A home stager’s portfolio often consists of dozens of before and after photos. Whether they are working in occupied homes or staging vacant homes, far too often what we see on their websites is a series of wide angle shots. The truth is that our job is to create emotion in our home staging. Rarely do wide angle shots create emotion. While these are the shots that agents will use to actually sell the home, what sells our services are often much closer.
Home Staging should convey lifestyle
When you are considering how to stage the home, you must first decide who is going to live there. Great home staging isn’t about what inventory you have on hand, it is about moving the buyer to want to live there because the home fits their life perfectly. Understanding how to do that is the work of a professional. Conveying that you understand that to potential customers is another thing.
One of the primary things that sets one stager apart from another is their attention to detail. How well can they sell the lifestyle of the potential home buyer? How well do they know their market? A beautiful room is only part of the equation.
Sell your home staging details to your customers
We all know that the first place potential customers click when they land on your website is your portfolio page. What will you have there that will make them want to see more? What will make you stand out from your competition? Let’s face it, in this industry photos are everything. They will be the judge of how customers perceive you.
What your home staging portfolio should look like
Your home staging portfolio needs to be diverse. You should have a wide range of types of properties within the niche that you specialize in. The more variety in your shots, the more likely that potential customers will find the portfolio photo that appeals to them and lands you the job. You need to photograph rooms from a variety of angles, and unless you have a good camera and know how to use it, you may need to hire a professional photographer.
You need to have wide angle photos and you need to have close up photos of the best elements of those rooms.
On a closing note, you may need to take dozens of close up photos to get a handful of ones that are actually usable. Digital photography is cheap. Take more than you think you need. Get on the floor and take photos up. Get on ladders and take photos down. Don’t be afraid to move around your vignettes to try new angles. Think outside the box.
Learn more about lifestyle staging techniques in our Advance Home Staging Training program with HGTV’s Matthew Finlason.
Thanks for reading, Don’t neglect close ups in your home staging porfolio
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Kathy Nielsen says
Melissa – Your close-ups are BEAUTIFUL! You’ve got this mastered. I’m very proud of you. And you’re right, these types of photos can truly help set you apart.
By the way, I have had several agents use a few of my close-ups in their MLS listings as they provide an element of something different and helps to make the listing stand out.
Again, beautiful shots, Melissa.
Kathy
melissamarro says
Thank you Kathy! I had a good teacher =). I appreciate your guidance at the RESA mastermind summit.
Good to know about the real estate agents using them. I always provide them all of my photos.