How to Go From Beginner To Pro Real Estate Photographer in 2024! [You need this]

[@McCawPhotography]

Something I heard recently about real estate… There are 4 million homes nation wide that need to sell. That’s a ton of homes for each one of us in the RE PHOTOGRAPHY space. So just like Eli has said before - we are needed more than ever now than we have been before now.

[@jasonmarlowe0]

Thanks for all your videos. I'm starting my own company this year and already have a little foot in the door because my wife is a realtor and has connections. Your videos have helped me a lot. My goal is 10 shoots a week by April of 2024 so I can quit my day job and do this full time. I believe that is totally doable.

[@jeremybeal23]

Good luck Jason! You can do it!

[@adrianbauer4312]

How’s it going?

[@FeliciaMarz954]

Congrats on taking the steps into RE photography!

[@MarkIlless.]

How is it going? any tips?

[@InMotionRealEstatePhotography]

100% agree on everything Eli. Especially offering your services for free when your starting out. To succeed in business (any business) you have to invest in it. Most people relate investing to spending money (on inventory, equipment, marketing, etc)...But there is another thing you can invest with and that is your time...For arguments sake, a typical photo shoot (the way we do it) is a 2 hour investment in time. That includes commute to and from the job, shooting the job, uploading to the editor, reviewing the photos, then getting them out to your client. I'm going out on a limb here, but I would say if you invest 2-4 hours a week of your time in shooting properties at no charge, that you will do much better than investing 100's or even 1,000's in marketing...Once you have several clients and have done this for a year or so, you can go from offering free jobs, to discounted jobs. Then from there you can invest in a couple dozen doughnuts and attend office meetings once a week. This a great way to get in front of an entire office and develop people skills at the same time.

[@itselijones]

Love it! Agreed. Time is usually the most accessible investment when starting as well!

[@omarayoub9242]

Hey there, thanks for sharing! I just need a clarification on something, are you suggesting that all shoots are to be free for the first year? Or just when acquiring new clients? Cheers!

[@joeysketokitchen]

@@omarayoub9242 I would not suggest shooting for free for a whole year. I offered free photos to my first few jobs so that I could get some experience, then after a few jobs I offered a discount ($30 off) to all new clients. I offered the "new client" discount until about a year ago. Now what I do is after I complete a job for a first time client, when it comes time to settle up, I tell them I am going to knock off $30 since it's their first shoot. Its a bit of a mind game...when a new client is not expecting a discount, but you give them one, it is very effective for making them a loyal client. I will even do this for established clients. For instance just today I was shooting a condo for a client that I have worked with for several years and has referred several agents to me. It was a vacant 2-2 that I already have aerial and amenity shots for. Shot the place in about 15 minutes. 27 shots to be exact which is going to cost me $13.50 to have edited...I knocked $45 off the bill (My normal price is $195 interior, exterior and aerials)...The client was thrilled and was not expecting any kind of break because it was an easy job...It's those little things that build client loyalty and keep the referrals pouring in....

[@3dvisionservices364]

Just sharing: 😂 in Vancouver area (Canada) 1 bedroom (very sh… conditions) apartment cost like luxury & most of realtors will pay same price (for photos) for huge house or small unit. Most of sellers don’t even clean houses properly as they know - “Everything will sell here, even if I keep dirty dishes and clothing all around ”. So realtors mainly just need basic photos.

[@christianmaurer96]

this is going to change quickly

[@zaraspook1367]

Eli, Thanks for the videos. I'm afraid you've really messed me up dude! 🤣 I've been shooting flambient for around 10 years. I'm 68 now and getting slower. Getting sooo tired of all the time at the shoot and then comes the editing. I'm ready to shoot some brackets (hand blended HDR) and let someone much better than myself on the other side of the world do my editing. I could easily do a small price increase to cover my editing. Blessings

[@FossiliaWitch-ne3pg]

Do you edit all the work yourself or send it off for a company to do? If so who do you use?

[@Zontroid]

Eli I love your videos man! I have a smaller Real Estate Photography company based out of Texas and I'd love chance to jump on zoom call or something sometime if you ever get a chance. Appreciate your videos and would love some advice.

[@flashesofashley]

Shout out from Grand Prairie (not granbury), Tx! This was helpful. Thanks!

[@adrianbauer4312]

Hey @flashesofashley I am in the Arlington area have you started your rep business? if so how is our market?

[@Gt_Rickshow]

Thanks for all info Eli, can you give any advice or make a video on how to deliver real estate videos with music that won't get the realtor's account copyright strike? I know about "royalty free music" but my clients (realtor) uses Fb Ads for their account and it gives the copyright strike. I don't have enough clients or demand to pay for those licensing commercial/business subscriptions. Any advice? Thanks

[@Sarahlee52106]

Do you have your editors deliver directly to your HD Photo Hub or do they deliver to you with some cloud service and you upload from there?

[@jeremybeal23]

There are a couple of nuggets in there. Thanks again Eli

[@nickblackhall9745]

So I watched the workshop at your given link and maybe I’m missing something but is there more to the “instagram method” than I’m seeing there? I feel like there was almost no detail given. I’ve enjoyed your videos and I think they’ve been really helpful, but don’t see much meat as far as the marketing goes. Thanks again.

[@oropeza190]

If you're doing that many shoots a day are they only home shoots or are you branching off to different types of photography? I don't know if I would believe a company is doing hundred of home shoots a day when you check the Mls there isn't thousands of homes for sale its actually pretty low.

[@augustoliver2779]

When at work does a real estate photographer, I hated working with realtors. They were actually the worst part of my job so I quit. The conclusion is that it’s a race to the bottom because they value price just like Eli said, you’re shooting the 80% and majority of realtors fail so they’re looking for good photos for the cheapest possible price.

[@t4rfl]

I have the equipment and the experience but am afraid to take the next step because I don't have a clue about the business side of things or how to price my work.

[@jeremybeal23]

Have you shot Real Estate Photography yet?

[@t4rfl]

@@jeremybeal23 Yes I have been since last December. I work for a company as an independent photographer.

[@jeremybeal23]

@@t4rfl Fantastic! It would help if you did it. Try to get a side gig going and plan your exit. Eli gives excellent advice on his channel. Suppose you like binge-watching Real Estate photography content. Check my channel. I’m located in Australia. Good luck with your Photography 👊🏻

[@kimberlyfreeman678]

I can help you start out for free, just have you copy my exact SOPs in another market, are you up for that?

[@TheAjecker]

Finally

[@noahparkervisuals]

Would you say that $500 was a contract for as many homes that the customer has for that month? Or is this one home for $500?

[@seemystatic]

500 a house homeboy I hope you aren’t doing many houses for 500

[@gregallen1]

Do you take payment of front?