How To Shoot Luxury Real Estate Photography | Behind The Scenes

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How to shoot luxury real estate photography. Follow me behind the scenes as I show you exactly how I shoot high-end real estate photos.
In this video I show you how I shoot the interior photos of high-end luxury real estate. In Luxury Real Estate Photography, there are a lot of small details you need to pay attention to that really makes all the difference.
I use an HDR method of interior real estate photography. Typically I take 3 photos and do a bracketed hdr photo with multiple exposures.
Follow me on IG: @alexmserrao

[@AlexSerrao]

Subscribe for good luck in 2021! It’s science 🧪

[@TheEkimek]

Hi Alex, your photos are amazing. Absolutely you should create a video of editing those HDRs. Amazing, really looking forward to see the editing video. Take care! 👍

[@xXDemonWolfSkullXx]

I absolutely love your channel! I just put in an application for a real estate photography company. Your videos are so helpful, thank you! ❤️

[@triplewinlin5576]

I prefer no flash. Its so helpful how you show the resulting photo right after you show the setup for it, thanks! Subbed.

[@AlexSerrao]

Glad you liked the video! Thanks for the sub!!

[@bryanseverino3674]

Thanks for sharing and confirming that a lot of Real Estate Agents like the HDR look. I started out using the Flambaint method and found the agents weren't as happy.

[@joegraves4690]

Beautiful shots! I'm getting into real estate photography and your videos are so valuable. I love the honesty you show and the no secrets attitude. Keep it up!

[@Qiubenjamin]

As a real estate photographer, this is refreshing to watch even after doing it for so many years! Great HDR tips

[@AlexSerrao]

Thank you!

[@blomquist.j]

Awesome video. The results look great. Would be awesome to learn how you get the editing like that. Strugle a bit with getting the HDR files look clean and natural :)

[@firmasavenir1603]

Such an amazing results! I wonder why you didnt use multiple exposure in the camera settings instead of change it manually everytime.

[@sweet_it_is]

i just found your channel... of all the RE photography here on youtube... i really like how u take ur photos and how u edit them... and no flash too!! Great work! Hope u can share how u edit your photos.

[@Cj22xx]

This was exactly what I was looking for. I don’t use flash either and was feeling bad about it cause it seems like everyone says you have to. Thanks for the great info. Amazing man

[@AlexSerrao]

Glad I could help! I felt the same way for a long time! Truth is, if you love your photos and so do your clients then there’s no need to change. I will use a flash occasionally but it’s rare.

[@Cj22xx]

@@AlexSerrao makes sense! Your stuff looks amazing man. Keep up the content!

[@Eskugorri]

Good video, do you have any contrast adjustment or photoshop action? I see your photos very illuminated and well contrasted to take them only with 3 braketing photos

[@ScottOwens28]

Great video! I saw that you basically do not do auto brackets. You compose for even lighting shot then speed up your SS to get darker shots... Do you start the shot with the balanced shot then go down & how many stops do you go down? TIA!

[@michaelharris-arocho1715]

Hey bud quick question, i usually use the 3 bracketing on the camera so that there is no movement on the camera and cause ghosting, i notice you take one picture at a time, does that not effect the photo by slightly moving the camera? Great video by the way

[@anahita8606]

Amazing video .so simple and practical .I'm so happy to see you use the natural lights. How to blend the HDR photos in editing would be a great video

[@wephotogal]

Thank goodness you got that toilet paper! Lol. I was full of anxiety.

[@victordxnn]

What lens and camera/equipment are you using?!

[@kpproduction8370]

Hey keep up the great video I had an question what's an good starting Camera full fame or Crop i have an canon t3i should i upgrade

[@AlexSerrao]

Crop sensor works just fine! Get real good with that then upgrade

[@essco2152]

great video Alex - but as someone just trying to get started on RE Photography, I have a bunch of questions - the first being: "What is attached to the top of your camera" It looks like it's mounted in the flash port so I assume it's a flash of some sort - Which leads to my second question - "What type flash or light source do you recommend for RE photography? " And I'll wrap up the "stupid question" session with "How many brackets do you recommend shooting of each shot?" I've heard 3 - I've heard 5 and have even heard 10 (which seems excessive) - Thanks so much for your videos and your time!

[@yanzhang5360]

I would love to see your editing technique as the results are great

[@borerfly]

Great video, I use same gear, just have one question, I noticed you do manual bracketing for indoors, is that right?

[@AlexSerrao]

Yes, I prefer to do it this way. Auto bracketing is great too though

[@flayla3645]

Can you post a video on how you transitioned into real estate photo from your previous work? I am getting back into photo from my previous industry in event lighting and am looking for some advice! Also, thanks for this video, super helpful!

[@RyanKemperinOhio]

Loved the video!

[@AlexSerrao]

Thank you!

[@grantdecker1190]

Nice video Alex! Edited photos look nice and I really can't tell they are HDR at least not auto HDR. If anything blending manual gets good results. I own a commercial, architecture, and real estate Photography, Videography, Aerial, and 360 Virtual Tour business that services the eastern part of Iowa. I'm guessing your in the Florida Market based on those photos?

[@jameslawlor7509]

Bro, those are some great looking HDRs. Make a video showing how you do that so I can stop lugging lights around houses!

[@AlexSerrao]

Haha I have an editing video on the channel. It’s pretty pain staking editing but that’s why I hire an editor 🙌🙏

[@kellyfisher1868]

Great video and cool photos thanks for sharing! Good idea outsourcing, I'm curious what you are outlaying for it ?

[@AlexSerrao]

Do you mean what am I paying for it?

[@joshmccabe7187]

Great shots man. I shoot for a lot of hotels and have a model in my shots so most times I can't bracket, wish I could I hate flash. Do you use polarizer?

[@AlexSerrao]

Ah yeah, much harder in that case! I use a polarizer outside occasionally

[@merdogmedia5872]

Great stuff. I would love to see your editing process. I end up having to paint each window and bring highlights down to get exposure correct. It's so time consuming. I'm not sure what I'm missing. My workflow is almost exactly like yours in home, so has to be editing. Hope you keep making videos!

[@AlexSerrao]

Definitely going to keep making videos! I outsource most of my editing including the ones from this video. But I used to do all of my editing myself. I’m planning out a few editing videos now since I’ve gotten quite a few requests!

[@Carlib8379]

@@AlexSerrao would you share where you outsource from?

[@eli_thevlogger]

Nice technique

[@VintageRadioRepair]

Nice work! Very clean

[@AlexSerrao]

Thank you!

[@soni835]

Hey, thanks for Sharing Alex! Just subscribed to your channel!! Extremely helpful 😊 What camera are you using and what lens? Thanks!!!

[@AlexSerrao]

Thanks for subbing! Using a Sony a7iv with a Sigma 14-24 as my daily driver

[@sweet_it_is]

how do u deal with color cast and white balance?

[@rishabhyadav-ql5wl]

Hi...Great Video there. What white balance do you use when you take bracketed shots?

[@AlexSerrao]

Usually leave it in AWB but will change it manually if needed

[@eli_thevlogger]

U mk it look so easy

[@eduardomedeiros8308]

Hi Alex! I had a similar setup: Canon 6D mkii and a 17-40mm f/4. I noticed that you do not use the bracketing features available in 6D. I have noticed that you prefer to configure the camera every shot. Why not trying to use the Customs modes on dial (C1, C2). I have set the C1 dial to bracket -2, 0, +2, AV mode, f/7.1, ISO 200. When I have to bracket, I just change from Manual mode to C1. I use the C2 dial for window pulls, setting the speed in 1/160s, ISO 100 and aperture in f/7.1.

[@AlexSerrao]

I’ve considered doing this exact setup many times but have just gotten so quick at how I currently do it. I might need to give it a try though!

[@networkege]

thank you very good

[@tristanotto8828]

Hi Alex! Why do you not auto bracket? It’s there a benefit? If so... what is your method/rules for manual bracketing

[@Aline23]

I'd like to understand that as well :) great video!

[@calbankhead6598]

Unbelievable stuff and support to "Get it Done!"

[@aznomads1579]

Great video, really enjoyed it. I shot w/ HDR for years before I finally went to flash. I would love to see your editing technique as the results are great. I know you said you outsource, but did you train them or was this the results they were already getting?

[@AlexSerrao]

Just uploaded a video on the editing this morning! As for my editor that I use, I tested like 6 different editors before I found one I liked.

[@aznomads1579]

@@AlexSerrao Thank you, I watched the editing video. I would love to see more advanced room as the one you edited didn't have tungsten lights. I would love to see the edit of this shoot as it looks much more complicated. Great work!

[@ursachesti]

Great work. How do you deal with white balance? Owesome, looking forward to subscribe.

[@TommyBoy3D]

SUBBED..........looks like a good channel. Thanks for the posts.

[@AlexSerrao]

Thanks! I appreciate that!

[@eunicetang55]

Awesome video, I was wondering about the exterior shots though? Especially with such harsh sunlight?

[@AlexSerrao]

Great question. I’ll try to cover a lot more topics about editing soon. I try to shoot mid-day if I can to avoid harsh shadows. You can’t always do that though, especially if you are booking multiple shoots in a day. Editing helps a lot as well a polarizer filter.

[@sincerelysandi]

Great video! What is the thing sticking from the camera?

[@AlexSerrao]

It’s a friction arm holding the camera that I’m filming the video with

[@jeremydavis1267]

Hi Alex, what is your method for focusing and how sharp should images be?

[@AlexSerrao]

Just getting focus correct when shooting. Using an aperture around F8 and getting your focus right should keep everything sharp

[@patio87]

11:20, nice shot.

[@nadlanpov]

Thanks for sharing , you shoot the behind the since with Go pro?

[@AlexSerrao]

Shot it with my phone actually!

[@keenankenmuir945]

Hey Alex, I'm still a relatively new photographer and I've been shooting real estate for about 6 months now. A problem I often run into with my HDR's is that when it's windy outside I get very bad ghosting and LR's deghosting just makes things noisy. Do you have a workaround for this ? Or do you just schedule shoots for windless days. I use a Canon 1300d(Rebel T6 in US) so maybe the sensor is the cause(It's probably just my skills though lol). Any input is appreciated !

[@AlexSerrao]

Good question. I don’t do HDR shots outside at all. For exteriors I do single exposures. Interiors is where I do 3 exposure shots. No wind inside! 😉

[@mopunchstudio9289]

Alex I'm one of those guys who is kind of anti HDR but that front door shot looks fantastic, great job. Are you doing all your work in lightroom and photoshop or are you using something else to blend photos like Enfuse?

[@AlexSerrao]

I use an editor to be able to handle the volume. He uses lightroom and photoshop.

[@shawnatkins7569]

This video was very helpful ? Can I use a kit lens to do a shoot?

[@AlexSerrao]

It depends. It really has to be wide enough and the majority of kit lenses aren't. 16mm for full frame or 10mm for crop sensor (give or take 1mm)

[@behramcooper3691]

Do you shoot JPGs or RAWs? Is there a difference in generated HDRs if the bracketed shots are in RAW?

[@AlexSerrao]

I always shoot in RAW. you don’t necessarily need to but there’s so much more data in a RAW image that I prefer that to get the best image possible.

[@rogercollins5505]

Alex, great video! Are you planning on sharing your editing process? I haven’t been able to get even close to what your final images look like using any HDR software (LR HDR, LR Enfuse, Photomatix, Aurora HDR, etc...).

[@AlexSerrao]

I can make a video on this for you. I actually outsource my editing at this point but can still show you how!

[@edwardlo9823]

@@AlexSerrao Who do you use for editing?

[@AlexSerrao]

@@edwardlo9823 I hired someone directly to do it for me now. There’s tons of editors out there though! Look in real estate photography groups, freelance services, etc. Have someone edit a few images for free to make sure they have the right quality.

[@yanzhang5360]

@@AlexSerrao Looking forward to your wonderful video reply！

[@adamslawson]

Are you using any filters like a polarizer?

[@AlexSerrao]

Nope!

[@cnkaufmann]

You state you don’t use flash, just do HDR. In this particular house there is abundant sunlight from many windows. However, in houses with large rooms and fewer windows how do you deal with dark areas? Without a flash, how do you adjust lighting so the room is evenly illuminated and you don’t have color shifts from one room to the next? Thank you.

[@epectase6314]

hey do u shoot raw? my camera takes forever to display raw file :(

[@shootervisuals8474]

What camera and lenses do you use? Thanks!

[@AlexSerrao]

I use a Canon eos R and have a canon 6D mkii as a backup. I use a Canon 16-35 f2.8 lens

[@jenniferrentfro1263]

What tripod do you use? I can never find one that is stable.

[@AlexSerrao]

I believe it’s the xt190 Manfrotto tripod with the video head. It’s been fantastic

[@cdphotograaphy]

Nice video - who do you outsource your images too?

[@AlexSerrao]

I use a freelancer that reached out to me a while ago. I've used a few different people and even people on Fiverr that were pretty good in the past.

[@Mattithias]

Do you typically use auto white balance?

[@AlexSerrao]

Almost always unless I notice it's struggling to get it right and then I'll manually set it

[@SergeGolikov]

Although the end results looks good, I am puzzled why you are risking camera movement and therefore registration issues by doing manual bracketing? Surely the Canon has AEB to shoot a sequence using the self timer, without shaking the camera as much as is evident in the video!

[@hunterhramika9735]

U don’t have automatic bracket in on your camera?

[@MichaelCook1981]

It does, he doesn't like to use it.

[@authenticporto1105]

Nice video. Do you shoot on raw or jpeg?

[@AlexSerrao]

I always shoot in raw. Mostly for the ability to bring up shadows and highlights easier

[@meehanjim]

i too would like to see editing workflow for Your HDR

[@AlexSerrao]

Hey Jim! I recently did an editing video you can checkout

[@sweet_it_is]

did u outsource the editing on these photos or u did it urself? What is ur tripod?

[@AlexSerrao]

I have an editor. I use a manfrotto tripod

[@sweet_it_is]

@@AlexSerrao Was it on fiverr, if so would u recommend it to me pls. I really like the edting of your photos. The best so far I've seen, so natural and real looking. Thanks Alex!

[@AlexSerrao]

No it’s not on Fiverr. I have a freelance editor that works for me. I’ve used Fiverr a lot in the past though. Some very talented people on there for very inexpensive. Just go with the higher rated editors

[@sweet_it_is]

@@AlexSerrao Yeah i have tried to outsource on fiverr too before. Also u are right no flash is better.. ive been trying to experiment without flash but since everyone one on youtube use flash or even strobe..i did, but there's a lot of color cast.. im so frustrated. But i will not use flash from now on. Thank you!

[@Phhhoootttooo]

Subscribed! Can we get the behind the scenes for editing ?

[@AlexSerrao]

On the list of videos to do! Thanks for subscribing!

[@mangomariel]

You do manual bracketing? and no remote? I do continuous bracketing, 3 images with 3EV steps on each. When I expose the image (mid) I usually put metering on multi. which is usually fine because it reads the shadows and highlight and go in the middle between those. The idea is to meter for the midtone so the -3 does the highlights (windows) and the +3 does the shadows. Another tactic is to put metering mode on highlight and use +3 EV on the comp wheel. The camera will adjust to get full details in the highlights, but since you never need a darker picture then that, you put +3 on EV comp so that you know the darkest in the bracket will definitly have all highlight detail because the camera metered for that. 0 +3 -3 = 0 so the low bracket will be 0 which is the one you metered the highlights with. The problem here is that your mid and high might be too dark as the camera might overcompensate how dark the highlight actually has to be. If you notice the picture is too dark when you have +3 EV comp this might be the case, as that should be the middle exposed picture. You can then put +4 or +5 on EV comp until you feel you have a good midtone. But then the low picture might be too bright. you can then go back 3 steps (your darkest pic) to check if there is any highlight clipping if your camera has that function If you do 5 picture bracketing with +3EV you should always be fine just doing multi or entire scene avarage metering with +0 ev comp. Cus that is 12EV range, compared to 6EV range which I just talked about. But editing 3 pics is easier then 5. Obviously you can manually expose like you do and your pictures look very good. But it just takes a lot of time. In my town my bookers want me to do 4 houses in a day with 25-35 pictures + a lot of extra just in case + vibe closeup pictures on every house. I can't imagine doing manual HDR all day. Like the auto bracketing takes about 1-2 seconds, manually exposing is like 7 seconds? BUT if you are going to try auto bracketing like this it will be tougher as canon 6dm2 only has 11.9 EV which is kinda low. I noticed a huge difference going from 13.6 to 14.7

[@Eskugorri]

And what camera do you use?

[@mangomariel]

@@Eskugorri holy heck what a massive novel I wrote, lol. I have sony a7iv, very happy with it for real estate.

[@origamied8893]

Can you please share what field monitor you use?

[@AlexSerrao]

Just the built in screen on the camera. It's a Canon 6D mk2 which has an articulating screen which is super nice to have in tight corners

[@origamied8893]

@@AlexSerrao Thank you for the reply. Sorry, I see that now that I look again. I have a Canon 5D mk2. Are you aware of an articulating screens that I could attach to my camera so I wouldn't have to buy another body?

[@AlexSerrao]

@@origamied8893 I saw Neewer came out with a $100 one recently that looks pretty good (I have not personally used it) and there’s a bunch more in that price range on amazon.

[@jeremydavis1267]

Hi Alex, thanks for the tips. Do you ever find that the colours aren’t accurate without using a flash? Or some areas like corners are way too dark?

[@JeepTJWheelin]

The product speaks for itself.

[@jeremydavis1267]

@@JeepTJWheelinyou think so? when majority of real estate photographers use flash? Flash is just for fun yeah?

[@BabyBoomerChannel]

Did you wait for a particular time of day to shoot these? (Golden hour?). What do you do on a rainy/cloudy day?

[@AlexSerrao]

Ideally I have the sun on the front of the house but that isn't always possible. I start shooting at 10am to let the sun come up some and fit in usually 3-4 shoots in a day. I don't shoot on rainy days but I do shoot with cloud cover and just replace the sky

[@jasonforester7292]

Hang on, so you do bracketing manually? As opposed to using the cameras built in bracketing?

[@AlexSerrao]

Yes definitely. I like to control each image. Especially to get the most out of the windows

[@jasonforester7292]

@@AlexSerrao fascinating. I already knew of doing it manually verses the built in bracketing, but for some reason I never thought of doing it with real estate. Thanks for sharing! Super helpful!

[@Aline23]

@@AlexSerrao thanks for the video! So what settings do you change to change exposures? Shutter speed? Thanks in advance! And I loved your photos!!

[@AlexSerrao]

@@Aline23 yes, just shutter speed. Thanks!

[@Aline23]

@@AlexSerrao thanks for answering! :D

[@SamGenk]

Can i do real estate with a 18mm to 105 mm lens?

[@AlexSerrao]

It’s not really wide enough. You’ll want something wider like a 16mm

[@SamGenk]

@@AlexSerrao ok thx

[@Search1110]

why don't you tape your lens from front looking into optics. It would be even sillier.

[@kennypringle4580]

It’s not a good practice to delete image from a card while in the camera. It’ll increase risk of ruining the card.

[@seraiahisrael3512]

SHOW US THE PHOTOS🗣️

[@AlexSerrao]

I show the photos in the video

[@diggermolly5927]

you left the toilet paper dangling from the dispenser in the bathroom photo...not good

[@AlexSerrao]

It’s the luxurious touch

[@peterhewel7648]

Not a lot of creators? Seriously?