How to Improve Real Estate 360 Virtual Tour Images?

How to Improve Real Estate 360 Virtual Tour Images?

360 virtual tours are starting to make noise in the real estate industry. These up-and-coming photos are making their rounds on most listings, websites, and social media. This demand may have risen due to the lockdown restrictions and more stringent rules on movement throughout the last 12 months and have since augmented the need to have enhanced real estate photos. Real estate 360 virtual tour images present a unique opportunity for prospective home buyers to jump into the photos and gain control of the view. It gives an additional flare to the already existing presence of realty editor enhanced images and it furthers the experience when looking to buy a property.

Photographers are now starting to get into the trend of real estate 360 virtual tours. More advanced devices have built-in and easy-to-use features to produce stunning 360 virtual tour images. Some even use current technology such as panoramic photos to ride the wave of virtual tour images. There are even top cameras which offer over-the-top accessories which allow you to take a complete 360-degree photo on all axes (X, Y, and Z) so that viewers can have a genuinely immersive experience. Having said all these, real estate 360 virtual tours continue to rise and has become one of the new skills photographers must learn and offer to their clients.

What is a Virtual Tour?

A virtual tour, in the simplest sense, is giving someone an interactive tour of a place through digital means. This gives people the opportunity to stand in a location within a property and have the control within their hands to change the perspective of the photo. 360 virtual tours are an iteration where people can literally turn their screens or move the photo with their fingers on the screen to scour each corner of the property. Virtual tours can be likened to what most people call virtual reality or augmented reality devices. These work similarly in such a way that having the screen in front of you is enough to see the entire room by just moving around as if you are standing right smack in the middle of it.

Top Tips to Improve your Virtual Tour Images

There are of course dos and don’ts in taking and enhancing 360 virtual tour images. Real estate 360 virtual tours are just as relevant and sensitive as enhanced stills, so making sure that the needed checks are made and done so these photos will shine the brightest.

  1. Real estate 360 virtual tour images need to be clean – When talks of cleanliness are in gear, the subject is very broad. But think about cleanliness as properties being spotless. 360 virtual tours are normally useful for interiors and this is why these spaces must be decluttered. It should only contain the essentials such as furniture and fixtures since the entire room is now exposed and available for the prospective buyer to see. Another watch out is making sure ceilings and walls are perfect. Cracks that may appear on real estate 360 virtual tour images may potentially damage reputations and impressions. Editing these out and informing your real estate client to have them repaired is tantamount to getting that sale sealed.
  2. Include a street view – The surrounding area plays a role that is as big as the property. People would want to know the neighborhood they are hoping to move into and real estate 360 virtual tour images should be keen to include nearby locations within the 360 degree photo. On top of that, edit the sky to look consistent and make sure it represents a bright and sunny day. One of the dangers of having an inconsistent sky throughout the 360 view of the street is having it look like it was stitched together. Never have one side with a sunny day and a gloomy one on the other.
  3. Find the right vantage point – With 360 virtual tour images, it is easy to get excited and shoot without thinking which is the most strategic point to take the photo. Shooting from the center may sound like you are using your common sense but what if you are in the dining room with the dining table right in the center of the room. Finding the right vantage point while making sure there is ample light will help you edit them easier later on.
  4. Have a watchful eye out for mirrors – Shooting at a very wide angle with mirrors in the room means it is inevitable that you and your camera will appear in the reflection. Looking out for these and wiping yourself out of the photo will surely make the photo look pristine. Have a go with the clone stamp tool or healing brush tool and assess the effectiveness of removing your reflection from the photo.
  5. Edit a floor plan so your viewers know where the photo is located in the property – A small touch that goes a long way is a floor plan etched on the side where viewers can understand where the room is located. Providing a floor plan with real estate 360 virtual tour images can guide your viewer where they are and where they want to go next. The beauty of it is it doesn’t have to be very elaborate, but it will give a sense of direction to your viewer. The experience will also be much more immersive as they are able to navigate the home and piece it together in their mind to help them make an informed decision to purchase it or not.

Conclusion

Real estate 360 virtual tour images are here to stay. In fact, they are becoming more and more popular that image enhancement has taken a new realm on exploring this mode of showcasing properties. Being the professional photographer that you are, your skill bounds have just been expanded in the world of real estate photography. Providing your clients the option of a 360 virtual tour along with complementing enhanced still shots will surely help you break into the next tier of reliability and creativeness. So, why stop there? Continue to hone with the trends of this new age and find yourself making an even bigger career in photography than you have ever imagined.

 

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