As a real estate photographer, it is important to capture the most eye-catching photos that will showcase the best features of a property. One key factor in achieving this is choosing the perfect time to take exterior real estate photography.
The time of day, weather, and season all play a major role in the outcome of your images.
In this post, we’ll discuss the best times to take exterior real estate photography to help you bring out the best in every shot. We’ll also cover 5 simple edits that will help you enhance your images in post-processing.
Let’s dive in!
Capturing the Perfect Shot: Best Time to Take Exterior Photos
If you’re looking to capture the perfect shot, here are the best times to take exterior property shots.
1. Golden Hour
The golden hour is the time of day just after sunrise or just before sunset when the light is warm and soft. It’s usually around 5-6 in the morning and around 6 to 7 in the afternoon.
This time of day offers the perfect lighting for exterior real estate photography.
Shadows are longer, textures are more pronounced, and colors are more vibrant. This is especially true for landscapes and exterior real estate photography.
During the golden hour, the sun is at a low angle, which will also create a more appealing contrast between light and shadow.
2. Overcast Sky
An overcast sky may sound like a nightmare for photographers, but it can actually help to create great exterior photos.
When the sky is overcast, the soft light eliminates harsh shadows, and colors can appear more vibrant.
Also, the clouds can add texture and depth to the image. It is, therefore, ideal to schedule your shoot on a day when the weather forecast calls for a cloudy sky or light rain.
3. Late Morning/Early Afternoon
If you need to take pictures during the day, the best time is late morning or early afternoon, around 10 am to 2 pm.
The sun is at a higher angle, which gives the image a more uniform light coverage. Additionally, the daylight will help to highlight certain features of the property, like the siding, roof, or exterior walls.
Avoid taking photos during the middle of the day when the sun is directly overhead, as this can create unflattering and harsh shadows.
4. Spring and Fall
Spring and fall are the best seasons to take exterior real estate photos. In these seasons, the weather is generally mild, the sky is often clear, and the foliage is either freshly bloomed or vibrant in color.
The key to taking photos during these seasons is timing. If you wait too long, the leaves will change color or fall off, and the weather can become unpredictable.
Early spring and late fall are the ideal times to capture the beauty of a property during these seasons.
5. Avoid Mid-Summer
While it may seem like summer would be the ideal time to take photos, it is, in fact, the most challenging.
The sun is at its highest point during the day, creating harsh shadows and over-exposed sections in the image. The heat can also be a significant hurdle, as it can cause glare on the siding or pavement.
In addition, summer often brings about unpredictable weather, such as storms or high humidity, which can make it difficult to schedule a shoot.
Now that you know what times are best for taking great exterior real estate photography, let’s take a look at some simple edits that can help transform dull images into captivating exterior shots.
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5 Edits for Captivating Exterior Real Estate Photography
Even the most experienced real estate photographers need to edit their images in post-processing to ensure top-notch quality.
Here are 5 simple edits that can help enhance your exterior real estate photography.
1. Image Enhancement
Real estate photographers (no matter their experience level) often fail to capture the image they envision “in camera.”
Fortunately, you can safely enhance images by adjusting brightness, contrast, sharpness, and white balance, along with other aspects to give the image a better overall look and feel.
2. Object Removal
During the editing process, it’s allowed to remove items that are not fixed like cars, garbage bins, electrical cords, and gardening equipment.
This helps clean up the final image, allowing potential buyers to see every aspect of the house without any distractions.
In contrast to object removal, some sellers may want to add a bit of life to an otherwise empty room. Adding minor things such as a fire in a fireplace, a screenshot of a movie on a TV screen, or flowers in an empty vase is fine and can help you create more warm and inviting images.
PhotoUp’s professional real estate editors can help you with advanced object removal or adding minor additions to create stunning images in no time.
3. Day-to-Dusk Editing
Day-to-dusk editing is another edit that can make wonders to an exterior shot.
By turning a daytime shoot to dusk, you can add a warm, welcoming glow to any real estate photograph.
If you couldn’t fit the golden hour into your shooting schedule, this is your chance to recreate this romantic and mysterious glow in post-processing.
For more details, you can check out our blog post on how to edit a day to dusk image for real estate photo editing.
4. Sky Replacement
Imagine this – instead of dreary skies, picture clear, sunny, blue skies. It’s a simple fix that can totally transform the look and feel of the property.
No matter the weather during your shoot, a sky replacement can enhance your images and make them look warm, sunny, and captivating.
A clear blue sky is a mood enhancer and will show off your property in a whole new light, which can help you sell it faster!
5. Virtual Staging
With virtual staging, you can transform any dull, vacant, or outdated space into a fresh, warm, and inviting home.
Photorealistic digital furniture and decor can help potential buyers visualize themselves living in the space. It’s a novel and convenient way to spruce up your listing photos and help sell your home faster.
PhotoUp’s virtual staging service can help you virtually stage your images in less than 48 hours for only $20 to $30 per image.
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Final Thoughts
Exterior real estate photography depends on several factors, including the time of day, weather, and season.
Being mindful of these factors will help you capture the most captivating image that will showcase the property at its best.
Whether it is the golden hour, an overcast sky, or a late morning shoot, always keep these tips in mind to achieve the perfect shot.
And remember, PhotoUp can always help you perfect your images in post-processing.
So, don’t wait!
Sign up for a free PhotoUp account and try our services out today!
We hope this blog post gave you some good tips on the best times to take exterior real estate photography. Before you go, you may also want to check out the following resources:
