Is Blue Sky Editing Effective in Real Estate Images

Is Blue Sky Editing Effective in Real Estate Images

Attracting people to a real estate property begins with a connection of the property’s exterior and its surroundings. The first point of contact will normally be the home and the landscape and sky immediately follow which provides the overall mood of the photo. Having said this, a barren lawn or a gloomy sky altogether just turns off the viewing experience for people looking at real estate listings because apart from the structure, there are no other areas of interest in the image. If this isn’t enough to convince you, more than 7 out of every 10 viewers of real estate listings tend to look further into a listing with a clear blue sky. Studies also show that bright images bring optimism in people, leading them to make decisions in a context of happiness. Imagine what the power of the weather can do and how real estate photo enhancement can change all that.

A photographer’s job is to make each photo look its best and let it emit an inviting aura. Note that every photo shoot will come with a 100% cooperative sunny weather. Sometimes you have to work with an overcast or a gloomy sky. On a number of occasions, there might not be enough time to wait for the sun to come out because schedule dictates you have to be somewhere for another photo shoot during the day. Whatever the case might be, barrelling through the conditions and taking those photos is a must. Even HDR photos will be of great advantage later on, contributing to a range of different lighting and exposures to give you options to choose from. Blue sky photo editing will help you save the day later as you make your magic happen in front of the computer.

How to Achieve Blue Skies in Pictures?

Real estate image editing considers the entire image to be enhanced. This is because a realistic portrayal of a sunny day reflects the sunlight on the home, and on the ground. In this regard, sky replacement, brightening, and retouching on the landscape may prove to be just some of the essentials of real estate photo enhancement with focus on blue skies.

  • Making skies look bluer through the brush tool – The brush tool available in Photoshop and equivalently in other software provides a means to retouch on the color of a selected area. To ensure that the change in color happens within the bounds of the desired section, an Auto mask tool might also be helpful in limiting the editable area. Real estate photo enhancement must depict an accurate representation of the photo, hence the discoloration of any other elements apart from the sky will be noticeably by viewers.
  • Pre-existing filters – The easiest way to perform blue sky photo editing is to look for preset filters in the editing software. Note that filters are not localized changes and affect the entire photo. Be careful when selecting filters because it has to balance the entire photo, avoiding any deep contrasts in parts of the image. Also, do not fall into the trap of selecting a filter to fit a bright sunny sky but leaves a dull and dark color for the home. After all, real estate image editing is an overall approach to ensure the photo stays realistic.
  • Sky replacement options – Believe it or not, software like Photoshop comes with a sky replacement module complete with a set of tools. This makes real estate image editing all the more convenient as this can be the go-to option. You can select to fade certain parts of the image, or blend together the sky with the foreground seamlessly.
  • Cloning the sky – Another option is to clone the sky with Photoshop’s clone stamp tool. The principle behind the tool is evident in its name, as it copies an existing part of any image and brings it over to the photo you are editing. The reality behind real estate image editing is the sky is not a permanent fixture and is not legally bound to be represented accurately to the time of the photo shoot. Therefore, if you have any stock photo that has a bright sunny sky, the clone stamp tool may be your weapon of choice.
  • Outsourcing the editing – Most photography businesses nowadays operate independently either as photographers or realty editor. The latter may be a specialized service in real estate photo enhancement with a guaranteed lead time and quality because they most likely have a group of people working on the same project simultaneously.

Advantages of Editing Blue Skies

Blue sky photo editing has its perks, and when you realize that software editing can do the job without compromising your photo shoot schedule just to wait for that sky to clear up, the results can be huge. Take for instance a day scheduled with several shoots for different clients. The reality is the next client won’t wait for you while you are waiting for a sunny day on your current shoot. Take the angles and photos you need and skip on to the next one. The assurance you must bring is the editing skills you have to ensure them that the photos will come out bright and sunny.

Along the lines of assurance, your reputation can skyrocket if you are able to impress your clients. You will come across as reliable, dependable, and highly skilled since you are able to work with conditions working against your favor. There is a notion that knowing how to play around with light is a sign that a photographer has mastered his craft and understand how photos speak to people.

Conclusion

There is no questioning the impact a sunny day brings in real estate photos. The amount of people drawn in proves that warm and vibrant real estate photos trumps the lifeless images that do not incite emotions. To be honest, there are also little to no photos of real estate that depicts gloomy days because it will not move the property in the listing.

Elements of sky replacement in real estate editing, as a foundational skill, will surely be something photographers need to learn whether seasoned or starting out. The implications of having this skill means you are flexible and willing to take on projects with the assurance of top-notch quality. With this at hand the bookings may come in faster than you could imagine.

 

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