Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check

I've done it myself; taken what I thought were great listing pictures and used them for my online MLS listing. My clients thought they were fine and I thought they were just fine, until I started working as a buyer's agent in Seattle a few years back.

I worked with over 40 different buyers a week and everyday I'd hear, "Did you see those listing pictures? There's no way we want to see that house, it's a dump! Does the listing agent know how bad they are?" Obviously, the listing agent didn't spend anything on real estate photography.

My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to get in to see the home that afternoon. We'd step inside and they'd wonder if it was the same home they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures were nothing like the real home. (but at least the listing agent got buyers walking through the house).

It all came down to the listing pictures they saw online. That's essential marketing for listings! Give buyers a great picture and they'll jump inside the house that day. Give them a "do-it-yourself" picture and they'll move onto the next home. The listing pictures make the difference, especially when you spend a few bucks on professional real estate photography!

Even when the listing pictures were better than the actual house, guess what? It still got the buyers inside! That's your goal as a listing agent; get as many showings as possible. Professional real estate photography makes that happen.

With upwards of 80%+ of buyers looking online now, the listing photos are the first thing they're looking at and basing their initial impressions on.

How much money in lost commissions do you think you're missing because you won't spend a couple hundred bucks for professional real estate photography?

If you did spend the well invested marketing dollars on some professional real estate photography.......

1. You could have more satisfied clients because the home sold faster.


2. You could have made more cash because you didn't have to drop the sales price when the listing became stale on the market.


3. You could look like a top producer in the area because of the quicker sales, better looking listings and more satisfied clients. Your overall image is enhanced, big time!

Isn't it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Anytime you realize how one issue affects your net profits, that'll make you perk up, right?

Now don't give me the excuse that it's too expensive because it's not. Look at it as a marketing and advertising expense because that's exactly what it is. And real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing dollars on.

You have a couple options........

You could grab a professional in real estate photography in your local area and offer them $50-$200 to come to your listing and take some fabulous photos. Make sure they're top notch, have all the right equipment and understand the goal of these photos. You don't want to pay for real estate photography that's no better than your own.

Your other option is to go with a company like Vicaso.com who does real estate photography exclusively. Their business is listing photos for real estate agents!

You can schedule your photo shoot on their website, pay about $200 or so and get the most captivating listing photos you'll ever see. Even if you have a crack house listed for sale, their real estate photography will make it look like a palace.

I'm telling you; don't skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent $200 on professional real estate photography and got back another $20,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn't that be worth it? You betcha!

Options For Online Journalism Courses

Many non-traditional and working students are unable to actually attend university and college classes due to other commitments that they might have. These students will certainly benefit from the general flexibility of online learning, and it is possible to find online journalism courses that can lead you into a career in journalism without actually having to attend college on a regular basis.

The University of Missouri is one of the colleges that will offer an online journalism course which is accredited by the Council on education in journalism and Mass Communications. Any student wishing to pursue this course must choose between strategic to medications and media management. Students are able to login and a few lectures whenever they please, but must complete the 37 credit hours in media and communication courses.

The University of Memphis also offers both graduate and undergraduate journalism courses. Students who are taking the undergraduate programme need to take 120 hours of general studies and core journalism course studies. Students on the graduate program will have the choice between three different options, all of which involve live streaming on courses with professors.

The University of Massachusetts offers a BA with journalism concentration. This course offers those with a little bit of journalistic experience to receive credit reductions. In addition, it is possible to transfer up to 75 credit hours from coursework that has been done at other universities to this specific course. The program is four years long, and offers complete flexibility with the workload.

As such, it is certainly possible to engage in online courses in journalism at a number of different in situations throughout the country. If you find yourself in a position where you have other obligations that you have to meet, then certainly these options might well provide you with the necessary learning you require to pursue you intended career.

Use Green Screen to Create Fantasy Photography

Fantasy photography using green screen is one of the ways that my small photography studio has gained more and more in popularity in the last 6 months. Green screening, also known as chroma keying, is often the perfect edge that a small studio can use to blow his competition out of the way. I have noticed that the large studios do not even bother thinking about that useful and innovative tool. While I in my small studio, only by using that amazing tool, could bring something new and fresh to the business. If you want to take your business a step further and separate it from the photography crowd, specializing in the fantasy photography niche is one of the possibilities.

In regard to fantasy photography, we can talk about three main niches: role playing, science fiction and fairy tales. Science fiction is the most popular and it suites all ages from children to adults. In that niche, the more obvious is the genre of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek". You can find in just a few minutes thousands of cost-players who will be happy to put on a costume, whenever they can and have their picture taken. You can get amazing ideas from your customers about the scene and the back ground they would like to be in.

Another fantasy photography niche includes the role playing games "Dungeons And Dragons" and stories such as the "Lord Of The Rings", for example. It is going to be a lot of fun taking these types of pictures, shoot your client wearing different costumes in front of the green screen, holding the weapon of their choice in. Then, use digital backgrounds such as stunning nature scenes and old castles.

Fairy tales are the third category for fantasy niches. You will be surprised to know that there is a large group of people that enjoy and love these types of pictures. Not only small children and their mothers like fairy tale photos, female high school seniors also do. To ensure you provide them with instant magic and joyful memories, I would consider taking their pictures in mystical landscape wearing their prom dress.

To achieve a fairy tale scenario pick for your Clint custom any gentle creature and place them in mystical landscapes that give a sense of mystery.

Anime and video game are another niche that can also fit as a fantasy photography. To find inspiring locations look into Japanese and Chinese pictures.

While using green screen for your fantasy photography it does not matter how strange or outlandish the costume may be, and what kind of background you have chosen. Positioning your client in the picture that will look believable to the client, will be the last and most important and you will have repeated business for years to come.

How Does the Canon Rebel T4i Compare With the Nikon D5200?

With Canon and Nikon both fighting for the entry-level market, they have both launched movie friendly DSLRs to tempt enthusiast and professional videographers. Despite the two cameras coming from different manufacturers, they have a lot in common. They are both useful upgrades to current cameras (the D5100 and the Canon T3i), and are designed to consolidate their markets by extending into movie making, which both Canon and Nikon recognize as potential areas for growth. It is clear that Nikon and Canon are treating the entry-level market as a major battleground, particularly in the USA.

The Canon T4i doesn't feel quite so robust as the D5200, but it is solid enough for day-to-day use. It is a bit bigger than the D5200 though, and so easier for anyone with average sized hands to hold. The scroll-wheel clicks reassuringly as it turns and the rear buttons are responsive. The layout at the back on the Canon T4i is well set out and has more buttons, making delving into the menu settings a lot quicker and easier. Some are multi-functional, which can take a little thought. For example, the same button that starts recording video in movie mode also enables live view in a still shooting mode. The slight downside of this is that some of the buttons are also very close together. However, the Canon T4i does have a dedicated ISO button, and quick access to white balance, drive mode, and AF settings (the D5200 doesn't have any of these). There is an IR sensor on the front of the camera, but no Fn button as there isn't really a need for it.

Both cameras have an articulated LCD screen. The Canon T4i has a noticeably higher resolution than that of the D5200. The Canon's LCD has 1040 thousand dots, while the D5200 has 921 thousand. One of the Canon T4i's best-selling points is that the LCD is a touchscreen. This makes it much easier to configure settings and, more importantly, it lets you select a focus point through live view. You can also take your picture by tapping on the location where you want the camera to focus. These are very innovative and useful features, taken from the Compact System Camera (CSC) ranges that are out now. It is great to this technology being adopted by the Canon T4i as it makes it far more useable than any other camera in its bracket.

The Canon's phase detect AutoFocus system is extremely fast. Whilst it has only 9-point Auto Focus system, against the 39-points of the D5200, it is both fast and accurate for general-purpose shooting. The Canon T4i doesn't have a dedicated AF assist light, but it can use its built-in flash in these circumstances. The T4i supports full-time autofocus in video mode, which matches the D5200 and, with Canon's STM lenses, the focussing is quiet enough for shooting video. It also has an external Mic socket. It is fair to say that the Canon Rebel T4i is probably the batter camera for shooting video. The articulated screen, full-time AutoFocus, and external Mic make it ideal for your everyday video needs.

The Nikon D5200 is a very compact camera and smaller than it's predecessor, the D5100. This could cause problems with those of us with big (average!) hands. It doesn't always feel like a proper DSLR, especially when carrying a larger lens. Although it doesn't match the build quality of the magnesium alloy D700, the toughened plastic body feels reasonably solid and sturdy. The layout at the back is easy to navigate with an array of buttons to make access to the various functions straightforward. Live view is easily accessible and video recording can be initiated with a press of a single button. It has just one control wheel which is snappy and responsive. There is an IR port on the front of the camera and also a dedicated AF assist light, which the Canon T4i doesn't have. On the right side there is a customizable Fn button which can be used to control image quality, ISO, active-D lighting, or white balance (there are no dedicated single buttons for these options). The pop-up flash automatic in green mode, meaning that the flash will pop up on its own if the camera thinks it is needed.

The LCD screen is inherited from the D5100, where it was hugely popular. Like with the canon T4i, it is very useful for shooting at different angles and is particularly useful when shooting video. The help menus are good and make the Nikon D5200 quite novice friendly. The display rotates with the camera, meaning that text on the status screen won't appear sideways when you're shooting portraits. The playback mode is quick and efficient you won't need to wait for images to load. And there is a comprehensive info screen which lets you control just about every shooting parameter that the camera has to offer. However the four-way selector is not as easy to use as the one on the Canon. The Nikon D5200 doesn't have as many external buttons as the Canon T4i, Making some of the menu choices hared to get to. The new(ish) Expeed 3 processor makes the Nikon fast and decisive in phase detect AutoFocus and extremely fast in Live View. The D5200's articulating screen comes in handy for shooting video, and Nikon have increased the number of frame rate options, introducing 60i and 50i. Like the Canon T4i, it will accept an external microphone and has full-time video AutoFocus.

At low very ISO, the Canon T4i matches the Nikon, though the D5200 is slightly better at maximum (non-expanded) ISO. Overall, the Nikon delivers slightly better image quality than the Canon. Remember, the Canon T4i also has a physically smaller sensor than the D5200. It may not seem like much, but 1.6x rather than 1.5x combined with the increased resolution puts the Nikon D5200 ahead. For more information on the sensors, take a look at the sensor scores published by DxO labs.

In short, the Canon Rebel T4i has great AutoFocus, a great articulated touchscreen and is a really superb video camera. The Nikon D5200 has excellent, fast AutoFocus, a good articulated screen, a great buffer/processor and very useful in-camera guides.

I think if you had no lens loyalty either way, the Canon T4i would be the better camera to get. The difference in image quality is hardly noticeable under normal conditions and the canon certainly matches the D5200 on the video front. Whilst both cameras are excellent in their own ways, the Nikon D5200 costs more than the small improvements over the canon T4i would warrant.

Mastering Digital Photography - How And When To Change The ISO Settings On Your Camera

Photography can be viewed both as a simple subject and a confusing subject, but it all depends on how much you are willing to learn and how far you want to push your skills.? Mastering digital photography doesn't have to be tough, but it does take a little persistence and it will pay off big time with the results you can get.

When shooting various types of photography, particularly digital sports photography, you should make use of functions such as film speed / sensor sensitivity, commonly known as ISO (or ASA for film).? Most digital cameras have the ability to change the sensitivity and it can come by various different ways, whether you have a ISO button on your camera or have to use the menu to locate the settings (consult your camera user manual).? Many automatic settings make use of the ISO but you do not realise it is happening, so by taking manual control you can get the camera to help you achieve the results you want.

To freeze the action with digital sports photography, shooting with a high ISO is often essential, particularly in low light or if shooting with a long telephoto lense.

Newer digital SLR cameras now have extremely advanced processing capabilities and if you shoot at a very high ISO you can often see grain on the photo (much like a poor quality analogue TV signal).? Where as with the high quality camera processing of today, this is not noticable in most instances.

This offers great benefit to not just digital sports photography, where grain can be forgiven as it is far preferable to blur!? Say for example you are taking photos at a wedding, birthday or other event in the evening or indoors, you can take fantastically natural and high quality photos without the need for a flash, which can often give a un-natural look to your photos.

If you have a church near you, go and take some photos inside and you will be surprised at often how little light there is!? With a high ISO you get more natural skin tones, and very atmospheric photos where as you can lose a lot of that with a flash.

To change your ISO settings, you will need to use your menu / ISO button to navigate to the settings and you can change this from normally 100 or 200 to 1,000 upwards (sometimes even 3,200!).? The higher the number, the more grain but faster shutter speed you will get.? Don't just use extreme ends of the scale though, because you will get better results by learning what is effective and when for example if it is overcast consider shooting ISO 400 to ISO 800, or if shooting indoor hand held photos consider using ISO 1,200.

Now, you have heard the benefits of shooting with a high ISO but what about the other end of the scale?? Shooting with a low ISO...? Well, firstly with a low ISO it has the opposite effect which is a slower shutter speed.? With a low ISO (fine grain / low sensitivity) also comes very fine detail and the least amount of grain on the photo - perfect if you are shooting still life and want the best details, or need a longer shutter speed if you are using a tripod and want to blur out the running water flowing over a waterfall.

Mastering digital photography does involve a lot of experimentation however, so ensure you practice and don't expect great results the first time round.? There are hundreds of opportunities around you that you can make use of every day to improve your photography!

Here are just a few:

- Nearby river / stream
- Church or old buildings
- School sports day
- Local swimming pool / gym
- Flowers and insects in your garden

By playing around with the ISO settings you will get a natural feel and knack of what ISO you should shoot so when time is previous, you wont be wasting time by testing different settings.

I hope you make use of the under rated ISO settings and take some wonderful photos as a result of reading this article!

Disadvantages of Wide Angle Lenses in Landscape Photography

Wide angle lenses are a huge part of landscape and seascape photography and are used extensively within the field. They are extremely popular and quite often produce amazing results if used correctly. Just like any lens that is used in landscape and seascape photography it also has some disadvantages and limitations that you need to know about.

One of the big disadvantages of wide angle lenses is that when you are up close to an object, they tend to distort and stretch the subject out of proportion which is not a desirable effect. Unless of course you are actually trying to achieve that effect but most of us as landscape and seascape photographers aren't after that effect. It's easy to avoid this effect if you know about it, but if you aren't aware of it, it can catch you out by surprise.

Another disadvantage of wide angle lenses is that they are prone to vignetting and can often produce photos with soft edges. The entire photo may be sharp except for the edges, again this is an undesirable effect but it's easy to avoid. Your wide angle lens will be particularly prone to vignetting if you have a thick filter holder on it. You should always try and get a really thin filter holder so as to avoid the vignetting.

The last real disadvantage of a wide angle lens in landscape and seascape photography is that it has a very limited zoom. They are fantastic for taking close up photos of objects but are almost useless when trying to capture objects that are a fair distance away.

The advantages of a wide angle lens far outweigh their disadvantages but as with anything that you buy, you just need to be aware that there are some downsides to them. As with anything as long as you are aware of their limitations you should have absolutely no issues with them. They play an important part in landscape and seascape photography for good reason, they are such an effective lens and can capture so much information.

If you are looking to buy a wide angle lens, you shouldn't stress out too much about the disadvantages as the advantages far outweigh them. Go for it!

Make Extra Hobby Money Through Teaching - Three Secrets to Create Classes That Attract Students

Are you looking to put extra money in your pocket using skills you already have? Perhaps you are an avid photographer or you have mastered computer skills that others struggle to learn. Whatever your hobby or skill, there are potential students waiting to pay you for your skills, if you practice three secrets for creating unique classes.

There are many locations across the country that already offer classes on hobbies. If you review any adult education catalogue there certainly will be a beginning class on photography, computer skills along with other common hobby topics.

So how can you break into the business of teaching your hobby with in demand class topics? Simple - do not focus on the ordinary basic classes that are a dime a dozen. Focus on new innovative topics and your bank account will get a fresh infusion of cash from students. Here are three secrets that will help you offer classes that will attract students like bees to honey.

1. 
   Choose topics that help people solve problems. Many classes that exist today provide general skills but are not problem-solution oriented. Today, people are so crushed for time and have limited resources. Many potential students want quick experiences that enable them to address problems that improve the quality of their life or increase their job prospects.


2. 
   Choose advanced or specialized topics. As mentioned earlier, many educational programs offer only basic classes. You can help students continue to advance their skills to new levels of accomplishment.


3. 
   Mash two topics together. Which two topics could you put together to make a new class help students find new skills and markets? For example, a number of schools offer classes in using digital camcorders or YouTube. How about combining those two topics to create a new class such as Creating Content for YouTube?

There are a number of ways you can stay up to the moment on trends in your industry. Using Google Alerts to receive notifications about your industry and following leading experts and new products are great ways to stay informed about advancements in your field. Your library will also have professional and hobby journals, some of which may be online accessible as well. Stay fresh to stay in demand. In summary, you can make money teaching your hobby. Get started now by using these tips to create new classes that will fill your classroom with highly motivated, and most important, paying students.

Take action now by reading about even more little-known ways to create unique in demand classes. Visit the Teach Your Hobby site listed below now.