12 Tips for Taking Stunning Real Estate Photos with Your Smartphone

In today's digital age, many real estate agents and home sellers rely on their smartphones to capture photos of their listings. While smartphones may not match the quality of professional real estate photography, you can still achieve excellent results with a few expert tips. In this blog post, we'll share twelve tips to help you take great real estate photos using your smartphone.

1 . Clean the phone's lenses

Before you begin, ensure your smartphone camera lenses are clean. A dirty lens can result in blurry or smudged photos, which will not showcase your property in the best light. You can use a microfiber cloth to clean the lens gently and avoid using abrasive materials that could scratch it.

2. Use an ultra-wide-angle camera on your phone

Many current phones have separate ultra-wide-angle camera module built in. And using these wide focal lengths is a fantastic way to present the room in its entirety. It is especially useful to shoot with an ultra-wide-angle lens in tighter, smaller spaces in condos and smaller properties. To capture the full extent of a room, consider investing in an ultra-wide-angle lens attachment for your smartphone if you do not have a dedicated ultra-wide-angle camera on your phone. This will allow you to take more expansive shots, making the space look larger and more inviting.

3. Open the blinds and turn on all the lights

Good lighting is essential for high-quality photos. Open all blinds and curtains to let in natural light, and turn on all interior lights to create an inviting atmosphere. Natural light helps to reduce shadows and creates a more realistic representation of the space.

4. Turn off ceiling fans

Turning off ceiling fans ensures that your photos are free of motion blur caused by the spinning blades. This keeps your images looking sharp and clear.

5. Use a tripod

A tripod is essential for keeping your smartphone steady while taking photos. This will help eliminate camera shake, resulting in sharper images. A tripod also allows you to experiment with different angles and perspectives.

6. Level your shots

For professional-looking photos, it's important to keep your smartphone level while shooting. This prevents distortion and ensures straight lines in your images. Many smartphones come with a built-in grid tool you can enable in the camera settings.

7. Expose the shot for the house's interior in high-contrast situations

When there's a significant contrast between the interior and exterior lighting, focus on exposing the interior. This will ensure that the details of the home are well-lit and visible. You can then adjust the exterior brightness in post-processing.

8. Use a delayed shutter release

To avoid camera shake, use your smartphone's built-in shutter delay feature. This gives you time to steady the phone after pressing the shutter button, ensuring crisp and clear photos.

9. Avoid digital zoom

Digital zoom can significantly reduce the quality of your images, making them appear pixelated. Instead, move closer to the subject or use an optical zoom of your smartphone for better results.

10. Take closeup photos of unique features using the smartphone's portrait mode

Capture the character of a home by taking close-up shots of unique features, such as fireplaces, built-ins, or intricate moldings. Use your smartphone's portrait mode to create a professional-looking depth-of-field effect.

11. Use photo editing apps like Snapseed to enhance the look of final images

Post-processing can enhance your photos and correct any minor issues. Apps like Snapseed offer a variety of editing tools that allow you to adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation, as well as crop and straighten images.

12. Hire a professional photographer

While these tips can help you achieve great results with your smartphone, there's no substitute for the expertise of a professional real estate photographer. They have the equipment, knowledge, and experience to create stunning images that showcase your property in the best possible light.

Hiring a professional photographer with proper equipment, lighting, and expertise is the best way to market and showcase the property for the best result and superior image quality. Dallas Lux Shots has over a decade of experience in Real Estate photography, uses industry-leading technology and equipment, and produces stunning photos and videos. Our team at Dallas Lux Shots is dedicated to helping you present your property in the most appealing and marketable way possible. With our expertise and commitment to quality, you can trust that your real estate listing will stand out from the competition. We will be honored to serve you and help you achieve the best results for your property. Contact Dallas Lux Shots today to discuss your photography needs and experience the difference a professional real estate photographer can make.