Hofmann Images, LLC: Blog https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog en-us (C) Hofmann Images, LLC [email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:56:00 GMT Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:56:00 GMT https://www.hofmannimages.com/img/s/v-12/u728583751-o591946715-50.jpg Hofmann Images, LLC: Blog https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog 95 120 My photo made it to the cover of a magazine! https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/4/my-photo-made-it-to-the-cover-of-a-magazine One year ago, I posted on this blog that I was looking forward to having my photography make it to the cover of a magazine (see the April 20, 2015 entry).  I'm excited to say that I did it!  My photo is of the featured home in this month's Homes & Land!  Granted, it's just the local Real Estate sales magazine, but I'll count it.  Now, I'm setting a more specific goal of having my photos featured in a National Architectural or Interior Design magazine.  Gotta hold onto those dreams!

Thanks to all of my repeat clients who have helped my business to grow.  I truly enjoy what I do for the real estate market and I love learning more each day about lighting, composition, digital processing, and logistics on commercial jobs.  Here's the tear sheet of my first "cover".

Homes & Land. April 2016.

 

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) 2016 April Elite Re/Max Spurlock cover estate image land magazine marketing photo photography pictures professional real https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/4/my-photo-made-it-to-the-cover-of-a-magazine Mon, 25 Apr 2016 13:27:24 GMT
Selling a house vs selling a lifestyle? https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/1/selling-a-house-vs-selling-a-lifestyle Real Estate is more than just selling houses!  When buyers are searching the web for potential homes, they are looking for a new life. A new LIFESTYLE!  The photos of a property can show so much more than just the walls, doorways, kitchen floor, and bathroom vanity.  Professional photography can convey light, warmth, happiness, comfort, security, and a fresh start.  


What feelings do these photos prompt in a buyer?  Does the "here is a swimsuit for sale" mannequin photo make a buyer want to have that item?  Or, does the "here is a wonderful lifestyle" photo elicit that "I need to have that swimsuit" emotion?

Summer 2015: Macari RioSummer 2015: Macari RioRio de Janeiro, Brazil


This straight-out-of-camera photo shows a living area in a luxury property. Period.

But this edited image shows a bright, sun-filled room with exquisite detailing. Buyers can picture themselves relaxing with a book or wandering out to the patio to lounge by the pool.  


Buyers will click past photos that leave them feeling bored and uninterested. Turn up the volume on your property photos and grab their attention!  Help your potential buyers to feel the space -- picturing themselves in the LIFESTYLE of the property.

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) after agent before bright edit editing emotion estate feelings flash life lifestyle lighting marketing photography photos photoshop pictures professional property real real estate sell https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/1/selling-a-house-vs-selling-a-lifestyle Wed, 27 Jan 2016 14:32:06 GMT
The MAGIC of Photoshop https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/1/the-magic-of-photoshop-layering When I walk into a commercial building, or residence, that has minimal lighting available, here's what I can do with a handful of flashes and some Photoshop layering.  Although this example shows a not-so-beautiful interior, it's always beneficial to show real estate in the best "light" possible!  Don't settle for crappy phone images ever again.

Before

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) after agent before building commercial edit editing estate flash flashes lease lighting marketing photography photoshop pictures professional real sell supplemental https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2016/1/the-magic-of-photoshop-layering Fri, 15 Jan 2016 14:22:17 GMT
Looking forward to my first magazine cover https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2015/4/looking-forward-to-my-first-magazine-cover Today, just for fun, I used Photoshop to create a cover of FLORIDA DESIGN, using one of my favorite interior images.  No, they haven't contacted me yet, but I'm looking forward to the day when my photography starts hitting the magazine rack!  

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) cover create design florida image magazine photography photoshop pictures professional https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2015/4/looking-forward-to-my-first-magazine-cover Mon, 20 Apr 2015 13:15:29 GMT
Success as a Real Estate Agent for DUMMIES https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2015/2/success-as-a-real-estate-agent-for-dummies

 

I picked up a copy of the newly updated book, "Success as a Real Estate Agent for DUMMIES", by Dirk Zeller, to see what he had to say about the relative importance of photography in selling houses today.  Here is a synopsis of what the author writes in reference to Real Estate Photography:

1. Most home tours occur online before they occur in person.  More than 90% of all buyers use the Internet to search and review homes . . . so visual information is essential to selling homes.

2. According to the National Association of Realtors, 42% of buyers find their home online and then contact the listing agent or their own agent.  We've seen a 425% increase in buyers finding their next home through independent Internet searches.

3. The first rule of online property marketing is pictures, pictures, pictures.

4. When buyers encounter property listings with few photos, they reach one of several conclusions:

  • They don't want to waste their time.  Many buyers think properties are like buses; another one will be along in a few minutes or day.  "I'll wait," they say.
  • The property is a dog!  If the property was a quality one . . . the agent would have taken more pictures of it.
  • The agent is unskilled.  Their thinking is that if they can't easily get a basic understanding of this property, everyone else who finds this home online will have the same issues.  You have little chance of securing their business in the future.

So, there you have it!  "Pictures, Pictures, Pictures" says it all!  Great photography plays a very important role in enticing prospective buyers to inquire further about a home.

 

 

 

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) agent author book buyers dummies estate internet marketing photography photos pictures real sellers https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2015/2/success-as-a-real-estate-agent-for-dummies Wed, 25 Feb 2015 01:04:41 GMT
Light Painting at Twilight https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/12/light-painting-at-twilight I owe a huge "Thank You" to Mike Kelley (www.mpkelley.com), an Architectural Photographer working from Los Angeles. He put his technique for Light Painting into a video tutorial, which I have studied and practiced over the past month. This type of composite image requires a good amount of time and effort, but I think it's worth it to be able to produce this caliber of image for my clients.  Plus, it's FUN!  

The photo shoot took about 90 minutes.  The Photoshop compositing of 40+ images took about 6 hours!  Viola!

Here is the base layer "before" image:

 

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) Photoshop composite dusk light painting twilight https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/12/light-painting-at-twilight Mon, 15 Dec 2014 20:12:43 GMT
Under CONTRACT in only 48 hours! https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/8/under-contract-in-only-48-hours I am absolutely THRILLED that I now have 2 agents who have had their listings (that I photographed) go under contract only 48 hours after listing!  It pleases me greatly to feel that I have been instrumental in presenting these properties in their "best light", helping to bring in the buyers FAST!  In these technological times, when visual media is at an all-time-high, great photos are no longer a luxury -- they are a NECESSITY!

 

SOLD!

 

 

 

SOLD!

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) agent buy estate home house images marketing photography pictures professional real estate sale sell sold https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/8/under-contract-in-only-48-hours Mon, 18 Aug 2014 14:00:24 GMT
A Beautiful View https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/5/a-beautiful-view

A beautiful view of Port Canaveral from the oversized balcony of this luxurious condo in Cape Canaveral.

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/5/a-beautiful-view Sat, 03 May 2014 20:55:14 GMT
What's all the equipment for? https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/3/whats-all-the-equipment-for As I shuffle in with 3 large, heavy bags, sometimes clients will ask me, "What's all the equipment for?  You're just going to snap a couple photos, right?" Although I could get by with a camera and one flash, that's not good enough for me.  Maybe I'm an overachiever or a perfectionist, but I strive to deliver the best images possible -- always.  No 'run & gun' photography for me!  

A full-frame camera provides great resolution and low light capability.  The ultra-wide lens allows me to capture small spaces and large rooms alike. Additional flashes work wonders with balancing bright windows with dark interiors.  A sturdy tripod gives me the straightest and sharpest images possible.  Then there's the "digital darkroom" back in my office -- that's where the magic happens!  Lightroom and Photoshop are powerful tools that help turn good photos into superior images.  All of this equipment is just part of the process which helps me to show off my client's properties, in the best "light" possible!

Here's the short list:

Camera Bag:

Canon EOS 6D full-frame camera

Normal Zoom Lens:  Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 L

Ultra-wide Zoom Lens:  Canon 17-40mm f/4.0 L

Telephoto zoom: Canon 75-300mm f/4-5.6

Spare Battery Packs

Remote Shutter release switch

Canon EOS 450D (back-up camera)

Ultra-wide Zoom Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6

Tripod Bag:

Monopod:  Manfrotto 680B with 234RC head

Tripod: Manfrotto 190XProB ProAlum Bogen withManfrotto 324RC2 head

Light Stand:  Velbon 451 tripod

Lighting Bag:

Canon Speedlight 430EX ii

2 Yongnuo 560 iii Flashes

Wireless Flash Trigger/Receiver set

42” Wescott 5-in-1 Reflector

2 Sto-fen Flash diffusers

Westcott 43” Optical White Satin collapsible Umbrella

18% Gray White Balance Card

Digital Darkroom:

Computer: 21.5” iMac

WD My Book 2TB External HD

Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop & Lightroom

Photomatix Essentials

LR/Enfuse Plugin

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) bags camera equipment photography https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/3/whats-all-the-equipment-for Wed, 19 Mar 2014 19:40:12 GMT
Be the Change You Wish to See https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/1/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see Do you need to sign a million-dollar listing before you feel the need to hire a Professional Photographer?  Or, do you commit to hiring the Professional Photographer in order to show the world that you deserve a million-dollar listing?  

I know that the above statement may seem exaggerated, but I feel it rings with truth.  How are you going to prove to your clients, and to yourself, that you committed to selling top properties, if you are not willing to take the steps necessary to get there.  Don't wait for those fantastic listings to walk through your door before you decide to ramp up your marketing plan.

"Be the change you wish to see!" 

 

Master Bath view 1Professional DSLR Camera with Wide Angle LensNow this is a Master Bath!

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) after agent before estate marketing photography pictures professional real snapshot https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2014/1/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see Fri, 24 Jan 2014 21:43:44 GMT
Is this really what a homeowner should expect? https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/10/is-this-really-what-a-homeowner-should-expect The following photos are from a current listing for a $1.8 million dollar home!  Really?  Come on now!  Is this what a homeowner should expect from their Realtor?

I chose just a few to post, but all of the pictures were small, dark, crooked, and off-colored.  This is a beautiful home that is definitely not being shown in it's "best light" to potential buyers.  In today's high tech world, people expect lots of GREAT pictures when browsing for homes on the web!  A relatively small investment in Professional Photography will pay off big in the end with more viewings, a quicker sale, and a higher final sale price.  It's been proven :D

 

   

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) agent bad invest marketing photography photos pictures poor real estate snapshot https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/10/is-this-really-what-a-homeowner-should-expect Fri, 18 Oct 2013 20:37:37 GMT
A Picture is worth a Thousand Words! https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/10/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words What are You Saying?

The top photo (from a point and shoot camera) was taken from the exact same position as the bottom photo!  Can you believe it?  My wide angle lens provides an expansive view of many smaller spaces -- when you just can't back up far enough!  And the dark foreground with blown-out windows in the first photo, are transformed into the beautiful "welcoming" foyer shown in my final edited image.  You be the judge!  Which MLS photo will draw in the potential buyers?

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) after agent before comparison estate photography professional real snapshot https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/10/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:21:38 GMT
Real Estate Agents Earn MORE with Great Photography! https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/9/real-estate-agents-earn-more-with-great-photography Attention Real Estate Agents:  This Infographic really "says it all" when it comes to Professional Real Estate Photography!

Homeowners deserve your best marketing plan and great photos are definitely a step in the right direction!  For a relatively small investment, you can be sure that your property will stand out from other listings.

InfographicInfographicA picture is worth a $1,000!

]]>
[email protected] (Hofmann Images, LLC) Estate Real agents earn homes more photography professional sales sell https://www.hofmannimages.com/blog/2013/9/real-estate-agents-earn-more-with-great-photography Thu, 26 Sep 2013 13:19:49 GMT