Sure, anybody can shoot the rooms of a home with a digital camera, smartphone or tablet. But not everybody knows what to look for and what is going to best showcase the characteristics of a luxury property. Firstly, you should never try to photography a home by yourself. Always hire a professional photographer who specializes in shooting real estate. Whether they make use of professional photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, HDR photography or other industry-leading techniques, it’s important to hire a photographer that has dedicated their career to perfecting their craft, and whose expertise and skill you can trust to deliver the very best results.

1. Mood shots

With the vast majority of homebuyers today searching for property online, the sea of photos and viewing room after room can become very underwhelming. What is going to make your listing stand out from the crowd? One way is by including “mood” shots as part of your presentation.

Mood shots are exactly what you might imagine them to be. By including thoughtful lifestyle elements such as flower petals, popcorn bowls, wine bottles and others, you can breath a new dimension of livelihood and positive energy into a luxury property. Both effectively and figuratively, you are setting the “mood” of each space and have the potential of leaving a lasting impression on buyers looking for a home. Allowing buyers to invigorate their creativity and envision the possibilities can often times make a profound influence on their decision to purchase a luxury residence.

2. Detail shots

It’s one thing to all know the details of a luxury home as listed on a stiff sheet of paper. However, using close-up and detail shots to present the intricate features of a home gives buyers the opportunity to truly “feel” the property’s sophisticated details; even before previewing the property in person for their own.

In a modern or contemporary home, photography of the home’s fixtures and clean-lined appliances highlight the minimalist nature of the property’s design. Likewise with a more classical or traditionally styled home, images of wooden chairs, beautiful crown molding and handcrafted work illustrate the rustic character of that home. All the while captivating the correct buyers and illustrating the many aspects which make an individual home special.

3. Aerial shots

The accessibility and proliferation of aerial drone photography has significantly altered the landscape for luxury home photography today. Not only is aerial photography cutting-edge and the images produced are stunning, but they comprehensively capture the scope of the entire property, its surroundings, its place in the city and the degree of its reach. This is especially useful in the photography of a larger property whose features and amenities may not be fully appreciated by standard eye-level imagery alone. Even with smaller properties, aerial photography can often amplify its appeal and intrigue to potential buyers willing to purchase. In an impressive manner, aerial photography also lets buyers know the level of work put into selling the property, and altogether displays the best that the property has to offer.

With that are the three types of photography I use in all of my luxury home listings. Over the years, both buyers and agents have praised and commented on how marvelous they thought the photography on my listings have looked. In many cases, buyers have said that their reaction to just the photography alone spurred them to move forward and schedule an appointment. By working hard to produce quality imagery and expecting no less than perfection in marketing your listings, you can work to achieve the same. The additional time and effort to sell a luxury home in the right way truly does pays off in the end.