For most real estate agents, their agent photo is what makes their branding stand out, especially amongst REALTORS® from the same Brokerage. A photo taken with a point-and-shoot camera in front of a wall and a harsh flash will not have the same visual impact as one done with proper lighting and some thought to positioning.
Redman’s Creative Director Mark Jooste’s biggest advice for agents looking to update their website’s photo is to to get it taken by a professional. The cost, time and effort associated with getting professional headshots done is often worth the quality of the results. Mark explains, “getting it [your agent photo] done professionally makes YOU look more professional. It shows you care about quality.”
However, when a professional photographer is not an option, Mark offers these suggestions for making your photos look more professional:
Try taking the photo outside on a day when it is cloudy. When the sun’s light is filtered through a layer of clouds it creates a balance to flares and shadows in a picture. Fine lines and troublesome spots are less visible and the picture will look more natural if the background is cut away for the website.
© Ryan Johnson
With the sun positioned behind your head, unruly hairs are given focus.
An alternative to an overcast day would be taking the photo just before sunset or just after sunrise. In the same way clouds defuse the light, the sun is less intense at these times, reducing shadows. One thing to remember if you plan to take your photo at sunset/sunrise is to keep the sun in front or to the side of you. Having the sun directly behind you will illuminate unruly stray hairs and morph your silhouette.
Choose a background that is a solid color, or is as uncluttered a possible. You want to make sure you are the centre of attention in the photo, not the wallpaper behind you. If you do not have access to a solid colored wall, try taking the photo with the background at a distance. This will cause the background to slightly blur helping you stand out.
Never cut off the arms or shoulders when taking the photos. Leave this for us when editing the picture after the fact for a specific piece of marketing. Designers can do some amazing things, but often creating body parts to fill in a space is impossible.
© Steven Groves
By dropping your shoulders slightly, you can avoid that “mug shot” style photo.
Redman’s designers are 100% digital, and can edit or touch-up most photos. If you have a scar or mark you would like removed from your agent photo please let us know. This is a service offered by Redman Tech.
When shooting your agent photo, try to utilize angles. To minimize a full or double chin, try projecting your chin out toward the camera and using a slightly higher camera angle. This often reduces the intensity of the shadows on the neck and helps the area blend in better.
If you want to wear glasses in your photo, tilting your glasses down slightly will reduce the amount of glare on the lenses from lights and flashes.
Moving the camera slightly to the left or right of you and dropping a shoulder slightly will change the overall feel of the photo. Try switching between shoulders.
For most agent photos, you want the viewers attention to be on your face. Keep these tips in mind when choosing the outfit to where for your photo.
- Wear clothes that are more muted and have less patterns.
- Avoid bright red and orange clothing, they battle a subject’s face for attention.
- Darker colors generally photograph better then lighter colors. Try to stick to medium to dark shades of blue, green, burgundy and black.
- Colors like white, yellow, and pink tend to over-power the face and make a subject look too pale.
If you are serious about connecting with clients, promoting your business and creating your brands identity, a professional (or professional looking) photo on your real estate website will go a long way.
If you would like more information about your agent photo or Redman Tech and real estate websites, contact us today!
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