Real estate photography is a vital aspect of selling properties, as high-quality images have the power to capture attention, drive traffic to listings, and ultimately lead to faster sales. However, even the most skilled photographers can make common mistakes during a shoot. 

Professional real estate photo editing helps eliminate these errors, ensuring that the final product is visually appealing and effective in showcasing a property’s best features. 

In this post, we’ll present some common mistakes when shooting property photos and how professional real estate editing photo editing can help correct them.

All right, let’s dive in! 

9 Common Mistakes Real Estate Photo Editing Can Eliminate

Below are 9 of the most common mistakes made in real estate photography and how professional editing can correct them.

1. Incorrect White Balance

Before: Original Photo
Before: Original Photo

Lighting conditions vary from one property to another, and it’s easy for photos to have a color cast due to incorrect white balance settings. 

This can cause images to appear too warm (yellow/orange) or too cool (blue). A poor white balance can make rooms feel less inviting, and colors may not be accurately represented.

How Editing Helps: Professional real estate photo editors can adjust the white balance in post-processing, ensuring colors are balanced and true to life. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

This creates a welcoming and realistic atmosphere in the photos.

2. Perspective Distortion

Before: Original Image
Before: Original Image

Wide-angle lenses, commonly used in real estate photography, can create perspective distortion, especially in smaller spaces. 

Vertical lines may appear slanted, making walls, doors, and windows look unnatural. This can detract from the property’s structural appeal.

How Editing Helps: Professional editors use perspective correction tools to straighten distorted lines, ensuring that all architectural features appear accurate and visually pleasing.

Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

3. Underexposed or Overexposed Images

Before: Multiple Exposures
Before: Multiple Exposures

Inconsistent lighting can lead to underexposed or overexposed photos, where certain areas are too dark or too bright. 

This imbalance can make spaces appear gloomy or washed out, failing to highlight key aspects of the property.

How Editing Helps: Editors can adjust the exposure levels, brightening dark areas and toning down overly bright sections, resulting in a balanced and well-lit image. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

Techniques such as HDR blending can further enhance the lighting across different parts of the image.

Have You Ever Thought To

Outsource Photo Editing?

Try it today with 10 free edits from three professional photo editors.

4. Distracting Elements

Before: Original Photo
Before: Original Photo

Clutter or distracting objects like cords, personal items, or unsightly furniture can detract from the appeal of the property. 

These distractions can make it difficult for potential buyers to visualize themselves living in the space.

How Editing Helps: With advanced object removal tools, professional editors can declutter photos, eliminate unwanted items, and create a clean, open look. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

Virtual staging can also replace existing furniture with stylish, modern pieces that better showcase the space.

5. Unattractive Sky or Weather Conditions

Before: Original Photo
Before: Original Photo

Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate, leaving real estate photos with a dull, overcast sky. 

An unattractive sky can make outdoor shots feel uninviting and reduce the overall impact of the property.

How Editing Helps: Editors can replace gray skies with bright, blue skies or add a dramatic twilight effect to enhance curb appeal. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

Sky replacement helps make exterior shots stand out and creates a positive first impression.

6. Lens Flare

Before: Original Photo
Before: Original Photo

Lens flare occurs when light reflects off the lens, often creating unwanted bright spots or glare in the photo. 

This is a common issue when photographing properties with large windows or shooting outdoors.

How Editing Helps: Professional editors can remove lens flare and glare to ensure a crisp, clean image. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

This process restores clarity to the photos, allowing key features like windows and lighting fixtures to shine without distractions.

7. Lack of Color Accuracy

Before: Two Exposures
Before: Two Exposures

Natural lighting, combined with interior lighting, can cause colors to appear either too vibrant or washed out. 

Rooms may look drab or unappealing if the colors are not presented accurately.

How Editing Helps: Color correction ensures that the colors in your photos are vibrant but realistic. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

Editors balance color saturation and contrast to make sure every room looks its best, from the walls to the furniture and décor.

8. Unwanted Shadows

Before: Original Photo
Before: Original Photo

Poor lighting or improper camera angles can cast harsh shadows, making rooms look smaller and less inviting. 

Shadows can obscure key features and give the property an unwelcoming feel.

How Editing Helps: Shadows can be lightened or removed in post-processing, creating a more even lighting effect. 

After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp
After: Real Estate Photo Editing by PhotoUp

This ensures that all areas of the room are well-lit and clearly visible, making the space feel open and inviting.

9. Over-Saturated or Over-Enhanced Images

Sometimes, in an attempt to make a photo stand out, inexperienced editors may over-saturate or over-enhance the image. 

This can make colors look artificial and detract from the realistic representation of the property.

How Editing Helps: Professional photo editors strike the right balance by enhancing photos while maintaining a natural look. 

They ensure that edits improve the quality without making the images look overly processed.

Have You Ever Thought To

Outsource Photo Editing?

Try it today with 10 free edits from three professional photo editors.

PhotoUp Can Help Eliminate All Photography Mistakes

PhotoUp is a trusted brand in the real estate photo editing industry. The company specializes in correcting common mistakes like the above and transforming ordinary property images into stunning, market-ready photos. 

With PhotoUp, you can rely on expert editors to handle everything from perspective correction and exposure adjustments to advanced techniques like sky replacement and virtual staging.

Why Choose PhotoUp?

Here are some reasons why you should consider outsourcing your post-processing to PhotoUp:

One of the Most Affordable Photo Editing Services

Starting at just $1.50 per image for on-demand editing, PhotoUp offers cost-effective solutions that fit within any photographer’s budget. 

With a dedicated editor, the price can go as low as $0.50 per image depending on the editing batch.

Fast Turnaround Time

Get your edited photos back in less than 24 hours for basic editing and 48 hours for virtual staging, allowing you to meet tight deadlines without compromising quality.

User-Friendly System

Easily upload, manage, and store your photos with PhotoUp’s intuitive platform

It also allows you to provide feedback and communicate with your editing team in just a few clicks.

High-Quality Edits All the Time

Whether you need basic corrections or advanced enhancements, PhotoUp ensures that your images are polished and professional, helping you stand out in the competitive real estate market.

More Time to Shoot Properties

By outsourcing your editing to PhotoUp, you can focus on what you do best—capturing stunning images—while their expert team takes care of the post-processing. 

This allows you to deliver impeccable photos to clients, correct common mistakes effortlessly, and elevate your real estate photography business to the next level.

A One-Stop Shop for Real Estate Marketing

Additionally, PhotoUp offers other powerful real estate marketing services like:

This allows you to expand your product offerings and become more valuable to your agent clients. Together with PhotoUp, you can quickly grow and scale your business!

How to Get Started

Here’s a step-by-step guide to using PhotoUp:

Step 1. Sign up for a free PhotoUp account.

Step 2. Upload your photos to our easy-to-use software.

Step 3. Choose the level of editing that you need and provide instructions (optional).

Step 4. Wait for PhotoUp professional editors to edit and return the photos in less than 24 hours (48 hours for virtual staging).

Step 5. Download and start using your beautifully edited photos.

PhotoUp Real Estate Photo Editing Uploader Demo

Watch how easy it is to get started with PhotoUp in our real estate photo editing uploader demo:

As simple as that!

So, don’t let simple mistakes hold you back. Sign up for a free PhotoUp account and see how professional photo editing can enhance your work and help you sell properties faster!

Plus, for a limited time, you’ll even get 10 free credits when signing up for an account you can apply to any of our services.

We hope this blog post gave you an idea of how professional real estate photo editing can help to reduce common photography mistakes. Before you go, you may also want to check out some related resources:

Stina Pettersson

Professional Blogger

Stina is an entrepreneur, digital marketer, and professional blogger who's passionate about real estate photo editing, being outdoors with her pup, and sweaty gym sessions. She loves the written word and has been writing for publications like Forbes and Thrive Global. Originally from Sweden, she's called South Florida her home since 2013.

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