Basic Real Estate Photography Tips: Identifying and Correcting Vertical Lines

Are you just starting out in real estate photography and want to know the easiest and fastest way to get good results? The fast answer is to start by making sure your vertical lines are straight. What vertical lines you ask? Here are a few examples:

Vertical lines can be seen most easily at the intersection between two walls and they are important because they affect the perceived value of your photographs. You will have happier clients if your photos have a consistent look and feel, and the easiest way to do this is by having perfect vertical lines.

How is this done?

There are two ways to achieve perfect vertical lines.

1. Level your camera

When your camera is level, all the vertical lines in a house should appear as close to vertical in any image you take. Houses aren't always straight, but they are close enough most of the time to make this work. You can use the camera's built-in level or use a spirit level attached to the camera. Spirit levels are a great choice because they are inexpensive and easy to see while attached to the base of the camera or the hot shoe mount.

To get the best results, it's also helpful to use a tripod. Any tripod will do as long as it's sturdy and can accommodate the weight of the camera you are using. Using a tripod will allow you to make precise adjustments and achieve consistent results by eliminating camera shake while shooting hand held.

2. Fix your images in post-processing software

Using Adobe Photoshop or similar software, you can transform images to get results that are as close to perfect as possible. This is done by using a combination of rotation and the vertical transform tool. Here is a quick video demonstrating the process:

Can you both level the camera and tweak things in post?

Of course! Combining a level camera with fine adjustments in post processing is the method most real estate photographers use to get the best results. Contrary to popular belief by the lay person, it isn't enough to just own a high end camera.

Amazing photographs are a part of every successful real estate business. Providing your clients with strong images shows the value you bring to the real estate transaction—and to do this, your images must look the part.

To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.