2 March 2021

THINKING BACK ON FORWARD THINKING: OUR PRE-PHOTOGRAPHY CHECKLIST

Introduction: 

Every successful company has watershed moments that define, propel and inspire them as they grow from a good idea into a thriving business. At BoxBrownie.com we experienced one of these moments on June 12, 2017, when we published a document called The Pre-Photography Checklist.  

The enormous response to this checklist showed us that our EXPERTISE in real estate was in as high of a demand as the technology we were making available to agents and photographers across the globe.

Up until this point, our focus had been almost exclusively as a photo editing service. We were making international inroads delivering fast, accessible and inexpensive ways to turn even the most mediocre photos into breathtaking images that demanded attention to sell your home. 

And yes, our photo-editing technology can do wonders for real estate images. But, in some cases, there is no substitute for good, old-fashioned education.

This is something our co-founder Brad Filliponi realized when he compiled and released the Real Estate Pre-Photography Checklist. 

After over 16 years as one of the most sought-after photographers in the business, Brad was aware of many of the pitfalls that can thwart the attempt to acquire quality images of a property. 

Personal experience had convinced him that one of the greatest impediments to a successful shoot was lack of preparation. And lack of preparation almost always came from a lack of education. 

Simply put, agents and property occupants needed to be taught how to prepare a home to be photographed. A little advance communication could save time and dramatically improve the end result of a shoot. 

“At about 90% of photo shoots, I would show up and have to start cleaning up when I should have been shooting. The amount of items and clutter I needed to move for my photo shoots each time was incredible,” Brad recollects. 

“Neither agents nor home owners seemed to have any idea how a home should be prepared, and don’t get me started on the tenants!” 

This is how the Real Estate Pre-Photography Checklist was born.

HOW IT WORKS

The reason our FREE CHECKLIST continues to grow in popularity is that smart photographers use it again and again, with each new home they shoot.

This is what the document is intended for.  It is designed to be a renewable resource for photographers to share with both the occupants of the properties they are about to shoot, and with the listing agents.  

In the days leading up to the shoot, the photographer downloads and sends the real estate photography checklist (or a link to it) to everyone involved with the property in question. This enables the preparation to begin long before the photographer arrives, so that when he or she gets there the focus can be on capturing stunning images that will attract potential buyers.

Obviously the checklist will save a bundle of time, both at the shoot, and in the communication process leading up to it. But saving time is not the checklist’s only goal. Even if only some of its recommendations are followed, those who do so will be in a much better position to achieve a strong final product for their marketing material.

From general truths like removing personal items, animal bowls, or family photographs, to more specific advice like keeping entry areas clear of shoes, or setting the dining room table with your best cutlery, or clearing kitchen counters, the checklist is a wealth of handy tips that will increase the appeal of any home.

EVEN GOOGLE LOVES IT

Since it was published in 2017, the checklist has become BoxBrownie.com’s most downloaded document. The world’s most popular search engine has taken a shine to it as well. Search queries on preparing a home to be photographed regularly return our Pre-Photography Checklist at the top of the heap.  

For Brad, the enthusiasm real estate professionals showed for the checklist inspired him to keep sharing what he knows. 

"The enormous international response that came after we published the Pre-Photography Checklist made it clear to me that people were hungry for expertise in the field of real estate photography," he said. 

“We’ve got plenty of that, and we’re delighted to keep sharing it.”

Today, our BoxBrownie.com website is so much more than simply the best and fastest photo editing site in the world. It has become as much an information resource as it is a one-stop shop for 3D rendering, 360° Virtual Tours and other forms of Image Enhancement.

A quick browse through our site and you’ll discover that it is a trove of ‘How tos’ for both marketing and shooting real estate. There is also an abundance of well-informed product comparisons and insider tips on how to sell property.

If  you are a real estate agent who is seeking to replace an open house with a virtual tour, our site can walk you through it.   

Perhaps you are new to real estate photography and hoping to learn more about natural light, or are seeking more specific photography tips, like being aware of how camera flashes and ceiling fans can combine to make sneaky shadows. Again, our site can enlighten you here. 

Perhaps your shoot is finished and you need to learn how to remove shadows from an image or do something about burned out light bulbs. Or perhaps you simply want to turn up the glamour factor a little by illuminating exterior lights, all of these fall under our umbrella of expertise.

From impeccable photo transformations to invaluable expertise, BoxBrownie.com is a versatile and well rounded ally in your quest to stand out from the competition. 

Start an account today and benefit from both our services and our expertise.

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