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As a real estate photographer, you’re likely familiar with the importance of capturing high-quality images that showcase the beauty and potential of each property. But what about the post-production process? 

Editing is just as crucial as the actual photo shoot itself, and mastering the latest techniques in real estate photo editing can set you apart from your competitors.

This blog post will unveil the #1 real estate photo edit technique that photographers need to master in 2024.

The #1 Real Estate Photo Edit to Master in 2024 – HDR Editing

The technique every real estate photographer needs to master by 2024 is the HDR photo editing technique. 

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which refers to the amount of contrast between the darkest and the lightest areas of a photograph. 

High Dynamic Range (HDR) editing is a real estate photo editing technique that photographers use to combine multiple photos taken at different exposure levels (often 3 or more exposures) to create one image with a perfect balance of light and color. 

These bracketed images are then blended together to create a final image that shows all the details of a property in perfect exposure.

Benefits of HDR Photo Editing

Now that you know what real estate photo edit you need to master in 2024, let’s take a look at the 3 main benefits of HDR photo editing.

1. Makes Your Real Estate Photos Stand Out

The key benefit of mastering the HDR editing technique is that your photos will stand out from the average photos taken by other photographers. 

By creating HDR images, you can attract more buyers and sellers in the real estate industry. 

Besides, mastering the HDR technique is a must-have skill for photographers who want to remain competitive and stay ahead of the game.

2. Captures the Real Essence of a Property

Another reason why HDR editing is crucial is that it can help you capture the real essence of a property.

When you use HDR editing, you capture every detail, from the colors to the lighting. 

This technique is especially useful when photographing properties with high contrasts or uneven lighting. 

HDR editing can also produce natural-looking images that attract more buyers and sellers.

3. HDR Editing Allows Real Estate Photographers to Save Money

Furthermore, with HDR editing, you can save time and money. Instead of spending hours adjusting individual photos to get the perfect balance of light and color, HDR editing takes care of everything. 

You can shoot more properties, serve more clients, and make more money without sacrificing image quality. 

The HDR technique is also versatile and can be used in various real estate photography settings, from interior shots to exterior shots.

To recap, HDR editing allows you to produce stunning images that capture the essence of a property, attract more buyers and sellers, save time and money, and stay ahead of the competition. 

It’s high time real estate photographers learn and master the HDR editing technique and take their work to a whole new level of excellence.

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How to Quickly Edit HDR Photos in Lightroom 

With that said, let’s show you how to quickly edit HDR photos in Lightroom for real estate photography using 8 simple steps.

You can either watch the video tutorial or continue reading the text below:

Import and Infuse Photos   

Step 1. To get started, Import your photos into Lightroom. Then, Sort your Photos by File Name to keep the photos in order during the HDR process.

Step 2. To produce an HDR photo, we need to infuse them. So, Select your images, right-click, and select Stacking and Group into Stack. Or you can select them all and Auto Stack by Capture Time, and Lightroom will automatically stack them.

Step 3. For the infuse process, you can also infuse multiple stacks of photos. Just select them all, and then go to File >> Plug-in Extras, and then click on Blend exposures using LR/Enfuse. This will open a dialog box. 

Step 4. In the Auto Align tab, you need to make sure the option Automatically align images before blending them is checked so that Lightroom will automatically align the photos before blending them.

Step 5. Since we stack our photos, in the Output tab, the Batch Mode should be checked. Next, in Output files (on the same tab), you need to also check the Create blended images in the same folder as the images in the stack option.

Saving Your Infused Files

Step 6. To save the infused files in the same folder as the original (still on the same tab under after blending), check the Reimport image into Lightroom option so the infused product will automatically appear in Lightroom after reviews.

Besides that, you have the option to Stack with originals. Stacking with originals will automatically group with the images you’ve stacked beforehand. It’ll be the first image on the stack. 

On the other hand, if you opt not to stack with originals, the infused image will appear beside the stacked images. Either way is fine.

Step 7. Next, click Infuse Images. The progress can be viewed in the upper left corner of the screen. However, since we infused multiple stacks of photos, this will take time.

Step 8. When the infuse is done and you don’t see the infused photos, go to the Library and select the Folder, where you put the images. This will sort of refresh the folder. 

If you are still confused, the infused image will always be a tiff file. When the infuse is done you can now start editing the photos with basic editing.

And that’s it! 

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Save Time on HDR Photo Editing With PhotoUp!

Are you in need of saving time? Look no further!

PhotoUp, the go-to resource for real estate photographers, offers a team of expert editors who can transform your photos to perfection. 

From making HDR photo edits to replacing or enhancing skies, we cater to your custom preferences and style, all at the unbeatable price of $1.10 per image depending on your subscription.

Our talented photo editors excel in resolving various issues, including: 

  • Adjusting improper exposure
  • Fixing harsh shadows and lack of light
  • Blurred images without a tripod? We’ve got you covered 
  • Need cropping or other effects? Consider it done
  • We can even make your lawn greener and replace the sky for that captivating look
  • Twilight editing, clutter removal, line and angle corrections – you name it, we do it!

But that’s not all… 

One-Stop-Shop for All Your Real Estate Marketing Needs

PhotoUp is your one-stop shop for all your real estate marketing needs. We offer additional services such as:

Did we mention that we also provide an all-in-one photo management system?

With PhotoUp’s software, you can easily upload and receive photos, send instructions and feedback, track and manage team members and clients, and deliver photos directly to your clients.

PhotoUp Real Estate Photo Editing Uploader Demo

Check out how easy it is to get started using PhotoUp’s software in this real estate photo editing uploader tutorial:

It’s really as easy as 1-2-3!

Sign up for an account today, and experience the unrivaled excellence of PhotoUp today! For a limited time, you even get 10 free edits when signing up!

We hope this blog post helped you realize the power of mastering HDR photo editing to capture the essence of property photos. If you found this post useful, you may also want to check out the following resources:

Stina Pettersson

Professional Blogger

Stina is an entrepreneur, digital marketer, and professional blogger who's passionate about real estate photo editing, being outdoors with her pup, and sweaty gym sessions. She loves the written word and has been writing for publications like Forbes and Thrive Global. Originally from Sweden, she's called South Florida her home since 2013.

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