Hi, I'm Eric —
Portland OR photographer who makes homes look their best

If the property is clean and ready to shoot:

• 1–2 hours for a one-bedroom property.
• 2–3 hours for a two-bedroom property.
• 3+ hours for a three-bedroom property.

My process takes a bit longer since I’m doing a bit of staging and balancing indoor and outdoor lighting for the best possible results. Final photos are delivered within 48 hours of the shoot.

For the best possible shots, please consider the following.

Inside the home:

• Windows, counters, and the outside of the refrigerator are clean.
• Bedding, linens, and curtains are tidy and free of fold-lines.
• Personal belongings, pet products, and branded products are stowed away.

Outside the home:

• Brush is trimmed back to allow a clear view of the property from the street.
• Hoses, tarps, or yard products are stowed away.
• Grounds are weeded or freshly mulched.
• Driveway / front street parking is open and free of cars.

I do love dogs, cats, and kids, but for the best possible photos, it's ideal to have minimal activity on the property during the shoot.

No, it is not necessary for anyone to be present during the shoot, and minimal activity is best. It is best if the entire floor I’m shooting is unoccupied since I often shoot across multiple rooms simultaneously. An unoccupied space also allows me to better control the staging and prevents unwanted items from accidentally entering the shots.

You can provide instructions for accessing and locking the home during your booking.

If you'd like to collaborate on artistically staging the shots, guiding composition, and reviewing in-camera shots this generally takes much longer than a standard shoot and will require customized pricing. This is generally only necessary for pixel-perfect architectural or interior design portfolio shots. If this is what you're needing please email me the types of photos and the number of final images needed so we can flush out the details (eric@brighthomephotography.com).

Otherwise, if you’d just like extra attention on certain features in the home, please make a note during the booking, or show me when I arrive for the shoot. I’ll gladly build these shots into my workflow.

The one-bedroom home photoshoot provides enough images to feature a small property. For a wide-open studio apartment, I may only deliver 13 carefully composed shots, while I may need to deliver 17 shots for a more divided one-bedroom home. For each additional room or space you’d like featured, please add Additional rooms and spaces ($15/each) during the booking.

‍Note: For vacation rentals such as Airbnb’s, I don’t shoot inside areas that are unavailable to the visitor/renter unless requested. I also avoid shooting inside closets, utility spaces, or sheds unless requested. (Add special requests during the booking)

Depending on how you book your shoot, I’ll deliver the following sizes:

• 3,672 x 2,448 px (3:2) as recommended for short-term / vacation rentals (e.g., Airbnb).
• 3,264 x 2,448 px (4:3) as recommended for Real estate / MLS (Redfin, Zillow, etc.).

These are the optimal resolutions and aspect ratios for photos on these platforms. If you're unsure or intending to use these shots in a professional portfolio, then I recommend the full aspect ratio of 3:2 as it provides the full uncropped composition.

The dimensions listed above are sufficient for nearly all web platforms, and most magazine size print ads. Final photos will have a file size of about 2 MB, although lower resolution photos (1920 x 1280 px) with smaller file sizes (e.g., 500 KB) can be delivered upon request for no additional charge.

I only offer still photos. However, I compose photos to “walk the viewer” through the home with room-to-room consistency, similar to a walk-through or 3D virtual tour.

Although 3D virtual tours (e.g., Matterport) provide additional interaction, they appear gloomy, pixelated, and less pleasing than quality photos. Nothing beats professional photos for showcasing the uplifting or relaxing ambiance of your property.

I do not currently offer aerial photos. However, I do have methods to take 10 ft elevated shots to showcase homes at a higher elevation. Keeping things simple and sticking purely to ground photos allows me to focus my efforts on providing the best possible eye-level photos.

I perform minor photo edits to remove incidental reflections (e.g., camera equipment) or small unintentional artifacts. I can also include fires in a fireplace upon request, but major photo editing, such as window or sky replacements, is not included in a standard shoot.

If you require custom photo editing, please email me with a description or picture of the object in question (eric@brighthomephotography.com) for an accurate quote. Most custom photo edits are billed at $15-30/photo to remove, replace, or change the appearance of small items.

Remember, it's best to present photos that accurately feature your property. False expectations can lead to bad reviews from renters or buyers.

I make small staging tweaks for most of my shots. This includes quick adjustments that are necessary to make a scene look attractive (well-composed) from the point of view of the camera frame without changing the established theme and design.

In most cases, I’m removing, positionally adjusting, or reshaping objects. I make subtle changes, and I rarely move items into a scene unless requested to do so. For interior design and home staging, I recommend hiring a designer before the shoot.

I ask customers to confirm their booking with payment since I generally only take on one shoot per day. It also streamlines my process so I can keep operational costs down and keep my attention on the photography. Thank you for understanding.

I ask clients to choose the type of photos they need during booking, as it will dictate the dimensions and how I will compose the shots in the camera:

• Short-term / vacation rental: Provided with the full 3:2 aspect ratio, as recommended for sites such as Airbnb.
• Real estate / MLS: Provided with a cropped 4:3 aspect ratio as recommended by sites such as Zillow.
• Interior design / Architectural: Provided with the full 3:2 aspect ratio unless another size is requested before the shoot.

The type of photo chosen will also dictate which artistic theme/style I apply after the photoshoot. (see below FAQs)

Short-term rental and real estate photos will be competing in a marketplace (e.g., Airbnb, Zillow) full of garishly processed and highly saturated images, putting “normal” photos at risk of appearing dark and dull. To make your property stand out I apply subtle digital enhancements to make each image as appealing as possible while preserving a natural and balanced look. This includes selective edits depending on the emotional appeal of each space:

• Home exterior and landscape: Darker shadows and tone sculpting for greater dimensionality and structure.
• Kitchens and bathrooms: Brighter midtones and removal of contaminating colors for cleaner and more uplifting appearance.
• Bedrooms or lounge areas: Lower contrast and softer midtones for a more relaxing and comfortable appearance.
• All photos: Matching white balance and tonality to bind them together with a cohesive whole.

Interior design photos are generally used in a designer's portfolio, industry periodical, or commercial application. The furnishing and decor are the focus of the image, and so I usually shoot a one-point composition for these shots to put more emphasis on the design elements. Light placement (e.g. spotlights) is also important for defining the objects and textures in the scene, and helping objects pop out of the photo. These shots require very careful staging to create a balanced image that features the proper elements.

In post processing, I apply selective enhancements similar to my home photos (above) but with darker midtones and greater sharpness to define objects, shapes, and textures in the scene.

Architectural photos are generally used in a contractor's portfolio, industry periodical, or commercial application where viewers are judging more of the geometry and spatial relationships. Architectural photography demands the highest level of photorealism, so I match the exposure to that perceived by the human eye. This makes architectural photos appear a bit darker than my standard home photos. (e.g., Airbnb)

Architectural photos require strong shadows to emphasize the spatial depth and geometry of the space. This requires that shots be carefully coordinated to the season, weather, and time of day. I like to time the shots according to the angle of the sun and atmospheric conditions to capture the home in the most ideal natural light. For architectural shots, I recommend that clients email me with an address and a few quick snapshots of the property before scheduling the shoot. (eric@brighthomephotography.com)

A one-point perspective positions the subject(s) in the camera at a single angle with converging lines (corners of walls) directed to a single point, usually directly facing a wall.

A two-point perspective positions the subject(s) in the camera so the converging lines are directed towards two different points, usually showing two or three converging walls.

For example, the first image has a one-point perspective while the second image has a two-point perspective of the home.

One-point shots are better for emphasizing a single subject, while a two-point shot puts emphasis on dimensionality and layout. Interior design shots are almost always one-point shots, while architectural, short-term rentals and real-estate photos usually consist of both. If you’d like a certain type of shot, you can request that during your booking in the comments.