Real Estate Advice – How to get Great Realtor Portraits for your business card, LinkedIn, Web, etc
A great portrait is one that represents you, on your best day, to your clients. You want to come off as professional but also approachable and friendly. Easier said than done? Not so much. There’s a few simple rules to follow to get you great portraits that’ll get you great results and open doors.
Shoot with great equipment and in front a flattering backdrop. It sounds so obvious but I can’t tell you how many portraits I’ve seen where the person is shot in their kitchen, with unflattering lighting, and by a phone camera. It’s the cheapest way to get the job done but it hurts more than it helps. Light evenly and, if possible, shoot in front of a relatively spare background that brings out your eyes. Or, hire a professional. You’re in the right place! 🙂
Only shoot outside or in an office environment if you can control the lighting. Flourescent tube lighting is flattering. If you can get lighting from a big window or from LED or flash then great. If you are shooting in an office then be sure to get rid of the mess and find an area that photographs well.
Clothing options – Business, business casual, and maybe casual. You don’t need all of the shots to be a full suit. Think about your brand and the audience you are catering to. Would some prefer to work with a realtor who seems casual and friendly? Even if you are targeting a more upscale crowd it might benefit you to do some with a full suit and a few with the jacket off and sleeves rolled up.
You don’t have to smile, but it helps. Not everyone is comfortable with a full-toothed smile. At Abramovici Studios we help you out with that but some tricks include doing a half smile, closed mouthed smile, etc. If that fails a kind face and a motivation of being interested will help get that friendliness across.
Crop tight for web, LinkedIn, and business cards. If the image is going to show up small on a phone screen or business card then the viewer will want to be able to see your eyes. A full body will make you look distant and standoffish. Save those for the billboards. For small screens and cards it works well to crop the image just above the waist.
Hope this helps you out. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out and of course we would be happy to work with you on your portraits or video bios.
Here are a few examples of working real estate agents we have worked with:
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