r/RealEstatePhotography

I’m a video guy who also runs a real estate media business alongside my video production business. We aren’t huge but do well enough. Just wondering if any of you be guys have gotten to the point of just hating doing video tours lol. With all the other products to sell 3d tour, floor plans etc I’d much rather be selling these simple but high yield items rather than time consuming videos and edits. Just curious how everyone else feels

Long story short, I recently listed my house, and after the shoot my realtor told me she wasn’t happy with the photos. She said she’s used this photographer many times before and was surprised by how this shoot turned out. I asked if I could see them and she agreed.

Out of curiosity, and because I’ve been interested in leanring real estate photography myself, I decided to reshoot the house on my own as practice. In the end, she hired another photographer for the final listing photos, and they came out great.

I’m posting because I’d genuinely like some objective feedback from people who shoot RE professionally.

A few questions:

1. What specifically isn’t working in the original photographer’s shots?
2. How do my attempts compare technically?
3. What are the biggest weaknesses in my photos?
4. What would you focus on improving first if you were me?

My attempt

Photographer

My attempt

Photographer

My attempt

Photographer

My attempt

Photographer

My son shot this the other day. Not ideal lighting conditions at all. Harsh sun on the home in the morning but he was under the gun. I even had to help out with the AI virtual tour. Nothing was edited outside getting rid of a camera / mirror. No flash. Entire shoot took a little over 30 minutes. Window pulls don't look like the usual fake AI edits.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/57803-Mount-Rainier-Ln-10-Bend-OR-97707/347243842\_zpid/?

[NOT SELLING]

guys few ago only i started the 3d becasue of the curosity now just want to help you guys with my skills dont want anyting from you just give me your video and with in 2 days i will convert it into 3d interactable tour if you are intrested just hit me a dm

I’ll go first. Maryland by far in my opinion. The state is so old most houses are just dumps re purposed into luxury listings that sit back in the woods with endless green cast from trees and hot sun spots. Not to be mention the endless military activity all the over the state making drone services a gamble. Curious to hear from everyone else.

Any advice for me? Client called, asked me to do whatever I can to shoot around all the homeowner’s stuff for a $1.8M home this Thursday. I haven’t had the pleasure of shooting a bad home yet.

So I have some interested real estate agentes/ agencies, however they always say is expensive / want to negotiate, they always find a dude way cheaper. I got one that can be interested in exclusivity for them like, they only hire me if they need that service.

I said I do the photos and offer a small video so they can see the diffrence between me and the cheapest ones.

Just for reference:

299+tax photos around 30 (depends on the house) and + drone if possible

249+tax, simple video or social media or virtual tour

(48h turnaround, logos, resized etc)

How do I get them to sign with me without doing crazy drops on the price?

With the industry changing a lot, I’ve been trying to keep up with how clients communicate. I do REP as a hobby on the side and am curious on how you find leads.

Past two months been packed and having to work even on weekends

This week it’s empty, pin drop silence, also no enquiries for next week, which is quite concerning

Is this normal for the RE market?

Thank you

Beepec is $5/360 for editing+stitching. That adds up really quick. A 5,000 square foot home would, I imagine, cost $300 just in editing.

Was this 3D tour done with a Theta Z1 or an Insta etc? What I'm really interested in finding out is if the Insta360 x5 is capable of doing this quality?

I've been full-time with my real estate media business since November in the Phoenix/Mesa metro and I'm stuck on client acquisition.

What I've tried:

• Instagram outreach
• Free first shoot offers
• Discounted promos
• Dropping materials at brokerages
• Realtor meetups and groups

Numbers so far: ~50 shoots total. After the first handful, almost every agent tells me they love the work. 13 have booked more than once, 4 have booked 3+ times, and 2 are repeat clients with 10+ shoots each. Great clients — just not enough volume yet to make a living.

For context, I offer photo, video, drone, 360 tours, and virtual staging with same-day delivery.

For those of you running consistent volume — what was the one channel or shift that finally moved the needle? Trying to cut through the generic "post more on Instagram" advice and hear what actually worked.

I recently started a small solo real estate agency and I’m trying to figure out where to spend my time and budget on listing media.

For the photographers/videographers here, what are agents asking for that actually seems useful for social media?

If you were advising a solo agent with limited time, what would you tell them to focus on first?

Also curious what you’ve seen agents waste money or time on when it comes to social content.

Thanks in advance. I know this sub is more on the media side, so I’m hoping to learn from the people who actually make this stuff every day.

Hi everyone,
I'm currently negotiating a retainer deal with a local real estate agency and I’d love to get some perspective on how you guys handle long-term contracts.

To make it efficient, I'm thinking about dedicated "shooting days"—basically giving them one full day a week where I knock out 3 properties in one go.

What percentage discount is standard for this volume? My current math puts a 20% discount as the "sweet spot".

Flat Monthly Fee vs. Per-Unit? Do you prefer charging a flat monthly "retainer" or just a discounted per-property rate?

The "One Day a Week" Strategy: For those doing this, how do you handle weather delays or properties not being ready?

How do you handle it when they suddenly throw in a luxury mansion that takes twice as long, but they want it under the same "standard" flat rate?

Thanks for any insight!

I'm a shooter in Oakland, CA and the agency I work for assigned a rough rental building being sold in a rough neighborhood. Objectively I was not in physical danger, there was no harassment or any questionable behavior from the residents... but carrying a $7k rig without insurance had me on edge. This was extreme poverty. There were 2 residents present who let me shoot their dwellings and it was squalor. There was an old man in a wheelchair and his apartment smelled of piss and canned pasta. He was watching a black & white comedy on an LCD television without a stand laying on a pile of laundry. I spent 5 minutes gagging, trying my hardest not to vomit. He was watching me. The bathroom was so small, there wasn't much I could capture through my Sony 16-35 2.8 GM II. Most of the units had no power. I was thankful for modern auto exposure, Sony white balance, and exposure bracketing. This was a moment where opening up the blinds would be a real disservice. The only way I was able to get through it was with the realtor negotiating her way through the building in a way I never could have managed.

Yesterday I was concerned about getting my camera perfectly level, so I ordered a Neewer TH16 geared head and Leofoto leveling base. Today I'm just glad to be alive, and to not live in conditions like what I've witnessed. It was the first time I just pulled out my phone and used it to take the exterior photos. I'm sure the agency will not care about these not being bracketed.

Glad I got through it. Most "not worth it" $100 I've ever earned.