dsiner Loc: Kent, WA

I have a chance to break into real estate photography. I need some suggestions for lighting equipment. I have read a lot about using mono lights and strobes. Got to be some UHH folks working real estate. What is a decent setup that doesn't require a mortgage to get. Shooting my D7200 and 3200 probably with a Tokina 11-16, Tamron 16-300 and possibly 35mm and 50mm primes. Lens sugestions also welcomed.

Robeng Loc: California

I schedule all my real estate shoots during the day. I do a walk through of the residence and open all the window blinds and check for shadows. I set up strobes for the shadows using wireless triggers to set them off. I use a 16mm-35mm & 14mm-24mm lenses on a full frame Nikon. Hope this helps.

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

I shoot a minimum of 2 homes per day even in the slow season of Oct-Feb. For a full frame censor the 16-35 f2.8 is the lens of choice. Anything wider will badly distort the view with a barrel effect. For cropped censors with a 1.6 factor the 10-24mm will give you the same values.

I have lights galore but following Rick Balms recommendation I found an Orlit Rove 600 watt moonlight that is inexpensive $500-$600 and it is all you need for 2 story foyers and large spaces.

Learn how to shoot HDR, shoot all images RAW and with a white balance target. Lightroom will give you the color temperature of the frame with target so that all frames in the series can be adjusted for accurate color. Learn how to pull the window views, correct wide angle distortion, and you will be ahead of most in the market.

One valuable tip: In dimly lighted rooms, bathrooms and basements, digital cameras are not as accurate as film cameras. They tend to give salmon to yellow hues to your photos. Shooting a white balance target, you can color correct RAW exposures.

Lightroom, Photoshop, and Photomatix required for good work flow. Good Luck.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

There are great videos out there on how to do window pulls using certain techniques with bracketing and then layers in photoshop to paint back into the photo a properly exposed window view with a properly exposed interior. The DR of any modern camera still can't handle what the human eye can.

This is really important for real estate where large windows/doors provide a view to lakes, forests or mountains.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Just wondering, not having seen the videos, could you also do two separate exposures, one for the inside and one for the exposed exterior and then layer those two exposures without bracketing? I've actually run into this same problem shooting landscape where there are two radically different exposure levels within the shot.

dsiner Loc: Kent, WA

So am I going to be hindered shooting Dx?

PhotoKurtz Loc: Carterville, IL

I found this class to be very helpful. Hundreds of examples of lighting under various conditions.


https://www.udemy.com/mastering-architecture-and-real-estate-photography/

jcboy3

I merge interior and exterior shots quite often. However, if the exterior is very bright and the interior is very dark, then you will have problems with lens flare (the bright exterior bleeds into the dark interior). For these, you simply need to get more light into the interior.

jcboy3

I use a number of Nikon SB30DX flashes with Cactus V6 triggers (they can remotely adjust flash power), Lumopro LP605 light stands, Manfrotto mini clamps, Westcott convertible double-fold umbrellas, and a couple of very small slave flashes (I put them in lamp shades with flash socks). A bunch of other hardware (reflectors, diffusers, holding arms, flash mounts, etc). Everything under 21", all fits into a roller bag for portability.

These days, there are a number of radio controlled flash systems such as Younguo, that will do the job quite well.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

As far as strobes are concerned, the Einstein units from Paul C Buff are pretty cheap, they cost less than a decent speedlight!

jcboy3

Sorry, I meant SB 80 DX. Typo.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

I generally use two umbrellas with strobes (I use a Nikon SB800 and a Nikon SB910 for off camera strobes a and either use the on camera strobe). These are used to balance and offset daylight that streams in through windows.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Tokina 11-16. If your in a room with windows, in manual meter the outside and keep the ISO so you can keep the shutter speed under 250 sec. and about 3 stops down from maximum opening of the lens. I would recommend 1/60 to 1/125, then reverse your flash head and aim it up and behind you, keep the flash on ttl and the camera on manual. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

Sharona Loc: Alpharetta, Georgia

I have a simple set up and my images are well received. My work is high volume, all price ranges of homes, competitively priced photography and post processing done by companies I contract for, so not Architectural Digest. I use Nikon D7100, Nikon 10-24 mm, and SB 700 speedlite on hot shoe, sturdy tripod w Manfrotto 410 jr geared head for quick leveling. The speedlite is used with wide panel and diffusion attachment in place on TTLB setting, angled to bounce off ceilings. I also have a Graslon large dome diffuser for nice, soft even light but don't like how it causes the flash to flop when moving tripod. I adjust the flash power as needed. Depending on glare level can get some nice window pulls. Also do HDR for one company on all exteriors and as needed inside. 3 brackets and merge in Photomatix using natural fusion only, no tone mapping which can cause shadows and uneven wall and ceiling effects. I also use the exposure delay setting which lifts mirror first to prevent blur. U1 and U2 user settings for AEB bracketing, interior and exterior and change Iso as needed, otherwise manual inside, mostly aperture 7.1 to 8, ISO 125 to 400, shutter speed varies greatly. HDR can be quicker and the darker exposure for the window views works better for me if not too dark.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I use only ambient light and often turn off ugly lights. A tripod, aperture priority, ISO 100, raw, and care less about what shutter speed gets selected. if shooting back lit, expose for the brightness so not to blow out the whites(like a front window) and edit back in the shadows and set white balance, etc. Zero lights.