Interior Photography vs Real Estate Photography

*A photo you’ll never see on an MLS listing!*

You may think it’s one and the same; trust me, I did too! Even after starting to photograph several homes, I called myself a real estate photographer, not knowing that there are actually a huge (and important!) differences between the two. Yes, there are absolutely major overlaps, and they mostly strive for the same thing — to showcase and sell a space. However, there is actually so much more to Interior Photography that many don’t realize.

If you’re a math person, think of Real Estate Photography as a subset of Interior Photography. If you’re NOT a math person, replace “real estate” and “interior” with the terms “house” and “home”. A house is just that - a building made up of materials standing on a piece of land. A home, on the other hand, is a house with emotions attached to it — it’s where memories are made, where your children grow up, where the water rings on your coffee table was a result of your husband leaving a cold drink on it despite being told not to 12397034 times. ;)

But before we dive in, I’m not here to tell you which type of photography is better. The goal of this article is to help you learn the differences between the two, so that you can decide what works best for your needs. :)

Now let’s break it down:

DIFFERENT GOALS

The goal of Real Estate Photography is to showcase the space, “accentuate its spaciousness, and tempt people to come in the door” [1]. To get slightly technical, most real estate photographers shoot with wide lenses to capture the entire space rather than getting up close and personal with the details within the space, which may or may not be there after a buyer purchases the house. Real estate photography aims to show the house/property as it is — give viewers a good idea of the layout of the property and its features to get them to come in and view the house in person.

Interior Photography, on the other hand, places more emphasis on the details in a space. The goal is to highlight the design and evoke emotion through artful and thoughtful composition. The goal here isn’t so much for someone to simply come look at the property, it’s to get people to want to spend time there, use the things in it, and create memories in that space.

Different Personal Investments

Real Estate Photography is usually a one-time transaction between the photographer and the real estate agent, who has little emotional connection to the property itself, and whose priorities lie in selling the house quickly more so than selling an experience over and over again. The photos resulting from real estate photography will likely never be used again after the house/property is sold. As a result, photos resulting from real estate photography are intended for a shorter life-cycle than those of interior photography.

In general, most typical Real Estate Photography (aside from high-end luxury real estate) do not demand a high level of artistry. Real estate photographers tend to follow a “template” of sorts — a couple wide angles of a space from opposing corners, then move on.

*Emphasizing the coziness of this little reading nook in a cabin loft*

Interior photographers work with architects, interior designers, builders, stagers, flippers, magazines, hotels, home product manufacturers, vacation rental home owners and more - i.e. people who may have a much deeper emotional and personal investment in the property & what’s in it. As a result, interior photographers will spend time to find the perfect frame and compose shots that really highlight the details, and that would make a viewer feel a certain way.

DIFFERENT BUDGETS

Real Estate Agents often hire based on availability and price, since their marketing costs come directly out of their commissions [1], and therefore are looking to spend as little as possible and to get the photos back as quickly as possible. Since real estate photos also have a much shorter life-cycle than those of interior photography, there is less incentive to spend more on photography since the photos may never be used again.

On the other hand, Interior Photography may be used repeatedly and over a much longer period of time - in magazines, on designers’ portfolios & websites, hotel websites, vacation rental listing websites, and more. Interior Photographers therefore place a much stronger emphasis on the quality of photos they deliver, making sure every pixel is perfect (that the bar stools are perfectly spaced apart, towels are perfectly level, curtains are perfectly straight… etc.). As such, interior photography tends to cost more than real estate photography since there is so much more involved.

SHOOTING TIME

For Real Estate Photographers, time is of the essence. They need to be in and out of the property as fast as possible since real estate agents don’t typically have a full day to spend on a photoshoot. A typical shoot can take anywhere between 1-3 hours depending on how large the house is. For smaller properties, a real estate photographer could be in and out in as little as 30 minutes!

Interior Photographers on the other hand, will take their time to perfectly frame up and compose each shot. Making sure furniture isn’t hiding behind other furniture, that towels are level, lampshades are straight, appliances are smudge-free are just a few things that interior photographers look out for before taking the shot. Interior photographers will invest the time into every little detail that’s in (and out!) of frame, and each shot can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. (Yup, 2 hours for a single shot!)

As a vacation rental owner, you’ve put in details that you felt matter to the space – whether it’s a piece of art for the wall, or board games that you’d like guests to play with. These are all details that interior photographers recognize as important to YOUR space, and will pay attention to.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

You probably get the idea by now. Real Estate Photography is more about the big picture stuff, while Interior Photography is more about the details. Real Estate Photographers aren’t too concerned with “moving a particular chair or the setting of the dining table. They need to photograph the home as it is, as fast as possible” [2].

*This seemingly simple photo took lots of tiiiiny adjustments before I hit that shutter button!*

To reiterate what was said above, an Interior Photographer’s goal is to evoke emotion about a certain product or space. As a result, paying attention to minor details matters. An interior photographer will take the time to make sure bar stools are equally spaced out, faucets & soap bottle nozzles are perfectly angled, towels are perfectly straight, kitchen counters & floors are clear of dust… etc. Because of the more close-up, detailed shots that an interior photographer will take, knowing when to remove items (for a more clutter-free image) and paying attention to everything that’s in AND out of frame, is also important.

EDITING PROCESS & DELIVERY TIMES

Since real estate agents need photos almost immediately, Real Estate Photography demands a much faster process and quicker turnaround (often within 24-48 hours). Basic color correction and lighting enhancements are typically what is emphasized in real estate photography.

With Interior Photography, there is a lot more emphasis on quality & details, and the editing process is therefore much more extensive. A typical photo is usually made up of anywhere between 3-10 photos - with different parts of each image being used to create THE perfect photo.

After compositing all the images into one photo, Interior Photographers will “go through a long process of color correction, lighting, and clean up”, making sure everything is true to color, and that the features you spent a lot of time on are properly depicted. This means that the editing process can take anywhere from one to three hours (sometimes more!) PER photo for interior photography. [2]

*Believe it or not, this photo is made up of 5 photos composited together!*

Now you might ask… “Can I get away with real estate photography for my Airbnb?”

Short answer - Yes, of course. Ultimately, it’s up to you what YOU want out of your photos. If having standard wide-angle photos of each room is enough for you, then real estate photography is probably the better, more cost-effective way to go. In fact, some Airbnb’s may not need an Interior Photographer!

Here’s the long answer… or maybe some questions to think about that might help you get to your answer:

Think about what went into every decision-making process you went through while setting up your Airbnb. From the larger furniture you picked out to the smaller amenities you put in… Was guest experience at the forefront of every decision?
Do you identify more with a luxury, boutique type of hotel with specialty amenities and personal touches, than a Best Western-type of hotel with more generic, common-place amenities?
Are you more interested in quality over quantity? Not just pertaining to photos, but also to guests - are you planning to market your rental to possibly fewer, but higher-paying guests, or to fill your rental calendar with a higher volume, but lower-paying guests?

If you answered yes to all the above, then you might want to consider investing more in an Interior Photographer who will put in the time and effort into every detail in every corner of your home, just like you have!

Sources:

[1] Robert, Natalia. “What's the Difference between Interior Photography and Real Estate Photography? - The Grove Studio: Learn Interior Photography and Architectural Photography Online.” The Grove Studio, The Grove Studio, 24 July 2020, https://www.meetmeatthegrove.com/field-notes/q-a-how-do-i-separate-real-estate-photography-jobs-from-interiors-photography.

[2] Carranza, Sean. “Interior & Architectural Photography vs Real Estate Photography.” Sean Carranza Photography, https://www.seancarranza.com/my-blog/interior-architectural-photography-vs-real-estate-photography/#:~:text=An%20Interior%2FArchitectural%20Photographer%20will,of%20a%20real%20estate%20photographer.