FAA Part 107 Real Estate Shoot - JPG's or RAW's

[Brockrock]

I know there is a commercial forum as well, but I figured I'd start here where I know several folks have mentioned doing Real Estate work. When you shoot, do you find the client is happy with the JPG files, or are you post prosessing RAW images and sending them those? I have an opportunity later this week to shoot a new listing for a client, and since the client is not really sure what they want other than 'pictures', I figured I would see what others do. Some of these processed RAW files can be very large, and I'm not sure they can even be uploaded into MLS or whatever program they use.

 

[Meta4]

I know there is a commercial forum as well, but I figured I'd start here where I know several folks have mentioned doing Real Estate work. When you shoot, do you find the client is happy with the JPG files, or are you post prosessing RAW images and sending them those? I have an opportunity later this week to shoot a new listing for a client, and since the client is not really sure what they want other than 'pictures', I figured I would see what others do. Some of these processed RAW files can be very large, and I'm not sure they can even be uploaded into MLS or whatever program they use.

Jpg will be fine for real estate use.

 

[Brockrock]

I would think so. I've looked at some of these MLS pics, and many are very low quality.

 

[brett8883]

I know there is a commercial forum as well, but I figured I'd start here where I know several folks have mentioned doing Real Estate work. When you shoot, do you find the client is happy with the JPG files, or are you post prosessing RAW images and sending them those? I have an opportunity later this week to shoot a new listing for a client, and since the client is not really sure what they want other than 'pictures', I figured I would see what others do. Some of these processed RAW files can be very large, and I'm not sure they can even be uploaded into MLS or whatever program they use.

You don’t hand the client a RAW file. You take the photo as RAW, process it, and then hand over the jpeg version of the processed RAW to the client. They wouldn’t know what to do with RAW files.

No professional photographer shoots in jpeg unless it’s for industrial use or something. Real Estate people want the best looking photo possible. Half the job of a photographer is post process work. Any 2 cent individual can fly up and snap a couple of frames.

 

[Meta4]

I would think so. I've looked at some of these MLS pics, and many are very low quality.

Jpg quality is far better than the impression you get in the forum and can be good enough for many higher purposes than real estate uses.
Unless you are dealing with a million dollar property and needing to pring large posters, most real estate use only requires small prints and web images.

 

[brett8883]

I know there is a commercial forum as well, but I figured I'd start here where I know several folks have mentioned doing Real Estate work. When you shoot, do you find the client is happy with the JPG files, or are you post prosessing RAW images and sending them those? I have an opportunity later this week to shoot a new listing for a client, and since the client is not really sure what they want other than 'pictures', I figured I would see what others do. Some of these processed RAW files can be very large, and I'm not sure they can even be uploaded into MLS or whatever program they use.

MSL btw is just a listing service mainly for brokers to see the available homes in an area from other Brokers. It’s more informative than for marketing purposes. It’s a no thrills database for finding listings, appraisals, and broker contact information.

A broker wouldn’t hire a drone pilot just to take photos to put on MSL.

 

[Brockrock]

You don’t hand the client a RAW file. You take the photo as RAW, process it, and then hand over the jpeg version of the processed RAW to the client. They wouldn’t know what to do with RAW files.

No professional photographer shoots in jpeg unless it’s for industrial use or something. Real Estate people want the best looking photo possible. Half the job of a photographer is post process work. Any 2 cent individual can fly up and snap a couple of frames.

Yeah, I had not planned on giving them RAW images. That's why I mentioned 'post processing' the RAW files and giving those to the client. If that is what they wanted, I figured I would quote a bit extra in order to cover the bit of development time. The JPG's would be easy and included in the price. I could just sent them via email while on site.

 

[bmwbob]

It looks like interior pictures in most case are HDR s and post processed to jpeg. Might be the same for extirior to eliminate shadows.

 

[Pablo]

You don’t hand the client a RAW file. You take the photo as RAW, process it, and then hand over the jpeg version of the processed RAW to the client. They wouldn’t know what to do with RAW files.

No professional photographer shoots in jpeg unless it’s for industrial use or something. Real Estate people want the best looking photo possible. Half the job of a photographer is post process work. Any 2 cent individual can fly up and snap a couple of frames.

I'd say this is the ideal workflow. Shoot in RAW. Edit the RAW. Export in JPEG.

If you shoot in JPEG you better get your exposure spot on as editing is much more limited.

 

[Meta4]

No professional photographer shoots in jpeg unless it’s for industrial use or something. Real Estate people want the best looking photo possible. Half the job of a photographer is post process work. Any 2 cent individual can fly up and snap a couple of frames.

You talk like it's not possible to edit jpg files or that someone shooting jpg wouldn't do any editing.
Jpg image files (and I'm not talking about untouched images straight from the camera), are perfectly good for real estate work.

 

[brett8883]

You talk like it's not possible to edit jpg files or that someone shooting jpg wouldn't do any editing.
Jpg image files (and I'm not talking about untouched images straight from the camera), are perfectly good for real estate work.

RAW is easier to edit than JPEG especially when it comes to white balance and color. Why someone would want to edit a jpeg photo when they could edit RAW is beyond my comprehension.

I’m not saying you can’t but why would you want to make a job harder for yourself. Makes no sense

 

[lookout]

RAW is preprocessing format.

 

[brett8883]

Yeah, I had not planned on giving them RAW images. That's why I mentioned 'post processing' the RAW files and giving those to the client. If that is what they wanted, I figured I would quote a bit extra in order to cover the bit of development time. The JPG's would be easy and included in the price. I could just sent them via email while on site.

Always assume they want post processing unless they specifically ask otherwise.

Most people “just want nice pictures” and don’t know or don’t care what goes into that. All they care about is the result.

 

[Brockrock]

Always assume they want post processing unless they specifically ask otherwise.

Most people “just want nice pictures” and don’t know or don’t care what goes into that. All they care about is the result.

Very true. Selling properties is their business and chief interest. After talking with the client today, I plan to email the JPG images to them directly after the shoot. They will review them and inform me if they desire one or more in higher detail, and if so, I will process and send them the RAW(s). I don’t know what others charge for this, but I generally quote $5.00 for each processed RAW along with my hourly flight session rate.

 

[brett8883]

Very true. Selling properties is their business and chief interest. After talking with the client today, I plan to email the JPG images to them directly after the shoot. They will review them and inform me if they desire one or more in higher detail, and if so, I will process and send them the RAW(s). I don’t know what others charge for this, but I generally quote $5.00 for each processed RAW along with my hourly flight session rate.

That’s one way of doing it but I would avoid giving them the option of just keeping the unedited jpegs. If you were to do it that way I would suggest charging your hourly rate plus the cost of editing 5 photos or something and then asking them which 5 photos they want to be processed. If they want more than 5 photos then it will be an extra $5 per photo.

If you give them the idea that they could use unprocessed photos as isthat’s all they will ever ask for (especially real estate people.) You’ll be judged by your unprocessed photos and if they come across a photographer that just processes all images and includes that in the price they will say to themselves “this guy takes better photos. He’s a little more expensive but I think it’s worth it.”

People just generally don’t understand post processing and the difference it can make. They only understand the final product. I always want to put my best possible work forward unless I know for sure the client is experienced with post production and are capable of doing it themselves. I’ve sent RAW files to a post production company that was putting together marketing for a client but they told me before hand that that’s what they wanted.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Brockrock]

That’s one way of doing it but I would avoid giving them the option of just keeping the unedited jpegs. If you were to do it that way I would suggest charging your hourly rate plus the cost of editing 5 photos or something and then asking them which 5 photos they want to be processed. If they want more than 5 photos then it will be an extra $5 per photo.

If you give them the idea that they could use unprocessed photos as isthat’s all they will ever ask for (especially real estate people.) You’ll be judged by your unprocessed photos and if they come across a photographer that just processes all images and includes that in the price they will say to themselves “this guy takes better photos. He’s a little more expensive but I think it’s worth it.”

People just generally don’t understand post processing and the difference it can make. They only understand the final product. I always want to put my best possible work forward unless I know for sure the client is experienced with post production and are capable of doing it themselves. I’ve sent RAW files to a post production company that was putting together marketing for a client but they told me before hand that that’s what they wanted.

Just my 2 cents

Thank you. All very good points to consider.