First impressions count - stand out from the crowd

Buyers are currently faced with an overwhelming choice of properties; therefore, it is imperative that your home is showcased to its full potential. Ensuring that your home is captured through stunning photography will truly gain a potential buyers interest.

Addison Mead offer three types of photography:

- Lifestyle photography

- Drone photography

- Twilight imagery

Lifestyle Photography

You may have heard the term ‘lifestyle photography’, but what is it, and why do you need it to promote your high value homes?

Property lifestyle photography is when your photographer captures more than the bricks and mortar, and instead shows the lifestyle a buyer can expect to attain if they buy the house. They help someone to build an emotional connection to the house, and to imagine themselves living there. 

Lifestyle photography is the kind you see in a quality home magazine; a crackling fire; Champagne and glasses on a balcony; a bubble bath lit by candles. At Addison Mead we specialise unique homes, and many of the high value homes in your area will also be one-offs. Showing your house using the same kind of photographs you use for a three-bed semi will do these special homes a disservice.

Our clients feel pride and delight when we show them how you have understood and appreciated the lifestyle their home offers. By doing so, we elevate not only the house we are marketing and so elevate the relationship we have with our clients, deepening trust and building loyalty.

Drone Photography

Whilst many photographers now offer drone photography too, and can do both in one visit, we suggest you consider keeping these two services separate, so as not to put all your eggs in one basket. Our drone photographer often visits twice, during daylight and also at twilight. At some times of the year, and in fine weather, you may be able to coordinate these two types of photoshoots so the drone photographer just has to wait for it to get a bit darker. But in summertime, when twilight shoots can be as late as 11pm, this may not be feasible.

Managing Director, Adam Wheeldon,  always attends the shoots so he can make sure we get the exact image we need for the brochure and Rightmove. Standing with the drone photographer and watching his screen whilst he takes the shot can be invaluable, in case he has missed something important. We find that clients often like to be present too, and really enjoy seeing their home from the air.

Twilight Imagery

Twilight, or ‘dusk’ photography is usually taken of the exterior of the house, at dusk. It shows off outside features like lighting, pagodas strung with fairy lights, and fire pits. At the same time, with all the lights in the house lit, twilight photography can make even the most uninspiring façade look attractive, warm and welcoming.  A sunset sky as a backdrop is an added bonus, and often captured rather by luck than planning, but can elevate the shot even further.

We find that by using a twilight photograph as the main image, we can maximise clicks and views of that property online. Because daytime shots are still the norm, twilights stand out so much more when buyers are looking for a property. In 100 listings, there’ll usually only be one twilight shot.

Twilight images are usually taken in the period just after the sun has set, so there is still some light left in the sky. Too dark a sky will render the house invisible, but if the sky is still light, the interior and exterior lighting won’t show enough. It’s hard to get the balance right between the two but once you do, the result is a magical image buyers and sellers alike will love.

How to find the right photographer

Finding a photographer who can operate at the level you need and create beautiful images is probably your most difficult challenge.  Before we move onto exploring what to look for, here’s what to avoid:

- A photographer every other estate agent is using

- Agreeing to paying per image used

- Being charged by the hour

- A photographer who only submits to you a small proportion of images he took

- A photographer who lacks patience

- A family portrait photographer

- A photographer who is too cheap (less than £150) or too expensive (more than £350)

- A photographer who wants to charge you for all travel

Instead of using a photographer that every other agent in your area uses, and sacrifice differentiation, look for that hidden gem no one else has discovered. We currently use three photographers in our agency. All three have a great eye for composition, and a keen sense for how to use light.