Using the Right Camera

How To Film and Photograph Real Estate Videos

Before you begin filming your home you need a camera that is capable of capturing good quality footage. Most of the new cameras (photo and video) will be able to shoot and film in HD. When using a video camera, a standard HD camera with good image stabilization should be suitable to film your home. With these cameras you will not be able to get a professional Hollywood production quality video, but it will be adequate for online videos. The more you invest in a camera the better quality your footage will be, but we have seen good footage produced from a $199 HD video camera with good image stabilization.

If you are trying to take still shots, almost any new digital camera will produce pictures that are perfect for your videos. Set your pictures settings to the largest size because the bigger the picture the better quality it will be in your video.

There are other things to consider, like using a wide angle lens. If your camera has capabilities of attaching a wide angle lens you can invest in a lens and be able to capture more of the home in your video. But, with the basic HD video and still shot cameras available at most electronic stores you will be able to get good quality footage we can use to build your real estate video. Don’t get us wrong, the better the camera the better quality video and photos you will get and better quality videos are always better. But, this guide is meant for people who are using our video production services.We can work with all levels of footage and for online videos you can get good quality footage for our video with the cameras we mentioned above.

Getting The Best Footage

To get the best quality footage and photos you should follow these tips:

Always Use A Tripod, If Possible

Using a tripod will reduce the shakiness of your hands and give you smooth and consistent video scans. If you don’t have a tripod use two hands, tilt your elbows in and rest them against your stomach and take off your shoes.

Always Keep The Video Camera Moving

Always keep the camera moving, but not too fast. Moving the camera too fast can cause blurriness and could be too fast for the viewer to see the home. Always scan slower than you think is the right speed (if you are not sure what the best scan speed is).

Don’t be afraid to get low when filming. Often filming low and scanning up creates a dramatic and effective scene. You can mix up the video scan to create a dramatic effect. Instead of always scanning left and right or up and down, try scanning diagonally. It can create nice footage that changes up the excitement of the video and show more of the room you are filming.

Zoom Out and Get The Most Out Of Your Video

Always zoom as far out as possible to get the most footage of the home as possible. When you are shooting areas of the home, you want the viewer to be able to see as much of the home as possible. You should also film from furthest point of the room, typically a corner. This allows you to film the entire room instead of just a section of it. As you film a room you can enter it through the doorway to give the viewer a true perspective of the full room.

Filming Small Rooms

When you are filming small rooms it is very important to start filming from outside the doorway and walking it. This gives a larger appearance to the room, and filming from ceiling to the floor is the best method of filming.

Make The House Presentable

Clear up clutter, and organize the home as much as possible to make it presentable to the client. You want the home to impress your client as much as possible, so your home should be presentable as if you were having an open house.

Filming Special Features

If you are filming a certain feature of the home like a fireplace, kitchen center island, or light it is best if you film the feature as you move around it, almost giving it a 360 degree video shot.

If you are filming other features like fans, lights, or chandlers make sure they are turned on to really show them off. The extra light, the glimmer of the chandler or the movement of the fan presents the features to the buyer in a more exciting fashion.

Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important parts of filming and photographing your home. You never want to film or take pictures at night and you need to pick the best time of day so you are not filming into the sun. Filming directly into light can cause your footage to come out over exposed. Here are some other tips to help you with lighting.

– If you are trying to film a dark room, turn on the lights. Turning the lights will help illuminate the room, especially in the bathroom. It will add a glimmer to the bathroom that looks good in real estate videos.

– When you are trying to film lighting aspects of the home, like recess lighting, it helps to turn the lights on to show them off.

– If you have blinds, open them and let in as much natural light as possible. If you are filming the blinds or windows be sure the sun is not directly facing you because it will cause over exposure.

Getting The Best Photos

Photography of a home will be easier than videography because you can simply point, shoot, and you’re done. You still have to use a decent digital camera and follow a lot of the same rules as video, but it is a lot easier to get high quality images. When taking pictures you should follow all the rules we listed above, with these exceptions:

Lighting For Photos

Lighting is just as important for photos as it is for videos. You should always pick the best time of day to shoot the photos. It is best to shoot photos when the sun will be shining into the room, giving the most lighting. Avoid taking pictures directly into the sun light or lighting in your home because it will cause over exposure in the images.

Special Features In Your Home

With video you want to turn on most of the features and that is true with photos, except for any moving features. Things like fans and garage doors should not be turned on while shooting pictures. It will cause the photos to come out blurry.

Lens To Use

A wide angle lens is a popular lens to use when taking pictures of properties because it allows you to capture more of the home in your pictures. If you do not have a wide angle lens or a camera that accepts wide angles lenses that is perfectly fine. Most digital cameras will get the job done.

What To Do With Your Photos and Video Footage?

Once you have taken photos and/or video footage of your home you are ready to get your video made. You can spend the time to make it yourself, which can take a while if you are not familiar with the process. Chances are you will not have royalty free stock music, or the ability to get a professional voiceover recorded. That is why we recommend using a real estate video service. A video service like ours at, www.soldwithvideo.com, will take your photos and video footage and create a professional video complete with a professional voice over and music. We will also upload it to YouTube, send you links to download your video, host your video, and teach you how to get your video ranked on YouTube and Google. This means you can get your video in front of buyers in your area. We make it easy to get your video in front of buyers looking for exactly what you have to offer.