How do I schedule an appointment for real estate photography?
Click the 'schedule your photo shoot' button on the website to view the current calendar and schedule an appointment. If you prefer to do things the old fashioned way, you can also call, text or email. All of the relevant contact information is located on the 'contact us' page. The earlier you let us know of your need for real estate photos, the more convenient the appointment timing for you and your sellers.
How much notice do you need to schedule my photography appointment?
Ideally, 2 –3 days notice is enough advance to reserved your preferred date and time. If we have a cancellation, we can accommodate last minute requests, but that is rare. The more notice, the better.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, we accept payment by cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. We do not take checks.
How can I prepare the home for the real estate photography session?
We have resources available to help you and your sellers prepare the home for the photography session. You can view the 'home prep photo shoot checklist' on the website. You can also download a PDF copy from there and we would encourage you to print a copy and give it to your seller.
How long will my photo-to painting order take to process?
How long will the real estate photography appointment take?
It depends on the size of the home, but generally plan for the photography session to take around two hours. Smaller homes take less time, usually around an hour, while larger homes (larger than 2500 square feet) take between two and three hours. Why does it take so long? Rather than use quick run-and-gun techniques (that often produce cheap-looking results), we like to inspect every room prior to the shoot to observe best camera angles so we can ensure the entire home is displayed as beautifully as possible. Because of this, some homes can be more challenging than others. A good rule of thumb is to plan for about an hour of photography time for each 1,000 square feet.
When is the best time for real estate photography?
While most appointments are made based on your availability and the availability of the sellers, there are a few times of the day that make for better photographs than others. West-facing homes are best photographed in the early afternoon while east-facing homes are best photographed in the morning. North-facing homes are best shot in the early morning before the sun gets too high in the sky. No matter the direction of the home, every home can benefit from being photographed during twilight.
Who needs to be home for the photography appointment?
We can use a contractors lockbox or a standard realtors lockbox if you provide us the codes to access the home for a photography session with the homeowner’s permission. Otherwise, you or the homeowner will need to be on site to let us in at the time of the appointment.
Is it OK for the sellers to be home during the photography session?
Absolutely. It’s your seller’s home so tell them they are free to hang out while I am photographing. But please know I am able to produce better images in the short amount of time I am on the property when distractions are limited. Even if you or the seller are on site, please make sure all staging and cleaning is complete prior to the appointment. And please keep all children and pets away from equipment the appointment.
Can I pay at the appointment?
Is it OK if a home is not furnished?
While homes are generally more attractive if they are furnished or staged prior to the real estate photography session, I can photograph a completely empty home as well. However, I encourage you to consider hiring a home stager if the home is vacant, at least to stage important rooms like the master bedroom (and bathroom), the living or family room, and the kitchen.
Do you upload your photos to the MLS for me?
Yes and no. I can upload the listing photos if you purchase a zillow virtual tour. For regular photography sessions without a virtual tour, I cannot upload the photos to MLS, as I do not have access. If you prefer, I can also email the MLS-sized photos to your office assistant.
My friend/family member/acquaintance/random guy offered to shoot my listing for free. Why should I hire you?
That’s great! If your friend or family member is seriously considering becoming a professional real estate photographer, then absolutely take them up on their offer. Practice makes perfect, as they say. However, you may still need to hire a professional photographer since it is in your best interest to have the highest quality images of the home to both market your current listing to potential buyers and market yourself to new sellers. Real estate photography is a highly specialized field that cannot be properly photographed by amateurs or some other types of photographers who lack the necessary equipment and experience. Professional real estate and architectural photographers know how to display each home at its best.
Who owns the photographs?
I own the copyright to all photographs and other marketing materials I produce on your behalf. If you are my client, you are free to use the photographs and other marketing materials for any personal marketing purposes. However, any photographs or other marketing materials may not be used by any other party without my written consent. If a builder, stager, contractor, handyman, or anyone else asks you for the images, please refer them to me.
What equipment do you use?
We use high-end Canon cameras with a wide-angle lens for HDR stills. For 3D tours we exclusively use Ricoh Theta Z1 360 cameras. I also bring small speedlites (flashes), tripods and a variety of other equipment to produce the best images possible and ensure all straight lines are perfectly straight.
When will I receive my photos?
Real estate photography sessions include a 24 hour turnaround, so expect to see your photos within 24 hours of the end of the photography appointment. For example, if you scheduled an appointment for 10am on Tuesday and it takes me one hour to photograph the home, you will have the processed images by 11am on Wednesday. I also offer a Same Day Rush service for an additional fee of $75.
How will I receive my photos?
Your photos will be delivered digitally through a OneDrive link. Inside that link, you will find at least two sets of images: one set of high quality images for printing on flyers or other print advertisements, and a second set specifically sized for you to upload to the local MLS.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule the real estate photography appointment?
If you need to cancel and reschedule your real estate photography appointment for any reason, please call or text Max at 941-500-4702 or email him at max@manasota360.com as soon as possible. I charge a cancellation fee of $75 if the appointment is cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the appointment time.
What do you do if it rains?
If it rains, I can take photos of the home and produce very good results even in the (unlikely) event of rain. Photos of the interior are generally unaffected by poor weather, though visibility of ocean views will be obscured. Photos of the exterior will be darker. In the event of extremely heavy rain, I will start by photographing the interior of the home with the hope the rain will subside by the time I am finished. If the heavy rain does not stop, I may come back the next day to photograph the exterior. Please monitor weather forecasts and notify us as soon as possible if you would like to reschedule due to rain.
How much do your real estate photography sessions cost?
Prices range from $75 to $324 on average depending on the size of the homes and the number of photographs you need. For more information about my pricing and current monthly discounts, please visit my real estate services pricing page.
Do you offer discounts?
We offer two full-time discounts: A referral discount for you if you refer another Realtor to manasota360 and they use our real estate photography services for the first time. The other discount is for posting our pictures to social media. In addition to these full-time discounts, I also offer a monthly discount if we contract to be your exclusive agency photographers based on how may photo shoots your agency typically has.
Can’t you just photoshop that out?
Yes and no. I can remove some minor (non-material) things using Photoshop, but nothing is as good as making sure the home is ready to be photographed when I arrive. Keep in mind that if you want to make sure the home looks good in the images, it should look just as good in person.
Do you travel for real estate photography?
I would be happy to photograph your property anywhere in the United States. However, I do charge a mileage fee for real estate photography sessions for all homes outside of Sarasota County & Charlotte County, Florida
Do you retain the copyright to your images or are those transferred to me when I buy prints or digital images?
Yes, I retain the copyrights as is standard practice in the photography industry. You purchase a a single use, non-transferable, non-exclusive image license. For real estate agents that image license is good for the duration of your listing and expires once the listing is sold, canceled or reassigned to another agent. For all others the license does not expire. This is a non-transferable license, meaning you, as the licensee, may not sell, give or loan the photos to any other party. You do have wide leverage to use them for your marketing and promotional needs however. This license is also non-exclusive, meaning the copyright holder may sell multiple licenses for the same images. See a sample licensing agreement here.
Do you charge tax for your real estate photography services?
Yes, the state of Florida requires photographers to charge sales tax on all services they provide, not just the physical prints or digital images. The total tax rate for photography services is 6% (subject to change).
What are your hours? Do you have availability on weekends and holidays?
Photo shoots are scheduled week days from 10 am through twilight (note, the exact time of twilight varies through the year). Photo shoot appointments are not available on the weekends or holidays. If you have a special request outside of those hours please send an email so we can see if we can accommodate your needs.