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I use Microsoft Digital Image Suite software to resize and enhance photos before putting them online. It's a program I purchased - Adobe Photoshop is another great program for adjusting photos.
I use Microsoft Digital Image Suite software to resize and enhance photos before putting them online. It's a program I purchased - Adobe Photoshop is another great program for adjusting photos.
I also use MS Digital Imaging Suite 2006 and I like it.
You can buy it cheap on EBay.
I think I paid $29.00 delivered.
I just take good photos from the beginning, and don't need to fix them... HA! Don't I wish! I try for a sunny day, if I can, otherwise I might brighten them a little. I try not to mess with them too much though, because I don't want to misrepresent anything. I do open all the blinds and turn on all the lights in the house. If it is a yucky day when I take the outside photos, I will go back on the next sunny day and re-do them.
Is there an online service that Realtors use to enhance pictures before putting them up on the web?
Here are some tips on picture taking to reduce the need for much enhancing:
Crop your photo in the lens. That means to take exactly the photo you want. Then you don't have to crop it in the computer.
Spend time examining the area you are shooting to make sure there is nothing in the picture that you don't want there.
Take a few shots of each area to make sure you're getting the effect you want
Shoot from various places within a room, then choose the best view points.
When taking inside photos, it's best to have a cloudy day because when shooting toward a window the light in the window won't be as bright.
Have all the lights on in the home, but expect a red tint from the incadescent bulbs and a green tint from florescent bulbs.
If possible use a 500 watt blue light, which is balanced for natural daylignt, and have it on a stand with a metal reflector. Two lights are better. They get really hot, so make sure that small kids don't play near the stand and knock it over or they can get seriously burned.
Balance that inside light with the outside light and your window won't be over exposed.
When taking photos of the outside of a home, have the sun behind you or on your shoulder. You don't want the sun behind the house which will be too much contrast and cause shadows in the front.
Take several shots from different locations to see which one shows off the room best.
Outside, sometimes an overcast sky will work best if the layout of the home causes too much contrast from the sun. Try the shots on different days in order to get the best shot.
Remove the for sale sign, if its there, prior to taking the photo. You want to show the house, not a sign.
Remove any newspapers, water hoses, or anything that will attract attention.
Do not have a car parked in the driveway, or in front of the house.
Once the pictures have been taken, select the best shots and enhance them.
The only enhancing should be to adjust the lighting and resize the photo to get it down to a size that will upload quickly on the web site. Don't do anything that will misrepresent the property.
Here are some tips on picture taking to reduce the need for much enhancing:
Crop your photo in the lens. That means to take exactly the photo you want. Then you don't have to crop it in the computer.
Spend time examining the area you are shooting to make sure there is nothing in the picture that you don't want there.
Take a few shots of each area to make sure you're getting the effect you want
Shoot from various places within a room, then choose the best view points.
When taking inside photos, it's best to have a cloudy day because when shooting toward a window the light in the window won't be as bright.
Have all the lights on in the home, but expect a red tint from the incadescent bulbs and a green tint from florescent bulbs.
If possible use a 500 watt blue light, which is balanced for natural daylignt, and have it on a stand with a metal reflector. Two lights are better. They get really hot, so make sure that small kids don't play near the stand and knock it over or they can get seriously burned.
Balance that inside light with the outside light and your window won't be over exposed.
When taking photos of the outside of a home, have the sun behind you or on your shoulder. You don't want the sun behind the house which will be too much contrast and cause shadows in the front.
Take several shots from different locations to see which one shows off the room best.
Outside, sometimes an overcast sky will work best if the layout of the home causes too much contrast from the sun. Try the shots on different days in order to get the best shot.
Remove the for sale sign, if its there, prior to taking the photo. You want to show the house, not a sign.
Remove any newspapers, water hoses, or anything that will attract attention.
Do not have a car parked in the driveway, or in front of the house.
Once the pictures have been taken, select the best shots and enhance them.
The only enhancing should be to adjust the lighting and resize the photo to get it down to a size that will upload quickly on the web site. Don't do anything that will misrepresent the property.
Good Stuff.
I guess it isn't cool to PhotoShop out the Nuclear Power Plant cooling tower behind the home?
Or the cracked driveway?
I use Photoshop CS3 Extended, probably the most powerful imaging suite you can buy. It's overkill for what you need. Online, I'm not sure - however there are photolabs you can pull up in the phone book (if they sell photopaper you're in the right place). I would go in and show them the photos so that you can discuss the problems you're having. Be sure to take your camera, this is an excellent way to learn tips and techniques from pros.
~Prof. Photographer
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