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Believe it or not, real estate photography is quite a bit different than regular photography. The principles of normal photography don’t always apply and the audience is not the same. Not only that, but the purpose of the photos is to attract potential buyers.
These pictures are intended to highlight the best features of your home, and the more high-quality photos you add, the better your chances of competing in a highly competitive market. It’s also possible that they’ll enable your home to bring in a higher offer, as well.
This kind of photography allows shooters to experiment with lines, patterns, and shapes in rooms to achieve highly attractive photos of even boring or lifeless architecture. It might seem easy, but it requires understanding the capabilities of your camera as well as color and lighting.
Whether you’re a realtor, home owner, architect, or photographer wanting to know more about real estate photography, there are plenty of online courses that will help you transition to this type of picture taking.
It can be a lucrative career if you’re good at it and you market yourself well. Brushing up on these skills will ensure you can enter a competitive market and do the job well. Here are some of the best course options for you.
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Getting Started in Real Estate Photography – KelbyOne
KelbyOne ranks very high in terms of quality. Their instruction is always provided by a professional in the field, so you’ll get the knowledge you need from someone who’s done it before.
If you’re looking for a great beginner course, this one definitely qualifies. It includes 15 lessons taught by a licensed real estate photographer in California.
The lessons begin with the equipment you’ll need to get started, but they cover everything from shooting the exterior to which lights you should use for which room. Every room is covered so you’ll know exactly how to stage the property and highlight its features for best results.
You’ll also learn some tips and tricks for keeping windows open or pulling them shut, capturing extra angles, post-processing, and how to get your business up and running if you’ve never stepped foot in the industry before.
One of the benefits of this course is that it also touches on how to create a copyright contract to protect your photos. While it doesn’t touch on some advanced skills like drone photography, it also won’t overwhelm the person who doesn’t have any experience yet. You’ll also get access to a member forum so you can discuss the course with your peers if you have questions or comments.
You can pay upfront for the KelbyOne courses you want to take, or you can subscribe for a membership with unlimited access to all courses, which is a great way to keep your skills fresh once your business is up and running.
Pros
- Taught by a licensed professional with high-quality instruction
- Two payment options
- Thorough overview of real estate photography with extra tips and tricks
Cons
- Doesn’t cover more advanced skills
Real Estate Photography: How to Get Started – Udemy
For people getting started, with real estate photography, this course is a great place to begin. It covers everything you need to know to start your own business in real estate photography, and there are no prerequisites for enrollment.
Even with no knowledge or experience with real estate photography, you can show up with your computer and an eagerness to learn.
The course includes four sections of on-demand videos, so you can watch them at any time that’s convenient for you. Each video is short, so they’re easy to digest on your lunch hour. At 1.5 hours long, you could complete the entire course in an afternoon.
There are also plenty of articles and other downloadable resources that come with the course, so you can keep them even after you’re done with the training.
This course is taught by a business teacher and entrepreneur who has several online real estate, photography classes. Over 2000 students have already completed it, and it’s rated well. Udemy is one of the best places to find quality online photography courses.
In the course, you’ll learn which tools are best for real estate photography, and you’ll get an in-depth look at how to use them. You’ll also learn about the settings your camera needs to take these kinds of photos.
Another important thing to consider is how to work with your client to gather the information you need before taking the photos. This course will go over what you need to know, how to communicate with clients, and how to deliver final results that meet their goals.
You’ll also learn how to edit these photos quickly, because, like any photo, there are times when something just isn’t quite right.
You’ll walk away with valuable tips on how to photograph each room, how to set up your business, and a digital copy of home prep instructions that you can give to every client before you take their pictures.
The great thing about Udemy courses is that after you purchase them, you get access to the course forever and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Udemy also offers support from a community of peers, a mentor, and a Q&A section.
Pros
- Short course length
- Great beginner course
- Covers how to communicate effectively with your client
Cons
- Not as comprehensive as other courses
Mastering Architecture and Real Estate Photography – Udemy
Having a basic understanding of architecture is a great way to start your career in real estate photography. It can be a challenging job, but if you understand the structure of a home in more detail, it can make it easier to highlight the features that will sell the home.
This course is great for someone looking to enter the business because it will go over considerations you need to make when taking photos like color correction, ambient lighting, and the limitations of lighting itself.
It covers how to light your space so that you get a great photo without the photo looking excessively lit. You’ll also learn how to use lighting in a room where you don’t have any room to set up lights.
You’ll also learn the difference between real estate and architectural photography, so you can take the appropriate photos in every scenario. You’ll cover fixing bad or distorted color, and you’ll learn how to use Photoshop and Lightroom to create photos you can’t always capture with one click.
The skills you’ll get from this course will enable you to work on low-budget jobs as well as develop high-quality photos for top-paying clients. You’ll be able to create great photos quickly, no matter the assignment.
In addition, you’ll cover in-depth lighting topics like judging the quality of the lighting, creating great composition, managing shadows, using umbrellas and light boxes, and choosing the correct accessory for the scene.
It’s an intermediate course for those who already have a basic understanding of real estate photography. For those who are serious about learning more, the course has 11 sections and 102 video lectures that you can watch on-demand whenever you have time. The entire course is 14 hours long, but it’s well worth it if you want to develop your career further.
Along with the lectures, you’ll get resources you can download and practice on, so you don’t have to bring your own images. You need a basic understanding of Photoshop to begin, as well as a tripod, a camera, and a cable release.
It’s taught by a professional photographer, so you’ll get quality instruction from someone who has more than 30 years of experience in real estate photography and lighting. You also get lifetime access to the course after you purchase it.
Pros
- In-depth instruction on the principles of architecture
- Comprehensive lighting instruction
- Great for intermediate photographers
Cons
- May be difficult for beginners to jump in
- Very long course
Drone Photography For Real Estate – Udemy
Drone photography is becoming a more popular part of real estate photography because it offers aerial views of the entire property, which can benefit your listings significantly, especially if you manage large acreages.
It results in amazing shots you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise, but it can also provide videos of both residential and commercial properties. They add value to the listing and make it much more appealing.
If you are already a real estate photographer, adding drone photography skills to your resume will help you grow your business, get more clients, and improve your collection of photos beyond what you might imagine.
These four modules contain 26 on-demand lecture videos, but it’s only about 1.5 hours long, so you can do it quickly when you have time. You’ll also get some resources to download, enabling you to practice more on your own.
You don’t have to have any previous experience in drone photography before taking this course, and you’ll walk away with ideas for how to add drone services to your already successful business.
It also covers where to get the best drone equipment and how to use it. You’ll learn to capture the best angles for drone photos, the best hours of the day to maximize light, how to edit your results, and how to deliver them.
The instructor of this course is a business teacher and has several other successful real estate photography courses under his belt. Just like all other Udemy courses, it comes with lifetime access and a money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Quick drone tutorial
- No experience necessary
- Great for professionals wanting to increase drone photography skills
Cons
- Not a comprehensive real estate photography course
Camp Miles, Real Estate Photography for the Real World 2.0 – Darren Miles
This course is a fantastic beginner course for those who want to learn the basics of real estate photography, but also need help breaking into the business. It will cover basics like equipment, taking photos, lighting, and processing your captures, but it will also help you develop a business plan to get clients.
The course offers raw files that you can use for practice and it covers a lot more than many other beginner courses. Having the skills doesn’t guarantee you’ll get clients, but this all-in-one course will help you bridge that gap.
There are six hours of video lessons broken out into 31 segments, so you can spend all the time you need studying. You’ll get Photoshop cheat sheets, shooting setup tips, and gear guides.
You’ll learn what equipment you need to have, how you can get it on a budget, and what kinds of things you can do without. It’s a great way for a beginner to get started with just the bare minimum until their business is successful enough to buy more equipment.
It includes feedback from actual clients. You’ll hear what they’re looking for from a real estate photography professional, and be able to take that with you into your business development.
You’ll learn how to capture every room of the house from the front elevation into the bathroom, and you’ll be able to transfer these skills from a small home to a million-dollar mansion. You’ll even learn how to host a virtual home tour.
It also includes sessions on post-processing, how to use Photoshop, and how to manage your workflow effectively so that you’re successful. There are a few brief sessions on Matterport videos and drone photography as well.
Darren Miles is an experienced wedding and family photography, and he also runs his own real estate and architecture photography business. You’ll get a lot of valuable information from a professional who has already been there.
Pros
- Includes feedback from real clients
- Helps with equipment choices
- Taught by an experienced professional
- Balanced course with comprehensive instruction that’s not too long
- Covers valuable skills and business principles
Cons
- Expensive
With a deep, expansive catalog, users have access to all the photography content they could want on ANY platform! Makes a great one-of-a-kind gift and we have a special offer just for you!
EXCLUSIVE: Save 20% on the KelbyOne Pro Annual Plan
Use Code "OCR20" at Checkout and SAVE!
Real Estate Photography Masterclass – Udemy
This course will start with helping you select the correct equipment for the job, then you’ll learn how to set up your workflow so that you can run a successful business alongside your real estate photography skills.
You’ll get a basic knowledge of how to prepare for the shoot with the proper techniques to get the best results. It’s just over an hour-long, so it won’t take up too much of your time, but you’ll cover a lot of ground.
You may even benefit from a quick history lesson on real estate photography and the industry itself. It covers how to photograph the interior and exterior as well as how to manage the light at different times of the day.
You don’t need any prior knowledge or experience, but it’s also a great course for intermediate photographers who want to develop more skills. You’ll get plenty of templates that you can use to set up your shoot and prepare the home.
The instructor is a professional real estate photographer and he’s also the founder of several property marking and property-tech businesses.
Pros
- No prior experience necessary
- Short and easy to complete
Cons
- Not as comprehensive as other courses
Real Estate and Architectural Photography – CreativeLive
CreativeLive is another great resource for online photography courses. This course is for beginners needing to master the art of real estate photography or for professionals who want to deepen their skills and understanding.
It introduces real estate and architectural photography and covers everything you need to know about how a professional operates. You’ll learn best practices that are actually practical, and you’ll get an intro into how to interact with other professionals in the industry.
One of the most fun parts of the course is debunking common real estate photography myths that you may currently believe.
By the end, you’ll be able to interact professionally with agents, interior designers, architects, editorial outlets, and a wide range of clients. You’ll also be able to capture your subject naturally or embellish the features of a photo to get the best results.
There are 17 on-demand videos that you can watch at your leisure, and there’s a Q&A section where you can get support from others. It’s just over 2 hours long, but you’ll cover a wide range of topics.
You’ll also learn some core business principles like how to get clients, how to convince them that they want to work with you rather than the competition, and how to bid on jobs.
The instructor is an architecture and fine art photographer with years of experience. You can also choose between paying a one-time fee for the course or paying for a monthly CreativeLive subscription where you get access to a lot of other courses that can help.
Pros
- Focuses on interacting with clients and other professionals
- Short and easy to complete
- One-time fee or monthly subscription options
Cons
- Not as comprehensive during skill instruction
FAQ
If you’re looking for online real estate photography classes, the options can be overwhelming, but as long as you choose a course the covers what you need to know, you’ll make the right choice. Here are some frequently asked questions that may help.
Answer: Becoming a real estate photographer is about more than just having the skills to take pictures. You have to be savvy enough to start and maintain your own business. You’ll need to purchase equipment, build your portfolio, and develop a website.
It might sound overwhelming, but one of these courses will likely help you figure out how to get it all in place.
Answer: The average salary for a real estate photographer is $42,000-62,000. It all depends on how you market yourself and grow your business. You could make more or you could make less. It also depends on your service area and how much these services are worth to your clients.
Answer: As a real estate photographer, your clients will likely be real estate agents. You will rarely work with the homeowner, but if you take on clients who are attempting to sell their home on their own, you may occasionally.
It’s normally the responsibility of the listing agent to hire someone to take pictures, so you’ll be paid by the real estate agent or the real estate company.
Answer: Real estate photographers who are just beginning won’t be able to charge as much as an experienced photographer. Beginners typically charge between $50 and $150 per hour. You may also charge per image, which is normally $25-125.
With a deep, expansive catalog, users have access to all the photography content they could want on ANY platform! Makes a great one-of-a-kind gift and we have a special offer just for you!
EXCLUSIVE: Save 20% on the KelbyOne Pro Annual Plan
Use Code "OCR20" at Checkout and SAVE!
Final Thoughts
There’s always the potential for increased business in the real estate market. Even if you don’t work directly with home owners or real estate agents, architects often want this type of photography for their buildings. There will always be a need for real estate and architectural photographers to develop quality images.
If you want to learn more about real estate photography, any of these courses will work for you, you just have to find the one that fills the gap in your skills. If you need help developing your photography skills, take something that’s heavy on that type of instruction.
If you simply need some help figuring out how to use your skills to build a business, the best courses will offer more instruction on how to communicate with clients and get more business.
You may also want to choose a course that focuses more on equipment and technology or helps you understand the history of the industry. All of these courses are excellent choices, it just depends on your individual needs.
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