Photography isn’t just for Realtors

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I love photography and I don’t think that will ever change.  In the last year I have learned a ton about photography. I have gotten to hang out with sports photographers and  journalists and an assortment of free lance photographers who travel and shoot for profit.

While covering a local sports event I learned that sports photography is a contact sport and the biggest photographer with the biggest lens gets the best shot.  They pretty much just shove small woman with little lenses out of the way.  I also learned that having a media pass is the best way to get a front row seat which pretty much trumps a big lens. My real estate background taught me the importance of location, location, location and it seems to apply to both sports and event photography.

The photographers that work for the media and cover the music beat are a little less aggressive than sports photographers but sometimes being in the pit in front of the stage brings out their inner sports photographer.  They are simply amazing the way they can take 100 shots in a short period of time, edit them and send them all to the editor from a media tent.  Just watching them in action is an experience.  Journalists don’t get to spend hours processing and tweaking a photo they need to get it right when they shoot it and the longer it is on a camera card or computer the less valuable it becomes.

Then there are the amateur photographers who are quick to tell me that they spend more on their lens caps than I spend on cameras.  Being able to spend money seems to be a big part of what it takes to be a great photographer and of course the ability to follow rules.  I get how rules can take the place of creativity in a pinch.  Real photographers, at least the kind without real estate licenses photograph weddings which is why I will never be a real photographer because I am not a people person and no bride would want me bossing her around at her own wedding.

Photography really isn’t just for Realtors but persons with a real estate license and a few thousand dollars can become photographers.  The most expensive cameras  are Hasselblad cameras and some of them cost more than 40K.  I am pretty sure that a 40K camera takes great pictures.  For agents who are on a budget I recommend the following equipment:

Canon 5D Mark lll – $3,500 that is just for the body and you will need a wide angle lens.  I recommend L series lenses that is what the pros use.  Try a Super Wide Angle EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus Lens. The lens will cost around 2,400.

Never underestimate the importance of a sturdy but light weight tripod.  Consider the Gitzo, for a mear $1,299.90 you can own the worlds sturdiest most accurate tri-pod. Made of Carbon Fiber and weighing in just at 7.5 lbs. the Gitzo Giant Tripod is versatile, durable and most importantly really expensive.

Please don’t forget to buy a copy of Photoshop.  I recommend the extended version for about a thousand dollars and if you want to get the most out of it plan on taking a lot of classes and you may need to take them more than once and you won’t get continuing education credits for them and they can be expensive but it sure beats paying a pro to take pictures.

If you are serious about interior photography consider purchasing speed lights and some strobes and a few umbrellas may come in handy.

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