Our lead photographer, Brett Osborne, takes a moment to share a few things that you MUST know to maximize the value of your photos.

#1 - Shoot with the sun to your back.

For exterior photographs, you must find the right time of day to shoot.  You want the sun to be your primary light source in order to virtually eliminate glare and underexposed images, giving you an overall image quality boost.  There are several apps that you can get to determine where the sun will be, such as LightTrac, but keeping in mind that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west will help you tremendously.  (If you always have trouble remembering that, it's ok.  Sophie does, too!)

Determine what direction your subject is facing and you can guesstimate fairly easily from there.  If it faces east, shoot in the early to mid-morning; if it faces south, shoot mid-morning to mid-afternoon; if it faces west, shoot in the early afternoon to sunset.  If your building faces north?  ...um, just call me at (704) 733-0189, LOL.  Generally this direction is best shot in the twilight hours, and that is another subject entirely!

#2 - For interiors, always, always, always use a tripod and never, ever, ever use on-camera flash.

Interior photos mean slower shutter speeds, therefore hand-holding these kinds of shots make for blurry images, which is why you use flash, right?  NO!!!  That's why you always use a tripod!!!  (You're paying attention, right?).  On-camera, pop-up, direct flash destroys a photo!  It makes them look amateur, washed out, and unevenly lit/exposed.  I am well aware that a bright window will make your photos look dark, and a dark room needs to look bright, but flash is NOT the answer, which leads us to Tip #3...

#3 - Shoot multiple exposures.

sun-city-gray-myst-6653 To get optimal photos you must know how to use your camera.  That's why manual mode is the best mode!  When you know how to shoot in manual mode you can change the settings on your camera to adjust for different conditions; such as interior spaces that are too dark or too bright, which will throw off ANY camera that is in automatic/program mode.  When you learn how to shoot multiple exposures you will be able to pick the best looking photograph from a broader selection of shots, thereby increasing your chances of taking the winning image.

BONUS TIP #4 - Hire Clear Sky Images to shoot all of your photography.

Why?  Because we will make you more money, guaranteed!  Your listings will get recognized faster; your portfolio will wow your potential clients, and you will be much more productive by not having to wear the hat of "photographer" among the many others I'm sure you're already wearing.

Thanks for stopping by.  If you found any of these tips helpful, take a moment and comment below, or preferably, write a review on our Google+ Page and Like us on Facebook to let us know what you thought.  We hope to hear from you soon and good luck out there!

Brett Osborne
Lead Photographer
Clear Sky Images
(704) 733-0189
[email protected]

Stay tuned for more tips from me, Brett Osborne, lead photographer at Clear Sky Images and be sure to write me if you have any questions or for more information on our services!