10 Essentials for Photographing Exterior Spaces
If the interior of a property is the heart of a home, the exterior is the handshake. It’s the very first thing a person sees, and in the world of high-end real estate and architectural design, you’ve only got a split second to make that connection. Shooting the outside of a structure isn't just about pointing a lens at a building; it’s about timing the sun, understanding the environment, and capturing a mood that makes someone want to pull into the driveway before they’ve even seen the kitchen.
1. Scouting the Solar Path
The sun is your best friend or your worst enemy in exterior shooting. Before we ever set up a tripod, we use tracking apps to see exactly where the sun will be at every hour of the day. You generally want the sun at your back, illuminating the face of the property rather than silhouetting it. Understanding which way a house faces, whether you’re going for a bright morning shot or a warm afternoon glow, dictates the entire schedule of the shoot to ensure the property looks vibrant and welcoming.
2. The Magic of Artisan Twilight
There’s a reason we put such an emphasis on our artisan twilight photography. Just as the sun dips below the horizon, the sky turns a deep, painterly blue that perfectly contrasts with the warm glow of the home’s interior lights. It’s a short window of time, but it creates a high-end, "dream home" vibe that is statistically proven to stop the scroll on listing sites. These aren't just snapshots; they are meticulously crafted images that make the property look like a piece of fine art. If you stop to watch the process, you’ll catch Nate running around like a madman carrying a 15 foot boom with a strobe on it, lighting every aspect of the facade and gardens. Shooting in the dead of winter? No matter– he’ll be in his t-shirt by the end of the shoot. It’s a workout on its own!
3. Curb Appeal Grooming
Just like we declutter the inside, we have to do the same to the outside. This means moving trash cans, hosing down dusty driveways to create a clean look, and ensuring the lawn is clear of stray garden equipment or kid’s toys. We’re looking for a pristine, "just finished" appearance. If the driveway is wet, it can reflect the sky and the home’s lights, adding an extra layer of depth and polish that you just don't get with dry concrete.
4. Composition and Leading Lines
A good exterior shot should pull you toward the front door. We look for "leading lines" like a winding walkway, a row of boxwoods, or even the line of the driveway, that guide the viewer’s eye naturally into the frame. Positioning the camera to highlight these paths makes the property feel accessible and inviting. It’s about more than just seeing the house; it’s about feeling like you’re already walking up to it.
5. Managing Perspective Distortion
When you're shooting a tall building from the ground, the top often looks like it's leaning backward. This is called” keystone distortion," and it’s a big no-no in professional architectural work. Our brain corrects for this effect when we’re looking with just our eyes, but it’s readily noticeable in-camera. To correct for this, we use specialized techniques, either through lens choice or careful camera leveling, to keep the corners of the structure perfectly straight. Keeping those vertical lines true ensures the home looks solid and structurally sound.
6. The Blue Hour Balance
During a twilight session, the biggest challenge is balancing the cool light of the sky with the warm light coming from the windows. If the inside lights are too bright, the windows look like white rectangles; if they're too dim, the house looks abandoned. We often blend multiple exposures– one for the sky and several for different light levels in and around the house, to create a final image where every room looks warm and inviting while the sky retains its rich natural tones.
7. Landscaping and Environment
The house doesn't exist in a vacuum. We make sure to capture the surrounding environment, whether that’s the mature oak trees in the yard or the way the house sits on its acreage. For properties with significant land, we’ll often bring in a drone pilot for shots of the lot, as well as capture acreage detail shots to show the scale and unique aspects of the property. Highlighting the landscaping helps the buyer understand the privacy and the vibe of the neighborhood, which is a huge part of the property's value.
8. Dealing with Bad Weather
While we love a sunny day, sometimes the clouds move in. For commercial work, we usually stick to our rule: Sunny Days Only, but we’ve learned how to make an overcast day work for us if we have to. Soft, flat light can actually be great for showing off colors without harsh shadows. However, we always offer free weather rescheduling because we know that premium look our clients expect almost always requires that perfect light.
9. Elevating the Angle
Sometimes the best view of a house isn't from eye level. Raising the camera up, whether using a tall tripod or lately with a drone, can reveal architectural details like rooflines, hidden courtyards, or the layout of a backyard pool that you’d miss from the street. An elevated perspective gives a "master of the domain" feel to the image, providing a comprehensive look at the entire footprint of the property.
10. Post-Processing for Impact
The RAW files from an exterior shoot are just the starting point. Our editors spend a lot of time painting with light in post-production, like enhancing the glow of a porch light, pulling detail out of a dark hedge, or cleaning up a patch of brown grass. This level of high-end retouching ensures that the final deliverable is print-ready for a luxury publication or a developer’s portfolio, looking every bit as good as it did in our minds during the shoot.
Think you’re ready to make the move into Metarch quality? Whether you’re in need of photography services or if you’d like to just learn more about the process, we’re always here to assist, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!