Digital Cameras & Photography
Did you know that 89% of homebuyers who searched for a home on the internet found photos to be among the most useful features of REALTOR® websites, according to the 2016 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers? Digital photography and virtual tours allow REALTORS® to serve their clients like never before. Digital images can quickly and professionally showcase a listing, and today's technologically savvy clients appreciate the convenience of a virtual tour for both long distance and local moves.
References
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Before you search elsewhere, take advantage of the research we've already done for you. Formerly known as Field Guides, References tabs contain links to external articles, titles from the NAR Library eBooks collection, websites, statistics, and other material to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives on each topic. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require a password.
REALTORS®' Use of Digital Cameras
- 44% of REALTORS® websites feature virtual tours.
- 82% of homebuyers find virtual tours to be very or somewhat useful.
- 86% of all REALTORS® use a digital camera.
Frequency of use of digital cameras:
Daily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32%
A few times per week . . . . 28%
A few times per month . . . 12%
A few times per year . . . . . 14%
Rarely or never. . . . . . . . . . 15%
Sources: 2016 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2016) 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2016).
Choosing a Camera
The 10 best DSLRs you can buy right now, (TechRadar, Nov. 24, 2016).
The Best Camera for Real Estate Photos?, (Techlicious, Oct. 5, 2016).
15 Best Point and Shoot Digital Cameras of 2017, (DSLR Buzz, Sept. 17, 2016).
Product Guide: Cameras and Video, (REALTOR® Magazine, n.d.).
How to Choose a Digital Camera, (Wake Forest University, n.d.).
How-To Tips: Shooting, Editing, & Storing Digital Photographs
Real Estate Photography – 25 Tips From The Pros, (Fit Small Business, Oct. 5, 2016).
Capture Your Listings in Their Best Light, (REALTOR® Magazine, Nov. 12, 2011).
Storing your digital images: Where to put those endless picture files, (About.com, 2010).
Getting started scanning...Part 3: Printing digital photos and scans, (About.com, 2010).
Real Estate Photography Tips: How to Shoot Perfect Listing Photos, (Placester, n.d.).
Camera Phones
Best Camera Phones of 2016, (CNET, Nov. 21, 2016).
Best Smartphone Cameras Compared: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6s, Galaxy S7 edge, LG G5, Sony Xperia XZ, (Phone Arena, Oct. 7, 2016).
Top Five Smartphone Apps for Real Estate Photography, (My Real Estate Voice, Jan. 31, 2015).
5 Tips for Better Photos from your Cell Phone's Camera, (PC Magazine, Apr. 20, 2011).
12 tips for improving camera phone photos, (Digital Photography School, 2010).
Marketing Your Listings With Digital Images
The Ideal Image Sizes for Your Social Media Posts: Guidelines for All 6 Major Social Networks, (Buffer Social, July 20, 2016).
Sure, You Can Retouch Your Listing Photos—but How Much Is Too Much?, (realtor.com®, Feb. 17, 2016).
6 Ways to Get Your Listing Ready for Photos, (REALTOR® Magazine, Oct. 19, 2015).
Ultimate Guide: How to Prepare Your House/Listing for Real Estate Photography, (HS Media, Aug. 10, 2014).
20 Seconds for Love at First Sight, (The Wall Street Journal, Mar. 21, 2013).
Virtual Tours
360-Degree Cameras for Age of Virtual Listings, (REALTOR® Magazine, Feb. 2016).
How to Create Video Marketing Magic, (REALTOR® Magazine, Dec. 11, 2015).
9 Steps to Video Marketing Success, (REALTOR® Magazine, Dec. 2014).
3-D Listings From Every Angle, (REALTOR® Magazine, Sept. 2014).
YouTube Video: Nikon D3s – House Walk Through, (Jared Polin, Apr. 17, 2010).
Useful Websites
techradar—The source for tech buying advice.
Imaging Resource—This comprehensive site features product reviews, comparison charts, news, and other key information about all aspects of digital cameras and photography. Find some excellent tutorials and tips under the menu options for "How To", "Better Pictures", and "Getting Started" at the top of the main page.
CNET Cameras—Product reviews and recommendations, comparisons, buyer's guides, how-to articles, and more from the electronics experts at CNET.
Digital Photography Review—Product reviews, discussion forums, sample images, glossaries, buyer's guides, comparison charts, tutorials, news, etc. The site even includes a fully linked timeline to digital cameras released since 1995.
Shortcourses—Online tutorials on various digital camera topics, with a glossary of terms and links to other digital camera websites. A valuable feature of the Shortcourses site is the collection of printable, portable guides to using specific Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus digital camera models.
Fro Knows Photo – Professional photographer, Jared Polin, offers product reviews, discussion forums, advice, instructional videos, and photo critiques. A useful website for both beginner and advanced photographers.
Featured -- Each month the Photography For Real Estate community chooses the best real estate photo of the month. This page is a compilation of past winners.
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
How to Do Everything with Your iPhone®, (Adobe eReader)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Digital Video, (EPub, Adobe eReader)
Digital Photography All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
Digital Photography for Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
Digital Photography Just the Steps For Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
Digital Video Essentials (Adobe eReader)
Digital Video for Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
How to Do Everything: Digital Camera (Adobe eReader)
How to Do Everything with Online Video (Adobe eReader)
Marketing to the Social Web (Kindle, OverDrive, Adobe eReader)
Organize your digital life: How to store your photographs, music, videos, and personal documents in a digital world (Adobe eReader)
Video Marketing for Dummies (Kindle, OverDrive, Adobe eReader)
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