TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Excellent concise advice!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

On APS-C format, a 10-20 or 10-22mm is a good choice for commercial real estate photographers. So use the widest thing you have. Unless you are going to do real estate photography for a living, you can make do at 14-18mm.

Turn on all lights, and use a tripod to keep the lens at half the distance from floor to ceiling. This shows details and avoids ugly perspective distortions.

If you know HDR techniques, they can help you with balancing interior/exterior illumination and revealing shadow details.

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

Thank you!

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

Shoot your own home/comparable size rooms to get the kinks worked out. I shoot all my own rentals/real estate and generally agree with all the tricks stated above. I use flash to fill/even out light when needed. Make sure you can pull that arrow if you find the site needs it.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...I don’t do this type of photography often" Lynda I've done my share of assisting many ASMP commercial photographers in my market. These assignments were typically Hotel Suites, Urban Office Buildings and/or Large Estates... It was grueling work, often 12 hours or more on location.

While you've received wonderful advice thus far I'm sharing two of the most oft used techniques I've been involved with. First is installing in-line rheostats on all the table lamps so they could be precisely balanced for long exposures... I was also positioned at any "Room Light" switch which I would cut off part way through timed (bulb) exposures as ordered by the creative director in responsible charge...

The second is using the Golden Hour for all exteriors... This required joining up with the photographer at their studio in darkness of early morning hours (before dawn's earliest light). Additionally transporting a 14 foot step ladder since all exterior captures where taken well above ground level (thus adding an intriguing perspective). Also shooting at a quartering angle with "broad lighting" illumination to cast the distal side in shadow... this yielded bias 3D relief so cherished in "Golden Hour" renderings (such as your ethereal equestrian renderings (Morning Workouts at the Race Track)) which are so beautifully done... Kudos on your visual statement with the aforementioned Lynda...

Hope this helps lyndacast, all the best on your epic journey...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

There is a smartphone app called Helios which is useful in tracking the blue hour and the golden hour for every day of the year, almost anywhere on earth. It helps to plan your day in advance!

jcboy3

If you shoot at too wide an angle, you risk overstating the size of the rooms. I usually shot no wider than 24mm FF, and only rarely as wide as 18mm FF in tight quarters. Either of your camera/lens combinations will work, and can go wider than I recommend.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

Your lenses are not wide enough for real estate work so I would recommend shooting two to three images and stitch them together. Best to shoot with one of these - 140MM Nodal Rail Slide Release QR Clamp For Macro Panoramic Arca RR B1O5 with the correct nodal point for your lens.
https://www.the-digital-picture.com/News/News-Post.aspx?News=27452&Title=How-to-Find-the-Nodal-Point-for-Your-Lens

hj Loc: Florida

If there's one thing that really irritates me it's those who shoot so wide they distort the rooms, overstating the size. Who wants a refrigerator in the kitchen that looks like it's six feet wide. The same with doors.

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

I did real estate photography for 11 years after I retired from my main career.
I used a full frame body with a 12-24mm zoom. If you squeeze into the corner of a room 14mm will allow you to get in the whole room except for the corner you're standing in. Elevation also minimises the amount of straightening the verticals needed in post processing. On a cropped sensor you'll struggle to get a rectilinear lens to equal this. As far as I know 10mm is the widest available so 15/16mm equivalent, dependant on body brand.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Great information from a pro!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Sometimes it makes more sense to make a multi-exposure panorama, stitched together in software. You get a very wide image, but it isn't distorted if you use a normal lens for the camera format in use (40 or 50mm on full frame; 28 or 35mm on APS-C; 20 or 25mm on Micro 4/3). Compose vertically and overlap coverage of the room. Use constant manual exposure for each click of the shutter so the pan has even tonality when stitched.

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

Easy to correct in post processing.

Craig Meyer Loc: Sparks, NV

More tips:
Windows also reflect YOU and the CAMERA.
Get or borrow some small flashes and optical triggers, if you can. Hide them behind furniture to "wash" the walls. Will eliminate shadows from the furniture and add bounce light and emphasize depth.

BIG ONE: Set camera inside a small room. Compose live view or use remote Smart phone app. Gets almost all the room. Can even just set the camera lens inside the door jam. Trigger the shutter with timer or remote.

Do a blended shot to show view from the windows. First exposed for the room and flash and second exposed for the window. Use spot or partial metering for this. Use Blend in PP.

Room lights may or may work. Take shots with and without. Or try the blend thing. Mixed light sources could give uneven results and Color Casts. Shoot RAW and PP the tones. Flash will cast a flat daylight light and incandescent bulbs in lamps will cast a yellow-gold. Fluorescent will look slightly purple. PP each exposure separately using White balance settings for each if they have one or use manual WB. Maybe avoid fluorescent illumination--look carefully.

With ALL wide angle shots, frame loosely, that is wider than the finished framing you want. That allows you to crop out the curved lines on the right and left. For same optical reason, heed the mid room height of the camera to avoid key stoning. Also, the wide framing allows the "transform" functions of the cropping tool enough extra image at the edges to fill in the spaces when they do their straightening thing. This may be the most important tip. Capture more image than you need and crop out the wide angle built in distortion. This caa be easliy practiced in your own home. Shoot your own rooms before you go.

A reflector and some white and black poster board will help, too.

Craig
Retired RE Broker

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

Lots of varied advice here. Personally I always set up the camera to expose for the windows and then bounced flash off the ceiling to balance the interior. Lots of UK estate agents don't bother about the windows but to me the view is an important element in choosing a property.