One of my goals for 2008 is to remove all stock photography from my websites. We have great portfolio pictures on the appropriate pages, but the main photos are not mine. They were put there by my web designer when we started the sites (2 years ago for www.redesigningcharleston.com and 1 year ago for www.stagingandredesign.com) This year, I want all of them to be mine or one of my associates. When I started trying to pick out photos to use a few months ago I realized that the focal points of my work were not exactly like what I currently have posted..... Most of my photos looked like this....
The photos are pretty standard. We use them a lot for before and afters.... What was the key difference between this and what I wanted? I should have known... this after all is what I do.... determining focal points.
My current photos were more focused on the actual design work - color, texture, etc. Ah ha! I needed to look at my work differently and photograph accordingly.
Now I know these aren't perfect. I should have adjusted the seat cushions (didn't notice until I had gone home) and the window glare is a bit much..... it is a start though....
When showing off our portfolio, sometimes we should actually focus on the elements of the design job, not just provide a full view of the room.
Check out this layout from my new portfolio book using my new photographic techniques....
This view of the slipcovered eat in area is much more interesting than the whole room would have been... same as the metal geese..... now if only I could figure out how to straighten out lines, etc the way Craig does..... who has time for that anyway?
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Update: Because I have received numerous questions about the photo book, I have posted additional information on this in Sharpen Your Sword. The link to the blog is Juliet, Beth & Maureen are smart cookies.... you'll want what they have - I did!
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. She now operates as the CEO of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign as well as an instructor for Staging And Resign and regularly speaks at the StagerList Expos and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.822.2622 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
If you would like Marro's team to provide information on staging a property in the state of South Carolina, or the Greater Charleston Area, please visit www.WeStageSC.com, email marro.melissa@gmail.com or call 843.822.2622.
I'm with you Melissa...my photography has to improve. I keep reading the info. in the Photography group, but, oh my it sounds SO-O complicated and I'm not good with the learning curve for software, like I hear about Photoshop. Wish I had more patience with that stuff.
I have the same problems with decorative pillows. I don't notice the problems with them until I'm home looking through my photos...ahhhh!
How did you organize you portfolio, by the house, by rooms, or ????
I really like your close-up detail shots. I'm going to experiment with some too. Thanks for the inspiration.
Yeah, no time to learn elements or photoshop.... when I get to that point I'll pay for a professional photographer!
I typically group by room, color or theme... because I want a consistent flow, I felt it was important to make sure that both right and left pages worked well together... they were not alway the same house, but if they were different then the colors or themes all worked together...
Here is another example....
These are from the same home, but different rooms and elements from that home. This shows the client both the full vision of the room as well as the accessories, etc we place in the home.... if this were just full room shots I think it would be less visually interesting.... It also more clearly answers the eternal question of what kind of furniture, etc we put in homes.
One thing about this layout is I feel it highlights the way we make every home feel rich.... the first set of pages is from a home listed at around $225,000 the second set is from a home listed over $3 million. While you understand that when you see examine the photos, I don't feel it jumps off the page - particularly in the closeups. It is more obvious in the full views...
You do such a wonderful job and I don't think you'll have any trouble replacing the stock photos on your website with your own work! I find that great photos are so hard to achieve... it seems I never have the right lighting, angles, etc. Like Ginger, I try and check in on the photography group, but she's right... unless you're an electronic techie, its very confusing! I love the way you have closeups and full room shots. Like Lonni said, it really provides a different perspective of the same space. Thanks for sharing and definitely an updated portfolio is at the top of my priority list for 2008!
Lisa Sherman ~ Interior Aura
THIS is what I need to improve on for 2008!!!! (Forgot to incorporate it into my plan!).
Thanks for the reminder...
I started to do this with the "after" pic's of my last couple of reno's....but I can always use more tips..
Thanks!
julia
Thanks Melissa for the additional information and photos. Is this a photo album or a book that you've created like others from Shutterfly or ????
I need to do this. You've made it look much much more appealing and I think the photos are great. Thanks for the post!
Melissa: I applaud you for taking the stock photos off of your website. I feel cheated when I look at someone's website and realize that they have used stock photos instead of photos of their own work. What is says to me is that this person either doesn't have the confidence in their own work to display it, that the person is not up to good caliber work, that they were misguided by their web designer, etc. or a little bit of all of the above. I am sure there are many other reasons people have for doing it not listed here. But you are someone with a huge portfolio of wonderful work completed by you or your company. Get rid of those stock photos, and show the world what great work you can do.
I also have to congratulate you on the beautiful photos of your work. I really like your new style of showing more detail and texture.
Lonni - Thank you so much! This is why I always recommend AR to new stagers. It is great to see what other stagers are doing.... after all, I got the information on the portfolio book from Maureen....
Lisa - a good portfolio is very helpful. I have learned that I enjoy the close up more artistic photos more than the full on room shots now. I, of course, take both and use what is appropriate. You just never know when those new shots are going to be of use though...
Julia - at least you hve an active plan.... that is a good start! Editing this into it will be a piece of cake!
Ginger - I created mine on kodakgallery.com but it is basically the same as shutterfly
Terrylynn - it will take you a few hours to put together & you need to have a wide range of photos... Maureen also used an about me section, etc..... tons of ideas.
Roberta - Thanks! Yeah, it took me a little while to figure out what I wanted to look for. It may still take me 8-10 photos of the wrong thing to get the one I like. It's weird because sometimes it is the angle I hold the camera that makes all the difference. My daughter is taking photography in school, hopefully eventually she'll just come take the photos for me! She is coming to work for me this summer... lol...
Cindy - happy to help out! I was so excited when I actually sat down to make the book.... then of course I had to make scrapbooks using that program for my mom, mother in law and dad for Christmas... lol.. I'm hooked!
Elaine - Yes! I take full room photos for the agent, before and after photos and now these also.... then I use what is appropriate for whatever project I'm working on....
Terry - It did take several hours with Kodakgallery. Thankfully all the photos were already in the system. The book cost about $35 and was well worth it!
Michelle - just to be clear, my portfolio photos have ALWAYS been mine.. it was the main page of my website and then the sidebars. The site was a pre-built site and I just had to add verbage and my photos. Now I'm changing it up to have nothing but our work. It won't be up by the first like I had planned - I've just been too busy but it will be soon!
Update: Because I have received numerous questions about the photo book, I have posted additional information on this in Sharpen Your Sword. The link to the blog is Juliet, Beth & Maureen are smart cookies.... you'll want what they have - I did!
Hi Melissa- Good ideas! I personally like to see a combination....rooms AND elements. Sometimes I feel unsure about a stager's ability when what I view in their portfolio is just a simple vase with flowers. Just a place setting...etc. This alone does not let me know how well a stager can handle the flow of a room or existing elements. Does that make sense to you?
Keep up your constant thinking Melissa..it keeps us all on our toes as well!! Regards-Kathleen G
Melissa, you are always setting the bar higher for us!
Now I not only have to refocus my marketing in 2008 as well as get myself the portfolio books...now I have to take magazine type photos...mumble, grumble...nice work btw!
Kathy - I agree completely. Showing both up close and room shots help to see the whole picture...
Michelle - thanks for the correction. I understand and agree completely this is why the changes are being made.
Kathleen- YES! The overall flow of the book shows varying work, rooms and elements. If you view the additional photos in my other blog you will see how they all compliment each other....
Dane - lol.... yeah, like you don't already take magazine quality photos! I saw your blog about broken favorite things... that close up was top notch and exactly what I'm talking about!
Melissa,
Great photos! When I grow up I hope to be as talented as you are.
I just launched my website- www.designbymarla.com . One of the things I struggled with is whether or not to use stock photos. I decided against it. Even though I'm just starting and don't have a lot of photos yet, all of the photos are my own. I'm happy with my decision and my new website ;) .
I just got a Nikon D80 and used it for the first time today. The pictures came out wonderful!
I too intend to take more close-ups of the accessories and display my work a little differently (for certain things). I'll always take big room views of the rooms (before & after) as it more clearly reflects the changes we can have in a room.
Great post, Melissa.
Kathy
Very inspiring post, Melissa. I just finished a portfolio book, but for the next one I will include the artistic elements and unique closeups like you demonstrated. Thanks for continuing to educate and motivate us!
Kathy R.
lol, Melissa, take a look at *all* my other fotos...that one I had the opportunity to wait for just the right light, etc. The rest suck!
There seem to be a lot of people that are concerned about getting the photography right for their staging work and for the sale of the house. I partnered up a while back with a good photographer and I don't have to worry about it at all. We end up budgeting a certain amount for each house and the photographer works on a combination hourly and per shot delivered basis. Since I know our MLS has a max of 15 photos we'll try and max what we can for each property. If a home needs it, we'll do more and use those for additional marketing materials and virtual tours.
My photographer has brought my listing photos to a whole new level and I thank him for it regularly.
Reba Haas
Team Reba of RE/MAX Metro Realty (Seattle, WA)
Melissa,
Thank you for the inspiration! I really need to get my act together when it comes to my portfolio. Adding it to my To Do List now.
I love what you've shown us here, Melissa. I've taken close ups before but never did anything with them because as you mentioned, we often post the full rooms for before and afters. I'll be sure to zoom in here and there. I've cropped images to just get details before...my pic files are so big that it doesn't usually effect the end result much.
Aloha Melissa,
Very nice work, especially with the different angles. I use the same layout on my site and I also throw in a few black & whites when I can't get the correct color saturation due to inadequate lighting.
Peace,
I get too caught up in all the before and after shots, and you can't see the detail of the work...but I'm trying.