The Difference Real Estate Image Color Correction Makes

The Difference Real Estate Image Color Correction Makes

If we take a look at how most products are sold, there is a science behind the positioning or the presentation that prompts us to just go for it. Ever notice how some products on supermarket shelves are positioned at eye level? Or why some ads jock for position during certain hours of the evening due to high viewership? These are just some examples of how the message is communicated across effectively to people, so the product is visible enough to be purchased. Things are no different for the real estate business. Some listings gain more foot traffic than others simply because they are well advertised. Some might even have a trustworthy reputation that people talk about them often enough to get the word out quickly. Whatever the case might be every listing starts out on the same footing. Pretty pictures, accommodating realtors, or even competitive prices. Among all of these, it is the photos that make the first point of contact with the viewer before any realtor or inquiry is done.

Digging deeper, we may think that the aesthetics alone are enough to make people fall in love with the property at first sight. This is not the case. Colors have been known to incite certain emotions from people which range from positive to negative sentiments. Gloomy and shadowy photos tend to lean on the undesirable end as they elicit negativity while bright and vibrant photos lean to the positive end. Being conscious of such impacts colors have implications in real estate image color correction and how to emphasize certain colors. Professionals or experts specializing in image color correction service can be tapped to ensure that you are getting your photos presented pleasantly.

What Impact Does Color Have?

Colors are powerful as they may bring out several feelings within people. These feelings may be part of experiences associated with general perceptions of color making it subject to interpretation in very specific groups. However, there is an overarching approach to color perception where the spectrums are categorized into warm, aggressive, happy, sad, settling, or disruptive.

Warm and happy colors are associated with the hues of red, yellow, or a mixture of both. It can be represented by sunlight in real estate contexts. This means that real estate image color correction must always consider producing exterior photos with sunny days because overcast or rainy days emit a bluishtone which work on the opposite end of the spectrum called sadness. You would always want to associate happy feelings with potential buyers to draw them in closer to purchasing.

The Concept of Basic Color Correction

Whether you choose to do the realty editor or decide that a professional image color correction service can do it for you, the process of real estate image color correction should cover these basic steps in order to produce an image that balances the colors and ultimately brings out the happiness within it.

  • Sky replacement – Undoubtedly, sky corrections are a must and there are a variety of tools at your disposal to make this happen. To name a few, the clone stamp tool or the dodge tool to a certain extent will be helpful. Most software even provides built-in sky replacement toolbars that comes complete with adjusting the brightness and temperature visually.
  • HDR stacking and blending – If you can take HDR photos, then this may have just made things a little more convenient. HDR photos take a whole new range of dark to light photos by automatically adjusting exposures. Real estate image correction will be a breeze since stacking together the photo and cutting out the unwanted portions to retain the bright and visible parts will already prep your image for final retouching.
  • Watch out for color casts – Color casts make the entire photo look stained. An unwanted and unwarranted color can take over and make it seem like the foreground has been shone by colored lights. The Photo Filter tool available in popular editing software can help solve this problem by putting a layer on top that will neutralize the unwanted hue. This is also a watch out for photos coming from image color correction service as bulk processing can miss out on certain pictures.
  • Manage the interior lighting – Artificial light is the easiest to control, given that the levels of illumination can be adjusted. If there is not enough natural light from windows inside rooms, expect to use the ceiling lights or even the light stands from your own studio.
  • Utilizing your flash and bouncing it off – Getting a light source from your camera’s flash can do wonders when used properly. Bounce off the flash at an angle to the ceiling to direct the rebound of light on the way down. This way, shadows are not produced or any shadows coming from other light sources will be negated. Minor shadows that cannot be completely removed can be eliminated through image color correction. There are available tools that work with small, localized areas of interest and these are the ones you need to use. Other techniques might consider the use of copying a part of a wall to mimic it and place it over the part where a shadow is present to create an impression of the same color.

When to Consider Color Correction Services?

Doing the editing yourself is always a preferred choice. However, try and assess for yourself if there are projects that are tight in deadlines that an image color correction service will be helpful. Most services will already provide the entire package from enhancement to retouching to help meet your deadlines. Always try to make sure though, that the final product is within your specifications and covers the basics of color correction.

Conclusion

The science behind why we do things drives us to conduct things the way we do. It is interesting how in photos, color is associated with people’s emotions and getting the right ones into the image may just be the difference maker. Real estate image color correction is nothing short of a must if you want these photos to speak to your customers positively. Lastly, always consider your options in turning your photos into winners. Light is available from different sources and creativity definitely drives the nail on the head.

 

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