Capturing the Magic: How Twilight Photos Boost Your Real Estate Listing
Watch our founder, Oscar Mikols, photograph a twilight session for a new listing in the prominent New Hope, PA zip code 18938.
Twilight photography is the art of capturing the beauty of a sunset or sunrise in real estate listing photos. Twilight photography is becoming increasingly more popular in real estate to give agents a competitive edge with stunning images that draw attention to their listings and entice potential buyers to take action.
If you want to showcase your property listings and make them stand out from the rest, consider adding eye catching twilight photos that capture the magic of the home at different times of the day. There is more to getting high quality twilight images than just “pointing and clicking.”
How Twilight Photography Works
Twilight photography is a technique that uses long exposures to capture the movement of light. Twilight, or civil twilight, refers to the period of time when there is enough natural light for people to see but not enough for them to be able to navigate without artificial illumination.
Twilight photos are typically taken during dusk or dawn, though they can also be shot during any other time when there's still some sunlight left in the sky but it's dark enough out so that you can't see much detail with your naked eye. Having the right lighting equipment – or better yet, an experienced professional photographer – is essential to having the right images with good composition. A professional photographer who has an SLR camera with a wide lens and good aperture settings will be able to capture more light than someone who uses point-and-shoot cameras or cell phones.
How to Capture the Best Twilight Shots
When you're looking to capture the best twilight shots, there are a few things you should keep in mind. One important element is to find an angle that makes sense for your property listing photos. You may want to shoot from above (if it's an apartment building) or below (if it's a house). Once you have determined the best angles for your twilight shots, there are some pre-shoot steps you can take to ensure the photographer catches the home in its best light.
Check that ALL lights (interior and exterior) are functioning and that all light bulbs are of matching tone and color in each fixture. If you have “cool white” LED bulbs in one room and “warm white” LED bulbs another room, they will each give off a different color cast.
Someone who is familiar with all of the interior and exterior lighting (and pool features, if applicable) should be present at the photo session.
Turn on all interior lights in rooms that have exterior views and exterior lighting, including landscape and pool lighting. Turn off all ceiling fans, floodlights, and security lights – these lights can be harsh and detract from the desired effect.
Make sure ALL blinds are up (open) and even with adjacent windows.
Turn off all TVs in rooms with exterior windows.
Turn on any other special exterior features, such as waterfalls and fountains, and consider lighting fires in outdoor fireplaces or fire pits.
Please ensure that no person or pet is visible through the house windows or is walking around on the inside or outside the house at any time. This is very important.
Any vehicles should be parked in the garage with the door closed, or on the street away from the front of the home. Turn garage lights on or those windows will be black.
There is a small window of time during this golden hour to capture twilight photos. There will not be time to do any last-minute decluttering and/ adjustments to indoor/outdoor lighting once the photographer is onsite and ready to shoot.
How to Use Twilight Photos in Real Estate Listings
Potential homebuyers love dreamy and eye-catching twilight photos Unlike regular exterior photos, twilight photos offer strong vibrant colors and great lighting that will stand out a lot more when competing against similar homes in the same area. Leveraging these photos can create more powerful visuals that will draw potential buyers and boost your property listings,
In addition to enhancing the quality of listing photos, twilight photos are an easy way to add some personality and flair to your marketing materials, website, and social media posts.
The Benefits of Twilight Photos
By showcasing properties in the best possible light, there are two key benefits of twilight photos that increase your chances of making a sale:
1.
A more attractive listing
Twilight shots show off a home at their best, so they're more likely to catch the eye of potential buyers browsing online listings that all start to look alike over time. When a vibrant twilight photo appears in their feed, there's a good chance they’ll take a second look at the listing and want to see the home in person!
2
.
Increased visibility online
When people search for houses online (whether this happens organically through Google or via social media), the appearance of listings in search results will depend on various factors, such as an algorithm that favors them due to positive feedback from previous viewers, etc. The more attention and click through (or likes on social media) that your listings get, the higher up they are likely to appear in search results.
As you can see, twilight photos make your listings stand out by highlighting the property’s features and boost your real estate listing by attracting more potential buyers. Choosing twilight photos is #2 on Realtor.com’s 9 Insider Secrets to Making Your Listing Photos Shine.
Twilight photography requires skill, experience, and specialized equipment to get the perfect shot at just the right angles. At OM Media, we are committed to providing quality photos for your listings. OM Media’s expert team of professional photographers know how to use the right camera settings for twilight photos and have experience in capturing the beauty of a property during this magical golden hour.
“Twilight is the most enchanting time for a photographer. It’s the moment when day and night blend together, creating a unique atmosphere of magic and wonder that only a camera can capture.””