Photo Advice

1. Hold It Steady

A problem with many photographs is that they're blurry. Avoid 'camera shake' by holding the camera steady. Use both hands, resting your elbows on your chest, or use a wall for support. Relax: don't tense up.

2. Place The Sun Behind You

A photograph is always about the light that you are working with, so always think of how the light is striking your subject. Having the sun behind you will always work nicely, but isn’t always possible.

3. Choose Your Framing

How you hold the camera will affect what is emphasized in your shot. For tall buildings or objects (Barn, tall tree) a vertical framing emphasize height. Using a horizontal frame will usually be best for our site.

4. Use A Nice Proportion

The attractiveness of an image is often in its proportions. A popular framing technique is the Rule of Thirds. Imagine the frame divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tac-toe board. Now place your subject on one of the lines or intersections.

5. Lighting

The most essential element to a good photograph is the lighting. Warmth, depth, texture, contrast, and color are all strongly affected by the angle of the sunlight during the day. In the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is low, the light is gold and orange, giving your pictures a warm glow. Photographers call this the 'magic hour' and most movies and magazine shots strive to use this light for their best shots.

You can strive to shoot exterior pictures of your property during this short period of time, but most likely midday will be the best for you.

10-2pm (Midday): The sun is perfect for most homes, buildings and downtowns.

When shooting pictures of your home start outside and work your way in.

Take a picture of the front of your home, framing wide enough to easily see the edges of your home. Then take a reverse from the front steps of your home. This will give a Location Scout a good idea of the front of your home and the look of your street.

Then you can do the same shots in your backyard. Now moving into your home take a picture of the major rooms in your house, including bathrooms. You only need to take one representational shot of each room. If you feel you need to take more, by all means do so.

The following is a list of possible interest for a Location Scout:

That should do it.

Now you need to transfer your pictures to your computer. This is easily achieved by transferring your digital images via cable or chip to your computer or having your local photo developer place them on a CD for you.