Tips for getting great photos of your home

Professional real-estate photographer Jim Schmid and Allen Tate Co. real-estate agent Lyn Briggs offer these tips:

• Force the flash. The flash makes colors pop and fills in the shadows, making the room look brighter. For all interior shots, turn on all the lights, open the blinds and use a flash.

• Make sure the sun is shining on the front of the house when you take the exterior shot. If you must take the photo when the sun isn't shining on the house, overexpose and/or force the flash. Try to overexpose the image with the exposure compensation button (normally a little button with a +/- on it, often used in conjunction with a dial or menu function). Turning the "+" should lighten the exposure, "-" should darken it.

• If the house is on a hill, tilt your camera to shoot. The plane of the camera must be parallel to the house, or else the home will appear strangely shaped. Try stepping back, maybe even across the street, to shoot farther away. Or hold the camera as high over your head as you can to gain height and click away until one is well-framed.

• Make sure a shadow falls on the lens to avoid lens glare and dreaded sun spots. Get some help and use an umbrella to block the sun if you need to.

• If you don't have a tripod, hold your elbow in to your sides to straighten your camera out. It's one of the best ways to keep rooms from looking crooked in photos.

• Use a wide-angle lens. It's your best bet for capturing as much as possible of each room.

• Take exterior photos while the grass looks great and plants are in bloom. If you're even contemplating putting your home on the market later his fall or winter, take a photo of it now. Avoid posting photos with seasonal decorations.

• Showcase your home's best attributes. Most buyers will want to see the front exterior, kitchen, main living area or family room, and the master bedroom. But if you have a superb entryway or luxurious master bath, snap those, too.

• Still not sure? Look into hiring a professional. Real-estate photographers usually charge around $100 to $150 for about 20 photos, Schmid said. The typical session only lasts about 30 minutes.