Hot Real Estate Photography Trends for 2023

There's no way to predict definitively what the hot real estate photography trends will be in 2023, but I can make some educated guesses based on the market trends.

In this article, I’ll present hot real estate photography trends for 2023 that will set the tone for another exciting year for real estate photography.

With no further delay, let’s dive in!

Natural-Looking Real Estate Photography

An essential trend for real estate photography in 2023 is a move towards more natural-looking real estate photography. This could mean using less artificial lighting, no filters or overly saturated images, and editing photos to look more like they were taken in the daytime (even if they were taken at night).

The goal is to keep the image relatively true to life. In post-processing, only minimal adjustments should therefore be made to the color temperature and white balance to make the property image look more realistic and lifelike than perfectly edited.

As a result, real estate photography in 2023 will accurately represent to viewers what they will encounter while visiting the property. The mission for real estate photographers is to keep it authentic while still making it attractive, which will make potential homebuyers enticed to see more.

Vertical Photos

Another possible trend for real estate photography in 2023 is an increase in the use of vertical photos. This could be due to the increasing use of mobile phones and the growing popularity of platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, which favor vertical images.

Vertical photos are simply photos in portrait orientation with an aspect ratio tailored to fit the mobile phone screen. They can often provide a more comprehensive view of a property than horizontal photos can.

Not to forget, it’s also easier for mobile phone users to view vertical photos. Agents and Realtors will be in need of more vertical images and videos as a result, and they will likely request these services from real estate photographers in the coming year.

Drone/Aerial Photography

With the increasing access and use of drones for real estate, aerial photography will continue to be a growing trend even in 2023.

Not only can aerial photography offer stunning views of properties, but it can also provide a bird’s eye view of the neighborhood and its schools, churches, recreational parks, and so on, which gives the potential buyer a good overview of the property and its surroundings.

Drone photography is also excellent for shooting properties from unique angles and highlighting special features of the home. While aerial photography is a must for high-end luxury properties, it’s also essential when the location is a strong selling point.

Interactive 360 Photos and Virtual Tours

The increasing availability of Virtual Reality (VR) technology and Augmented Reality (AR) makes interactive 360 photos and virtual tours hot trends even in 2023. In fact, studies show that the virtual tour market is expected to reach $6.5 billion during the forecast period at a 31% CAGR.

Virtual tours can provide potential buyers with a more immersive look at a property than still photos can. They are basically like a permanent open house, which makes them the ultimate selling tool for any agent or Realtor.

First of all, prospective homebuyers can conveniently access the tour whenever they want, from their office, at home, or while traveling. Second, they’ll be able to visualize themselves living in the space from authentic and interactive images, which will be the main goal of real estate photography in 2023.

Virtual Staging

Before: Empty Room

After: Virtual Staging by PhotoUp

Virtual staging is a process of digitally adding furniture and decor to images of empty or outdated rooms, in order to give potential buyers a better idea of what the space could look like once it's fully furnished.

Virtual staging can be used to:

• Make repairs, remodel, and renovate a home — updating flooring, cabinets, and fixtures and even moving walls and adding windows and skylights
• Decorate vacant rooms with a wide selection of design-styled furnishings popular with today’s buyers
• Make decor updates and remodel
• Do object removal, decluttering, and depersonalizing of rooms
• Perform virtual landscaping, and much more

Overall, virtual staging is a growing trend in the world of real estate photography, and one that's definitely worth keeping an eye on in the coming year.

Close-Focused Photos

A final trend for real estate photography in 2023 is an increase in the use of close-focused photos. The popularity of close-up photography in social media has affected how real estate agents display their listings.

And since social media isn’t likely to go away any time soon, agents’ focus will be more on creating aesthetically pleasing social media feed presentations that will appeal to potential buyers.

Additionally, close-up shots can highlight details that might be missed in wider shots. These real estate photography concepts put a greater emphasis on the large area and the rooms while capturing various details and items that convey subtly diverse personalities and aesthetic elements.

In other words, adding a mix of close-ups and wider shots will provide a good overview of the home, ensuring a true-to-life view with no unpleasant surprises when attending a physical showing.

Conclusion

There you have some hot real estate photography trends for 2023. Of course, these are just guesses – only time will tell what the actual trends will be. But whatever the case, it's sure to be an exciting year for real estate photography!