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How long does it take to photograph a home?

The length of time depends on how large the home is and the layout of the home. Generally speaking, the following are average times:

• LUX Photography: 45 mins per 1,000 sqft.
• HDR Photography: 25 mins per 1,000 sqft.
• Matterport Tour: 30 mins per 1,000 sqft.
• Aerial Photography: 30 minutes total.

So for example if you have a 2,000 square foot home and order the LUX photography, the Matterport Tour, and the Aerial photography, we will be on-site for about 3 hours.

We also recommend the agent, homeowner, and pets vacate the premises during the interior portion of the photo session, or move to a floor we are not working on. The session will take much longer as we may need to tell individuals to move out of shots that they might not think they are standing in.

How many photos will I receive?

You will typically receive 20 to 35 for smaller homes, and 35+ for larger homes. If you add on Aerial Photography, it will also increase your photo count.

But did you know that less is more? According to studies, 2,000 square foot homes with 15 photos on the listing sell the fastest, and 4,000 square foot homes sell the quickest with 30 photos. A good rule of thumb is to divide your square footage by 150 to find your optimal photo count.

The typical home buyer browses listings at work, on lunch break, or in spare time on the weekend. They do not want to look at hundreds of photos in a listing. Always show only the BEST features that your home has to offer, and let them see the rest when they visit it in-person with the agent.

How long until I get the photos?

I edit and post-process every photo I take, and the post-processing time varies based on my work load for that week. LUX photography is 48-72 hours delivery time after the day of the session, and HDR is 24-48 hours. However, sometimes I am able to get the photos back to you quicker.

I recommend scheduling the shoot for at least 5 days prior to when you want to list the home, to also account for re-schedules due to weather.

What kind of editing do you do to the photos?

All of our photography services include addition of blue-sky if needed on exterior photos, minor dust/dirt removal from floors and walls on interior photos if possible (case-by-case basis), and removal of the photographer / equipment from aerial photos (sometimes unavoidable). Additionally, with the LUX photography service, we also edit:

• Removal of color casts from white ceilings where brightly colored walls reflect their color onto the ceiling.
• Additional brightening & darkening of rooms in individual spots to give them a more true-to-life appearance.
• Selective removal of outside objects seen through the window views, such as people, vehicles driving by, neighbor’s trash cans, etc.
• Removal of reflectance in some windows where it may be unavoidable to provide a better window view.
• Removal of reflectance from television screens and monitors to give them a less distracting appearance.
• Removal of color casts on walls and furniture produced by strongly colored interior lighting.
• Making the lawn greener in spots where it may have temporary dead grass, removing yard waste such as fallen tree branches/sticks, removing some leaves, etc.
• Darkening of the driveway to remove the natural reflectance from sunlight, and removal of a blue color cast which is a byproduct of aerial photography, to give it a more true-to-life appearance.
• And more! Due to the extensive editing we do on LUX photos, the turn-around time for delivery is slower than our standard HDR service. We want to take our time, and make sure your photos look their best!

WE DO NOT edit out “structural” imperfections in the home or property. We will not replace permanent features of the home with other items that do not exist. We will not photoshop out holes in walls or anything that would cost the buyer money to repair. This is considered misrepresentation of the property and can land the sellers in hot water later on. The general rule of thumb is, if it’s something that can be cleaned or removed easily in real-life, we may also clean or remove it in post-processing. Everything is on a case-by-case basis, and we use our best judgement. Some specific requests by the agent or seller can be accommodated in the editing phase, but extra work beyond our typical scope may be subject to additional fees.

Does the weather matter? What about sunlight, overcast sky, or time of day?

When you contact me and give me the address of the home, I will research and decide on the best date and time to photograph that home that also fits into my schedule.

Generally speaking, cloudiness does not matter. I am able to place a very realistic blue sky in any outdoor photos. Indoor photos tend to come out better in the mid-day or early afternoon, but I can work with any time for the indoor photos and still get great results.

An early morning shoot will work best if the home faces East, and an afternoon shoot will work better if the home faces West. The exception to this rule is if your home is on a lake, and you would like Sunset photos. If you want the best lighting your home has to offer from every angle, consider purchasing an All-Day Session upgrade.

Do you travel, and are there any fees?

I will travel to photograph your home anywhere in the state of New York, Pennsylvania, or Vermont. Homes that are more than 45 minutes outside my studio location in the Syracuse area are subject to travel time @ $25 per hour for the first 2 hours, and $50 per hour thereafter. This includes to and from. So for example if your home is 2 hours away, you would be charged $25+25+50+50= $150 for travel.