Does it make sense to use real estate photography editing services? Will it make that big of a difference on image quality to compensate for cost? As a professional photographer or even an amateur photographer taking real estate photos, you may question the cost and benefit of professional photo editing services. And understandably so: If you’re already using one of the best cameras on the market, how much help can professional photography editing services really provide?
The short answer: a lot. From freeing up your time so you can do other things (like actually taking photos) to helping grow your business and ultimately earning a higher selling price for the real estate you photograph, photography editing services can be a major asset for any professional or amateur real estate photographer.
Here’s why you should use photo editing services:
- So you can spend more time shooting
Professional photographers often turn to photography editing services when their workload becomes so much that they don’t have time to edit their photos themselves. Whether you’re a professional or amateur photographer, real estate photography editing services can take a big weight off your plate.
Why spend hours in the editing room when you could be spending that time doing other things like taking photos for clients and growing your business? - To grow your business
Speaking of growing your business, it can be hard to attract new clients if your photos aren’t as pristine as they could be. The market of professional photographers is growing, meaning competition is getting stiffer with each passing year. Between 2014 and 2024, the employment of professional photographers is expected to grow only 3%, slower than the average growth rate projected for all occupations combined. As companies continue to shift to freelancers as opposed to on-staff photographers, finding salaried jobs is going to get even more difficult.
As any freelancer will tell you, when you freelance, you’re constantly marketing yourself. Your every paycheck depends on your ability to attract new clients and keep the old ones coming back for more. And these days, it’s all about online and word-of-mouth marketing through digital sites like social media. To get the word out there about your business, you need to get people talking – – or, rather: sharing. One study found that people are twice as likely to share professional photographs as they are user-generated photographs. The difference between professional and user-generated? Quality.
You’ve got the camera and the eye for capturing those perfect moments; real estate photography editing services have the technology to make your photos shine online. - Because quality matters
When it comes to real estate, the quality of the pictures is almost as important as the quality of the real estate itself. Real estate marketing relies heavily on digital and print media to reach its customers. Chances are your client’s customers are going to see your pictures before they ever seen the actual product (i.e. house or land). As such, realtors depend on professional photographs to help them in their real estate marketing efforts.
Professionally photographed homes sell for higher prices and in shorter time frames than unprofessionally photographed ones. One study compared homes photographed with DSLR photos to those marketed with point-and-shoot photos. Within six months, 64% of the DSLR photographed homes in the $400,000 to $500,000 price range had sold while only 46% of the point-and-shoot homes had. Similarly, Redfin found that homes selling for between $200,000 and $1 million sold for $3,400 to $11,200 more when photographed with a DSLR camera.
Since quality clearly matters, taking the time to ensure your photos are professionally edited is crucial. After all, what good does using the best equipment do if you skimp on the editing?
Professional and amateur photographers alike can fall into the trap of wanting to skip professional real estate photography editing services in favor of saving a few bucks. In the end, however, it’s not only your photographs that will suffer, but also your ultimate home selling price or photography business. Homes and photographers alike depend on quality photographs to bring in the dough. Don’t let skimpy editing hold you or your business back from earning what it deserves. Make an investment in your future by using real estate photography editing services.