First, what is full service real estate photography?
Quick answer: Studio Vos! Jokes aside, this is going to be a big time self promoting post which also (hopefully) explains to you what a full service real estate photography company actually does and what separates them from anyone/anything else on the market. When you think of the majority of listings on MLS you might wonder how the pictures seem to "pop." Today, you'll get the answer.
PS prepare to see the acronym REP (real estate photography) ad nauseam. Bonus points to anyone who counts + comments how many times.
The most important thing that a full service REP team offers is a variety of services. In other words, if you need to hire more than one company to get the job done -- they ain't the one, hoss. Here's a list of must haves and why:
"Land" Photography (as in, not drone). Obviously, this is the bread and butter of REP, but it doesn't stop here.
Image by Studio Vos
Videography. Your REP team should not only be able to frame a photo but also shoot a complete video. Everybody knows that any amateur can heavily doctor an image to look halfway decent. That's why videos offer buyers the confidence of seeing and believing.
Image by Studio Vos
Aerial Photography (aka drone). A recent MLS study published on Jumpstart showed that homes with drone photography were 68% more like to sell than homes without them.
Image by Studio Vos
Professional Lighting. Sadly the built-in camera flash is not enough. However, if your photographer has HDR capacity (they should!) then they can still plug those RAW photos into a computer editing software for the next level polished pictures you expect from premium REP. Studio Vos practices a propriety technique using an external flash. It's one of the reasons why our photos always turn out better 😏
Image by Studio Vos
3D Tours (aka virtual tours, 360, or Matterport). We're not talking about standard video walkthroughs here. While there are massive technical differences between each type of these styles, at the end of the day, a 3D tour should make the viewer feel as though they're actually present in the home. Importantly, every type of 3D tour allows you to see the ceilings floors of each room. Accomplishing any of these requires a specialized camera with accompanying software. Our newest 3D tour allows potential buyers to connect directly with an agent in real time. We've never seen anyone else offer this.
Image by Studio Vos
Real Estate specific computer editing software for sky replacement, virtual staging, and digital decluttering (at minimum!). Spoiler alert: it's usually PhotoShop, not magic -- it just feels like that. This is how we stitch together multiple images and stack lighting so, among other things, you can see through exterior windows without massive shadows. It also allows us to do some really cool computer sorcery like digital decluttering.
Image by Studio Vos
Social Media Video (Reels, TikTok, YouTube). Yes, each one is different. No, you shouldn't crosspost these universally. Social media videos need to be filmed distinctly because the formats for publishing vary by program. Ever tried to email a bunch of photos to your BFF only to receive the "your files are larger than 25mb" error? Or send a video from your iPhone to someone's Android gadget just for them to complain the quality is grainy in addition to weird looking? Or have you tried and failed to convert a landscape video (sideways) to portrait (how most of us hold our phones)? It's kinda like that. Not to mention it takes ~2 minutes to very quickly walk through any house but you can't post more than 60 seconds high definition video on most platforms. Premium REP teams already know how to create perfect telegenic content for you.
Image by Studio Vos
Property websites. Would you expect the average photographer to host a website for you? Seems an unusual request? Not for premium REPs. Every shoot we do comes with 4 website options. You can always access/receive your snapshots via our Members Portal on the website -- and now on our app! You also get a link to post on MLS because our 3D tours, videos, or sheer number of photos will sometimes exceed their hosting capacity. As a two-part bonus this lets you post the link individually on say, your very popular personal social media page, or take advantage of website analytics to track where your leads (clicks) are coming from. Finally, we can create a custom web address for your VIP properties. Imagine selling the home at 7902 Richmond Ave in Houston and being able to direct interested parties to 7902Richmond.com. Super swanky.
Image by Studio Vos
Scheduling and turnaround. What's more important than great photography? Booking time and receiving the finished product ASAP! Real estate moves quickly, so being stuck waiting for photographers or weeks to have photos returned is an absolute dealbreaker (looking at you, realty offices with a single in-house cameraman). Our online reservation calendar lets you control your own time. We guarantee 24 hour delivery on all products so you don't need to worry about where we are in post development.
What makes Studio Vos stand out?
Ummm where you reading the parts above? Kidding. In addition to the assistance already listed, we offer $$$ saving bundles for almost every need. After 10 years in business we have a pretttttty good handle on understanding what agents are looking for in REP media. Of course, you can always create your own bespoke packages with our a la carte postings. We even empower you with our custom drag-and-drop flyer design tool for free. If you've ever wanted to create a smooth social media post or spice up your open house packet, this is the solution. You can make full size postable/printable fliers like this in minutes.
Image by Studio Vos
Image by Studio Vos
Image by Studio Vos
Be honest, you're impressed, right? Well, the advantages don't end there! After a decade of cultivating relationships with the agents we work with, we're confident in matching FSBOs with an agent in their area, for free! We've also evolved over time to do serve the agents we work with. Two out-of-the-box examples are film castings and cosplay. We know a lot agents have not-so-secret desires to do a bit of modeling or show business work. We recorded a casting for one person who used it to land a Netflix gig. Another person used our photos to secure a magazine deal for her cosplay.
Why do all this? Our commitment to community means when you hire Studio Vos, there's no reason to go anywhere else, ever, for any of your photo/videography needs.
The stuff they don't talk about and hope you won't ask
Insurance. Trick question. Who needs it? Every professional you invite into your home! What if a strong wind suddenly blows an active drone to your car? Or an interior drone's controller battery dies and smashes your TV? Have no fears if Studio Vos is near! We have a multimillion dollar plan to cover accidents.
Federal Aviation Administration exempt certificates. Who needs em? Anyone flying a drone for commercial purposes. Does that stop most people, though? Have you ever thought to ask for someone's FAA qualifications? Did you know that's a legal requirement? Think it's easy? Try listening to just 5 minutes of this part 107 sUAS study guide then answer again.
Availability. How many homes do you think a single artist of the lens can handle per week? How many videos? Do they work weekdays plus weekends? Add in the time it takes for editing (hours per shoot) and you've got a packed schedule which can push booking times out for months.
What if I have questions? Will the same person who picked up the phone for your initial order, who did the shoot and editing, be around to help with extra questions when you need them? Honestly, I don't see how anyone has that many hours in the day. We have a full time assistant who busts her tail every day making sure last minute appointments are kept and clients get updates via text message. Shoutout to Dayna -- we couldn't thrive without her!
We know you have a choice
Nobody at Studio Vos will tell you there's nothing left to learn. Nor will we badmouth any other photographer/company. We're constantly trying our best to grow to become the best fit for our clients. That's why we go beyond normal measures. We truly hope that one day you'll give us the chance to show you firsthand what separates us from the rest. In the meantime, check out last week's #StudioVosPOTW for more visual proof of concept.
Pro tips, props, problems?
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