Many beginning bloggers have trouble narrowing down their blog to just one thing.  This is especially true of those of us in the real estate blogging world.  We write about local and national market conditions, seller and buyer issues, staging and renovating homes for sale,  improvements and financing.  But then many of us also add local “flavor” posts with information about local events, restaurants celebrities and more.  To top it off, some even write about niche specific things like local equestrian issues, tennis matches and car culture.

But there is a problem with that strategy… and the result is that many readers do exactly the opposite of what we think they will do.  The strategy is that readers surfing for niche info, local event info, restaurant info or any of the other things we are writing about, will be drawn in by our incredible prose… and feel compelled to buy a house, using us as their agent.

Image via Wikipedia

Instead, what often happens is that readers stumble onto the blog from a search, hopefully finding a post that meets the criteria of their search.  And then… a bunch of unrelated posts.  Maybe they are searching for information about 4th of July Fireworks shows in the area.  The chance that they are also looking for a home is pretty slim.  Or, if they ARE in  the housing market, they find your most brilliant market report EVER, and then while looking for more of that real estate information they are craving… all they can find is fluff about the new Smashburger that opened up.  Away they go.

The goal here isn’t to trash the strategy… on the contrary, we real estate professionals have a unique position in the community as its cheerleaders.  We meet a lot of people, and we generally work hard to be involved in the community.  It benefits our business, the community and ourselves as people.

The idea is to turn the strategy on its head.

Maybe instead of trying to make all of that into one “super blog”, instead we should split the effort out into a few different blogs.  Those multiple blogs can do something that the “super blog” can’t do… it can focus.  And several focused blogs will likely retain more readership than one over-reaching blog that completely lacks focus.

BLOG IDEAS (Photo credit: owenwbrown)

A few years ago I made a decision to split off all of my tech/social media writing from my real estate blog.  There was no discernible drop off in readership… and the tech blog picked up a few readers.  Last year, I split off all of my car posts from my real estate blog (my niche is car hobbyist properties… one could argue that the posts were relevant).  The result has actually been an increase in readership, along with a dramatic drop in the bounce rate.  At the same time, the car blog has built up a modest base of readership on its own.  Pushing it a step further, one of the biggest referral sources for my real estate site is the car blog.  And that is through a discreet ad in one corner of the car blog.

So, maybe a better way to incorporate the strategy is to have multiple blogs, each with its own focus, but each promoting the others, as appropriate.  In  short, give each reader exactly what they are looking for… and trim out the weeds distracting them from what they really want.  Also, give them a clear opportunity to make their way back to your “money-maker”.

Related articles

• Where Should You Blog?(lanebailey.info)

  ---

• Content Bank…(lanebailey.info)

  ---

• Wayback Wednesday… Why Hyperlocal Matters in the Real Estate Market(lanebailey.com)

  ---

Image via Wikipedia

This is the 3rd part of a series on taking better real estate pictures.  The series is intended for those that really want to produce high quality photographs of their listings, as opposed to just grabbing a few shots and dumping them on the MLS.

In Part I, we talked a little about the basics and the focus of the series (pun intended).  In Part II, we talked about a few options for get, ranging from under $1000 to REALLY expensive.  You don’t actually need to spend a grand to get great shots, but it doesn’t hurt.  Feel free to jump back and review.

Exposure Basics…

Exposure is broken down into several factors.  Each one affects the whole.

The first, and most basic is ISO (film speed/sensitivity).  This is a measure of how sensitive the sensor or film is to light.  The higher the number, the more sensitive it is… and the less light is needed to create an image.  But, that also means that the image is likely to be grainier.

Back in the old days… when people shot film… it was pretty easy to figure out what speed film you were shooting.  It was printed on the box when you bought it.  Now, with digital cameras, it is built into the camera… and most cameras offer a variety of film speeds, ranging from 50 or 100 up to around 800 or 1600.  Some will offer a little more, others might offer less.  Generally, for what we are doing, the lower the speed, the better.  Usually, lower film speeds yield images with less noise.  Doubling the number represents one full step in exposure.  Examples of traditional speeds are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200.

Generally to control the film speed, you have to be shooting the camera in a mode that isn’t “easy”.  It might be the P mode, or it could be S, A or M.  Usually, the camera will be in an “Auto Sensitivity” mode.

If we are being real serious and shooting in a fully manual mode, shutter or aperture priority, it would be good to set the sensitivity to something like 100.  It would be a pretty good way to learn the rest of the exposure variables.

The next one we need to learn about is Aperture.  This might be the toughest for most people to “get”.  Usually that is because the term is unfamiliar, rather than the concept being that rough.  Simply put, aperture is the size of the hole that the light comes through to hit the sensor (film).  The higher the number, the less light is coming through the lens. Multiplying the number by 1.4 represents one full step.  On SLR cameras, full steps are generally 2.0, 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, 45 and 64.  Often there will be an “F” in front of the number, like F8 or f11.

Image via Wikipedia

But, there is a little more to aperture than just how much light is shining through.  It is a concept called Depth of Field.  As the aperture gets smaller (larger number), the other change that is taking place is that the field of focus is stretching.  Objects closer and farther away from the point of focus are getting sharper.  This may be great… or it may be distracting.  Portrait photographers often use shallow depth of field, throwing the background out of focus, to keep the viewers eye on the subject.  Landscape photographers often use the opposite effect.

The third leg in the exposure triangle (I know, I said 4 things affect exposure) is Shutter Speed.  Simply put, this is how long the shutter stays open to allow light to hit the sensor (film).  Usually the numbers are represented as a fraction like 1/60 or 1/500.  Traditional full steps are 1/2000, 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1sec, 2sec, 4sec and 8sec.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here as well.  To start with, for general photography, hand-holding the camera only works down to about 1/60sec with a normal lens and 1/30 for a wide angle.  A telephoto might need 1/125 or even 1/250 to be steady.  If you are shooting close-ups, you need a tripod or faster shutter speed.  If you are well-practiced, you might be able to hand-hold the camera at a little slower speed.  Allowing a little motion in the shot isn’t always bad, you just need to understand the result.

Image via Wikipedia

The 4th leg on this stool is Flash Exposure.  I will likely have an entire post devoted to flash… but the basic rules to remember are:

• Shutter Speed doesn’t have much affect on flash exposure.  The flash happens faster than the shutter.
• The only ways on the camera to adjust the exposure from the flash are with ISO and Aperture.
• Many flashes allow power to be adjusted.
• The light from the flash falls off as it gets farther from the flash unit.  Half as much light makes it to 28 feet as made it to 20 feet… that is why the background often looks dark in flash photos.

If you really want to learn about this in more depth, I HIGHLY recommend The Camera (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 1) (affiliate link) by Ansel Adams.  He has a tremendous amount of detail on cameras and exposure basics.  It is continued in The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2) (affiliate link).  The Camera deals primarily with lens angles and other things relating to the camera, as well as a lot of technical things relating specifically to film cameras… and especially large format cameras.  The Negative is all about exposure, and is an EXCELLENT read.  If you are just going to get one, get The Negative.

Related articles

• ISO Control (nikonusa.com)
• A Basic Look at the Basics of Exposure (nikonusa.com)
• Photography 101- Shutter Speed (stoneandrose.com)
• Understanding ISO Sensitivity (nikonusa.com)
• Learning about Exposure – The Exposure Triangle (digital-photography-school.com)
• Are you smarter than your camera’s exposure system? (presqueisle.org)
• Taking Pictures at Dusk and at Night (nikonusa.com)
• The Lost Art of Real Estate Listing Photography (grayflannelsuit.net)

As mentioned last week, I am doing a series on taking better real estate pictures for your listings.  Most of the tips are for those that wish to DIY (Do It Yourself), but there is a HUGE caution that goes along with that… if you aren’t willing to take the time to do it right, hire someone to do it for you.  Remember, you are representing your client’s property and you need to put it forward in its best light (no pun intended).  That doesn’t mean that every listing needs to look like a feature from Better Homes & Gardens, but it DOES need to have good, clear pictures that are well composed and lit appropriately.

Image via Wikipedia

You do NOT need to run out to the store and get the most expensive camera and lighting system you can get your hands on (Hasselblad H4D-50 Medium Format DSLR Camera Body Only affiliate link).  In fact, that might be the exact opposite of what you should do.  Instead, there are a few things you should look at to start…

• Wide Angle Lens… The camera needs to have AT LEAST a 28mm (35mm film equivalent) lens.  A 24mm focal length, or even a 20mm would be better.  Too much wider and there is a high likelihood of distortion.
• Super high resolution isn’t that important, but you do need to be at least above 5mp.  This isn’t so much for the web as it is for possible use in creating flyers or other media aside from web publication.
• It HAS to have a tripod socket.
• If it has the ability to accept an add-on flash, that would be better than just the on-camera flash.
• Finally, if there are manual controls, you will be ahead of the game.  You might be able to get by with something semi-automatic, like Aperture-Priority, or a REALLY good scene selector.

Of course, the camera isn’t the only thing you’ll need to have.  You’ll need to have a few other things in order to wring the most out of your camera.

• A good tripod.  Keeping the camera steady is ultra important, especially if you don’t have the ability to use and external flash… but even if you can use one, the tripod will make life a lot easier.  You want a tripod that is light enough to carry, but solid enough to be stable.  And the bigger and heavier your camera, the bigger and heavier your tripod will likely need to be.
• Add-on flash… or even flashes.  Some are equipped with sensors to allow use even if there isn’t a “hot-shoe” on the camera.  Depending on how nuts you want to go, these could cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to thousands…
• Light modifiers.  These can be any of the following, including combinations… umbrella, light box, reflector, white index card or white foam-core.  There are other things that can be used as well, and as you get more comfortable, you might try experimenting with different items.  Many are cheap or even free…
• Convenient camera case.  Even though I haven’t been shooting professionally for a few years, I still have a little fetish for camera cases.  At one time I had at least 30 of them.  I had some cases pre-packed for specific kinds of shoots.  Others carried film (remember film?).  Some were for certain jobs.  Finally, there were the general cases I carried my cameras in.  One thing to keep in mind, after you build up a collection of equipment, you probably won’t want to carry it all.

With all of that in mind, I’ll outline a few options that are currently available on Amazon (all product links are affiliate links), but you can shop anywhere convenient. All prices are as of this writing.

• Point and Shoot Cameras… these aren’t the most compact P&S cameras, but they are quite capable of delivering a high quality image and allow manual control, external flashes and (in the case of the Nikon) an external wide angle converter.

• 

  Image via Wikipedia

  Canon G12 set-up…  Canon G12, about $400.  Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash, about $300.  The biggest issue here is that the lens’s widest angle is a 28mm.  There are aftermarket wide angle adapters available for under $100, but I can’t vouch for their quality.  Add a Fotodiox 6″x8″ Softbox for Flash to soften the light, about $13.  Add a nice tripod, like the SLIK PRO 700DX ($140) and a Lowepro Photo Runner 100 Convertible Beltpack/Shoulder Bag (Black) ($45).  Total about $900 + wide angle converter.

• Nikon P7000 (or P7100) set-up…  Nikon Coolpix P7000 (about $280) or the Nikon COOLPIX P7100 (about $410).  The P7100 is the replacement for the P7000, but the P7000 is still available, and at a great price.  To handle flash duties, pick up the Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight Flash ($330).  The Nikon Wide Angle lens is the WC-E75A Wide-Angle Converter ($210) and requires a UR-E22 Adapter Ring (about $40).  This also pushes the wide angle capability out to the equivalent of 21mm.  Add the SLIK PRO 700DX ($140), a Fotodiox 6″x8″ Softbox for Flash ($13) and a Lowepro Photo Runner 100 Convertible Beltpack/Shoulder Bag (Black) ($45) to round it out.  Total about $1060 or $1190).
• Entry Level DSLR Cameras… these cost a little more than the Point & Shoots above, but also have a wider lens selection.  They can actually use the same flash units, tripods and maybe even bags as the Point & Shoot cameras above, so stepping up isn’t that tough.  The main advantage of the smaller cameras is that they are a lot easier to carry around… more of a vacation issue than a problem when shooting a property, though.  If you are going to use the camera for general photography, you might consider adding
• 

  Image via Wikipedia

  Canon EOS Rebel T3i kit… Canon EOS Rebel T3i with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (about $710).  To get a good wide angle, you’ll need to add the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR Lens for EOS Digital SLRs ($735). Add the flash, soft-box and tripod from above, but upgrade the bag to the Lowepro Inverse 200 AW Camera Beltpack (Black) (about $80).   Total about $2000. (as a note, the sensor on the T3i is smaller than 35mm film, so the film equivalent for the lenses above are 29-88 for the standard lens and 16-35 for the add-on lens. 1.6x factor )

• Nikon D3100 kit… Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens (about $600).  For the wide angle duties, get the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Wide-Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras ($840).  Again, add the flash, soft-box and tripod from above, but upgrade the bag to the Lowepro Inverse 200 AW Camera Beltpack (Black) (about $80).  Total about $2000. (as a note, the sensor on the D3100 is smaller than 35mm film, so the film equivalent for the lenses above are 27-83 for the standard lens and 15-36 for the add-on lens.  1.5x factor)
• If you really want to go nuts or get serious, Nikon and Canon both offer options to fulfill those desires.  Prices and options can go up DRAMATICALLY.   In fact, you can spend as much money as you want.  Canon EOS 1D Mark IV bodies go for about $5k.  The Canon EOS 5D Mark II full frame bodies fetch about $3200.  Lenses range wildly, but if you are shooting a “pro” body, shooting with pro lenses would be a good thing.  Expect to spend at least a similar amount for the first couple of lenses.  For real estate shooting, I would recommend the 14mm for the EOS 1D ($2100) or the 16-35 F2.8 ($1530) for both… but you’d also need the wider lens for the EOS 1D since it isn’t a full frame sensor.   In the Nikon range, the Nikon D4 is about to hit the streets.  Currently, the top of the line is the Nikon D3X ($8k).  It is a full frame camera, which means there is no factoring lens focal length.  the 14-24 F2.8 ($2k) would probably be my first choice for real estate shooting.  In the case of any of these top of the line cameras, you can add multiple flash units and they will ALL sync together and the camera can meter them… they run about $500 each.  Both Canon and Nikon also have “perspective control” lenses which are great for architectural photography, but are pretty specialized.

The steps and techniques for each camera are pretty similar.  the primary differences revolve around the aperture range of the lenses and the available shutter speeds.  The more expensive cameras have more shutter speeds and better metering (measuring the light and exposure), while the better lenses let in more light at one time.

Coming up we’ll talk about some of the tips, tricks and techniques that you can use with any of these cameras, as well as the basics of exposure.

Related articles

• Real Estate Photography With Nikon (greatindiebookreviews.wordpress.com)
• Camera Tripod Reviews (answers.com)
• Interested in Photography? (fpsanders.wordpress.com)
• How to Take the Best Pictures of Your Home. (saskatooncommunityblog.wordpress.com)
• Check Out the Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash For Your Canon Digital SLR Camera (greatindiebookreviews.wordpress.com)
• Buying Guide: Best starter DSLRs: 6 tested (techradar.com)

Image via Wikipedia

In real estate photography, there are three ways to go about showcasing listings.

• Hire a professional photographer to capture the images
• Do it yourself
• Skip that whole thing and list it without pictures

In this series, we’ll be talking mostly about doing it yourself.  However, in many cases, it would be advantageous to hire a photographer.  If you are so busy with other parts of your business that you don’t have time to do it right, get a pro.  If you don’t have the skills (and/or you aren’t willing to take the time to learn them), get a pro.  If you don’t want to dedicate the time to get it right, get a pro.  These aren’t meant to be mean… but to let you know that the pictures on a listing are one of, if not THE most important marketing tool you have.

There is no shame in hiring a pro… I have better than a decade in professional advertising photography behind me, and I have hired photographers to shoot some of my listings.  I did, however, go back and shoot more supporting images.  And that is a GREAT way to transition from hiring out the photography to handling it in-house.  Bring in a pro to shoot the major scenes, then shoot the details yourself.  It will save a little money, and not compromise the marketing of the listing.

Image via Wikipedia

There are a few things that you need to know in order to get started in handling your own photography for your real estate listings.  Over the next few weeks, we’ll be covering them in more detail, individually…

• Cameras (you don’t NEED to have a big, expensive camera to shoot great pictures, but it doesn’t hurt)
• Lighting (this is where the action is)
• Aperture and Shutter speed combinations (the mechanics of taking pictures)
• Composition (framing it up to make it work)
• Tricky Details (those little things that catch us off-guard)

Photography isn’t hard, but it does require attention to detail.  The techniques are all pretty basic, but stacking things on top of each other is where things can get a little tricky… for example, combining flash and ambient lighting, or balancing inside and outside light.  And one of the greatest aspects of modern digital photography is the ability to see immediately the results… in time to correct the images BEFORE breaking down and going back to the office.

I will try to get specific as often as I can, and the tips will be related to shooting real estate.  Of course, some of them might also jump over into your vacation shots and family pictures.

Stay tuned…

Related articles

• Unusual Sunset Shoot: Indoor Photography (dashamones.wordpress.com)
• Top real estate photographer of 2011 awarded (agbeat.com)
• Take More Photos – Keep Less (digital-photography-school.com)
• Lighting Guidelines For Photography (tfollowers.com)
• Photography 101- Aperture (stoneandrose.com)
• Photography: Just Like Flying (captainkathymccullough.wordpress.com)
• A Basic Look at the Basics of Exposure (nikonusa.com)
• Zoom Lens Maximum Aperture: Fixed and Variable Apertures (nikonusa.com)

We just got back from a week at Walt Disney World.  As a family, Disney is one of our favorite vacation destinations, each time delivering more than we expected.  And that isn’t easy…

Image via Wikipedia

The tough part of exceeding a customer or client’s expectations is that the next time their expectations will be higher… and they will be looking for you to exceed those higher expectations.  In effect, you raise your own bar higher and higher until it becomes VERY difficult to jump over your newly raised bar.

One might think that after more than 10 years for my wife and I, 2 cruises and at least half a dozen trips to WDW, they would have a hard time going above and beyond what we expect.

But they seem to be continually looking for new ways to surprise us.

Do you do that for your clients?  Do you look for new technologies and new presentations to wow your clients?  What about new ways to showcase your listings?

One this most recent trip, we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Officially, since we were renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member, and so we were staying in the Villas.  As we drove up to the gate, they asked for ID (as they always do) and pulled out a pre-printed parking pass.  When my wife went into the lobby to finish the check-in process (which had been started online before we left on the trip… meaning most of the paperwork was already done), she was greeted at the door by name, and welcomed.  She was ushered to a comfortable chair and everything was ready for review.  In just a few minutes, we were unloading the van onto a cart to give to Bell Services.  Our room wasn’t ready yet (it was still only 10:30 in the morning), so Bell Services was going to store our luggage.  We hopped on a bus to the Magic Kingdom and began our day.

Image via Wikipedia

At the end of the day, with two tired little boys in tow, we arrived back at the resort.  We told Bell Services we were ready to have our luggage sent up.  The Bellman said he was right behind us… and he almost beat us to the room.  My wife’s fear that we would have to wait for the luggage before being able to put the boys in bed were gone.

That isn’t the most magical portion of the stay there… but it shows the attention to detail that Disney gives their guests.  There were “towel creatures” in the room, super-fun activities for the kids and immaculate appointments all around, as well.

Disney actually has classes that they offer to businesses about how to do business the “Disney Way”.  Many large companies pay HUGE amounts of money to learn how Disney treats people.

As a contrast, there is a retail store nearby that is closing soon.  The chain isn’t going away, but the location is.  It is LONG overdue.  Walking through the store, it is evident that the staff and management gave up long ago.  The merchandise isn’t orderly.  The floors are dirty.  The aisles are blocked with poorly placed display.

Image via Wikipedia

When I go to that store (rarely), I have VERY low expectations, and I am still always disappointed.  At Disney, I have very HIGH expectations, and they always find a way to surpass them.

That doesn’t mean they are perfect… I think they need to hire me as a consultant to teach their PhotoPass Photographers some basic composition… but if they WERE perfect, there would be no room for growth.

Whether it is looking for better ways to showcase a client’s property, or looking for better solutions to help clients search for a new home, maybe WE need to grab a little Disney Magic to exceed our client’s expectations… every time.

Related articles

• How to pick the right WDW Resort (livinginagrownupworld.wordpress.com)
• Raising the next generation of Disney Fans (thedisneymoms.com)
• WDW Trip Planning: Sailin’ the Disney Seas (mouzekateerz.com)
• Is Disney’s Growth for Real? (fool.com)
• An Anniversary To Remember-Part One (grumpymickey.com)
• Walt Disney World (campbellgirlies.wordpress.com)
• Disney World in 2012 (thedisneymoms.com)
• My Favorite Disney Resort: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (disney4less.wordpress.com)
• Disney World Photo Tips: How to Fix a Rotten Picture (thedisneymoms.com)
• The Photographic Allure of Walt Disney World (mouzekateerz.com)
• Our First Walt Disney World Resort (mouzekateerz.com)

I seldom get political on this blog.  But this is important.

Image via Wikipedia

Both Houses of Congress are looking at legislation aimed at curtailing online piracy… copyright violations.  This movement is largely backed by the photography community and the music and movie industries… as well as many professional sports leagues.

But all isn’t well.  The current legislation is VERY poorly written.  In fact, they are written so loosely as to allow the government to shut down a website because of a comment.  Not after any sort of warning… but instead of a warning.  A website owner’s income could be cut off without warning or proof, and then he would have to engage in a protracted legal battle to regain access to their own website.  And it wouldn’t have to be from content generated by the owner of the site.

But, I think that the largest part of the problem is that property (a website/domain) could be seized without due process.  Possibly even at the behest of a competitor… since a violation could be recorded because of something placed on the site by a commentor.

The goal is appropriate.  The method of trying to achieve the goal is SERIOUSLY flawed.  Call your Congressmen and Senators.

***UPDATE*** After writing and scheduling the post, but before publication, Congress dropped the legislation from consideration… for now.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that they won’t pick it up again when they think nobody is paying attention.  “We’ve got to pass the bill to find out what’s in it.”  Nancy Pelosi, referring to ObamaCare…

Related articles

• On SOPA and PIPA (leiterreports.typepad.com)
• What are SOPA and PIPA? (programmingpalace.wordpress.com)
• Rand Paul Vows To Block Internet Censorship Bills (mountainrepublic.net)
• Sopa & Pipa (eclecticedibles.wordpress.com)
• How SOPA and PIPA would Censor the Internet (connectwithyourteens.net)
• Stop SOPA and PIPA (kelleyeskridge.com)
• Sign the petition to Stop SOPA & PIPA (radiopd.wordpress.com)
• A day against SOPA/PIPA (lifemash.wordpress.com)
• BlackoutSOPA.org – Change your profile picture to protest SOPA! (darioalvarez.net)
• Stop the Internet Blacklist Legislation – Stop #SOPA #PIPA (adafruit.com)