming.
A career as a real estate photographer
In an increasingly competitive environment, real estate photographers should always continue to improve upon their art and extend their skills and styles. One of the best ways to achieve this enhancement is through training and networking. In an increasingly online world, there are countless opportunities to join industry associations and supportive industry-specific groups that work to build one another up as a professional and share personal experiences and insights to trade secrets. Similarly, there are countless varieties of training opportunities, ranging from university courses to online videos, all depending on your own personal needs and desired skills. So, what are you waiting for?
How to Become a Real Estate Photographer
The real estate industry is hotter than ever before, with major metro markets soaring, and now is one of the best times to be involved.
Where Do I Find Leads for Real Estate Photography?
You’ll mainly be getting referrals from listing agents, those who will be responsible for assembling brochures for real estate listings. You’ll need to have a good network of real estate agents and a portfolio show off your photography work.
How much can I make it as a real estate photographer?
Real estate photography jobs can range anywhere between $200 to $2,500 depending on the budget of the listing agent, because they will be the ones paying you for the work. The ones that will pay more will be higher priced listings, and they may need to show it off and advertise the listing in newspapers, magazines, websites.
Resources to help in starting or expanding your Real Estate Photographer career:
- Real Estate Photographer Associations
- Real Estate Photographer Training and Certification
- Real Estate Photographer Social Groups
