Field Guide to Digital Cameras & Photography
(Updated June 2007)
Give 'em your best shots! 99% of homebuyers who searched for a home on the Internet found photos to be among the most useful features of REALTOR® websites, according to the 2006 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Digital photography and virtual tours allow REALTORS®s the ability to serve their clients like never before. Digital images can be used to quickly and professionally showcase a listing, and today's technologically savvy clients are sure to appreciate the convenience of a virtual tour for both long distance and local moves. The following articles will guide you from the beginning to the advanced stages of how to chose and use one of real estate's hottest tools. (C. Dodge, Information Specialist)
Contents:
Choosing a Camera | How-To Tips: Taking Photos, Storage & Printing | Marketing Your Listings with Digital Images | Camera Phones | Virtual Tours | Useful Websites | eBooks & Other Resources
REALTORS®' Use of Digital Cameras
96% of all REALTORS® use a digital camera.Frequency of use of digital cameras:
Daily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23%
A few times per week . . . . 31%
A few times per month . . . 34%
A few times per year . . . . . 9%
Rarely or never . . . . . . . . . 4%
Source: 2007 NAR Member Profile, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2007).
53% of REALTORS® Web sites feature virtual tours.
88% of homebuyers find virtual tours to be very or somewhat useful.
Sources: 2007 NAR Member Profile, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2007). & 2006 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2006).
Choosing a Camera
Digital cameras, (Consumer Reports, Nov. 2006). Q
The right digital camera: Going big & serious, (Consumer Reports, Jul. 2006). Q
The right digital camera: Going small & simple, (Consumer Reports, Jul. 2006). Q
Buyer's guide: Digital cameras, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, May 2006).
Buying a digital camera: Our annual guide; New features fight blurring, allow in-camera editing; The truth about megapixels, (Wall Street Journal, Apr. 19, 2006). Q
Fabulous photos in a snap: For $450 or less, you can get high resolution in a small package, (Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Apr. 2006). Q
Sizing up the latest crop of digital cameras; Thin, powerful models produce good pictures; Easy-to-use scroll wheels, (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 22, 2006). Q
Buyer's guide: How to shop for a digital camera, (SmallBusinessComputing.com, Aug. 9, 2005).
Looking beyond megapixels, (Wired News, May 10, 2005).
Powerful Pictures Made Easy, (Florida REALTORS®, June 2007).
Better property photos in a snap, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Apr. 2007).
Printers: Darkroom on a desktop, (Consumer Reports, Feb. 2007). Q
MCentral technology tip: Google's Picasa digital photo software, (Houston REALTOR®, July 2006).
Tips to improve website photos, (Realty Times, Mar. 7, 2006).
How to photograph interiors and real estate, (KenRockwell.com, 2006).
You can take great photos in six easy steps, (Houston REALTOR®, July 2004).
Snap happy: Take perfect pictures with your digital camera, (Macworld, Feb. 2003). Q
How to light interior digital photos, (Realty Times, Oct. 2002).
Digital exposure: Old-school tricks and digital tips, (Presentations, Jan. 2002). Q
Camera Phones
Finally, cellphone photos worth sharing; Higher-resolution cameras appear in many handsets, (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 8, 2007). Q
Take better pictures with your camera phone, (Texas REALTOR®, July 2006).
Camera-phone photos improve, (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 11, 2006). Q
"Can you see me now?": Camera phones add a new dimension to staying in touch with clients, (Commercial Investment Real Estate, Nov./Dec. 2005).
Digital camera or camera phone? You may need both, (REALTOR® Magazine, Apr. 2005).
Photos to go: Buyers guide: Camera phones, (REALTOR® Magazine, Jan. 2005).
Tips to consider when choosing a camera phone, (USA Today, June 2004).
Point & prosper, (Florida REALTOR®, Apr. 2007).
REALTORS® strive to make web sites 'picture perfect', (Naples Daily News, Aug. 13, 2006).
11 ways you've never thought of using your digital camera: Taking pictures of homes is just the beginning, (Texas REALTOR®, June 2005).
Make full use of internet marketing with listing photos and virtual tours, (Realty Times, Feb. 17, 2005).
Are you digital camera-shy?, (Realty Times, Jan. 13, 2005).
Picture perfect: Understanding digital image files is the key to producing high-quality photos, (Commercial Investment Real Estate, May/June 2004).
Pictures are worth more than a thousand words, (Houston REALTOR®, Feb. 2004).
Virtual reality, (Journal of Property Management, May/June, 2006). Q
Stand out: Virtual tour options that add pizzazz, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, May 2006).
Buyer's guide: Virtual tours, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Aug. 2005).
Do you undersell your own virtual tours?, (Realty Times, June 10, 2005).
Virtual home tours increasingly popular, (Realty Times, Jan. 4, 2005).
Imaging Resource - This comprehensive site features product reviews, comparison charts, news, and other key information about all aspects of digital cameras & photography. Find some excellent tutorials and tips under the menu options for "How To", "Better Pictures", and "Getting Started" at the top of the main page.
CNET Digital Photography & Video - Product reviews & recommendations, comparisons, buyer's guides, how-to articles, and more from the electronics experts at C|NET.
Digital Photography Review - Product reviews, discussion forums, sample images, glossaries, buyer's guides, comparison charts, tutorials, news, etc. The site even includes a fully linked timeline to digital cameras released since 1995.
Digital Web Magazine - Online magazine for graphics professionals. Includes tutorials on digital photography & using digital images (especially for advanced users, but some may be useful for beginners), product reviews, etc.
Shortcourses - Online tutorials on various digital camera topics, with a glossary of terms and links to other digital camera websites. A valuable feature of the Shortcourses site is the collection of printable, portable guides to using specific Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus digital camera models.
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Digital Photography for Dummies® (Adobe eReader)
How to Do Everything with Your Digital Camera (Adobe eReader)
Field Guides & More
These Field Guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Effective Online Marketing
Field Guide to Marketing Tips for REALTORS®
Field Guide to Preparing & Staging a House for Sale
Field Guide to Choosing & Using a PDA
Field Guide to Using Digital Video as a Marketing Tool
The inclusion of links on this Field Guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked to this Field Guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.
