One of the ways that you can save money when you list your home for sale is to take your own listing photos. Whereas many people hire professional photographers for this service, it's possible to take care of the job on your own if you have an eye for photography. You don't necessarily need high-end camera gear, either. Today's smartphones are equipped with impressive cameras and digital filters that can help you achieve your desired results. Before you begin shooting, it's a good idea to browse online real estate listings to assess what works and what doesn't work with photos. Here are some lessons that you can learn.

Using Flash Vs. Natural Lighting

If you take enough time to peruse lots of listings, you'll likely be able to tell which images have been taken with the camera's flash and which make use of natural lighting. In many cases, those that are lit naturally will be more pleasing to the eye. While professionals can angle their flashes correctly, amateur images lit with a flash will often appear too bright and thus unrealistic. Seeing these contrasting types of images will show you proof that waiting until a bright, sunny day to capture your images is a decision that you won't likely regret.

Importance Of Cleaning/Organizing

When someone selling his or her home hires a professional photographer, the photographer won't take shots until the home looks presentable. People who shoot their own images aren't always as discerning, which means that you'll often see listing photos in which a home's interior rooms are dirty and disorganized. In many cases, these images will be shot by the owner himself or herself. The lesson here is that you can't clean and organize your home enough before you begin shooting photos. Well in advance of picking up your camera or smartphone, devote lots of time to making sure each room is presentable.

Staging Before Photos

Staging before you take a photo doesn't necessarily mean that you need to hire a home stager, but it does mean that you should work to make each shot's setting look appealing. For example, if you're shooting the dining room, don't just leave the table empty. This can make the environment appear cold and uninviting. Instead, set table — taking care not to clutter it — with four place settings and light the candles. The goal here is to make the room look appealing to prospective buyers who would ideally see themselves eating in the room.