Lets Talk About The Weather

This photo was taken on a slate grey, overcast day with the first drops of rain starting to fall!

No, seriously - lets!  There are so many misconceptions about the weather and photography, I thought I would tackle at least one of them (or maybe a few... we shall see!).
I recently heard this little chestnut:
"I only want my listings photographed on sunny days because they will look brighter."
OK.  First of all, that might just sum up why you NEED to hire a professional photographer.
Sunny weather does not show up on film (or in a digital camera) the way the human mind interprets what the human eye sees.  Sunny days mean one thing:  really bright light and really deep shadows.  
A pro will find a way to photograph a property inside and out on a sunny day and make it look great - that's why you hire us - but it is not only not required, but (dirty little photographer secret coming up!) its really not preferable. 
Cloudy, overcast days are the best - the clouds work like a giant soft box.  You know, those big square things you see at fashion shoots, pointed at the models with flashes inside them?  Those are called soft boxes.  Why?  Because they make the light "soft" - meaning, shadows fall off gently and gradually (softly) rather than showing a harsh demarcation between highlights and shadows.  If you want to see what I mean, just have a look at your own shadow on the gound - on a bright sunny day it will be a dark sharp edged shape.  On a cloudy day you will barely see it and what you do see will be soft edged, almost etherial.
Cloud cover is mother nature's soft box.  Sure, grey dreary skies don't look very perky or inviting - but that's why your professional real estate photographer knows how to either manipulate or replace them with beautiful blue skies, with white fluffy clouds.
And don't even get me started on the interiors - on sunny days, the light piles in through the window in a gleaming, blinding shaft - everything else is a cave or oceanic trench of shadow, murky and dark.
Again - a pro will know how to handle this with lighting and proper exposure, but it will look no better than if photographed on an overcast day.
That's a little insight into how photos are made, and that with proper technique, anything can be overcome - furthermore - what seems to be the better answer... quite often isn't.  That is what professional photographers are for, we figure it out for you, and deliver consistent results every time.  
But let's cut to the chase - you, a real estate agent - don't often have the luxury of waiting for the perfect weather, the perfect light. A pro will make sure that your pictures look every bit as good if shot on a sunny day, as they would on an overcast one.  And they will probably sweat less (figuratively and literally) if the sun is hidden behind clouds!  
Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you would like to learn more photography secrets, just chat or book a shoot.  Look forward to hearing from you!

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