Photoshop: Taking the real out of real estate
Nowadays, most people browse the internet for things that they need, and they base their choices on the available photos. This is especially true when it comes to buying real estate. Aside from the description of a property, a picture can let a viewer imagine how it, more or less, looks. For this reason, real estate agents are doing their best to get the best images of what they are selling. With the help of Photoshop, they have a better chance of marketing their products.
About Photoshop
Photoshop is graphic design software, which was produced by Adobe Company. It allows users to edit the photos by changing the color and removing undesirable features. When it comes to pictures of people, photographers can take away the flaws such as the wrinkles and pimples to give a more youthful face. With regards to real estate, they can change the color of the background or a house’s interiors. They can remove visible utility lines or add furniture and other features.
Advantages of Using Photoshop
• Touch Up
Photoshop allows photographers to touch up the pictures that have unwanted images. With the help of Clone tool, people can copy a portion of the same picture then paste it on top of the same area to create a seamless look.
• Color change
With the color enhancement tools provided by Photoshop, photographers can change the color of a person’s eyes or clothes. They can add a design pattern. They can also change a colored picture to white or sepia.
• Layers
Photoshop lets photographers work in layers, stacking designs, and then removing them to see how they look.
Importance of Knowing How to Use Photoshop
It is important for real estate agents to know how to take good pictures to be able to market the properties they are selling. If they are not knowledgeable about using a camera, they should hire an experienced photographer to do the job.
The same is true when using Photoshop. They should use this software to enhance the look of the houses by using the best lighting, brightness, and color. At times, a little airbrushing could help. However, anything more than that can give an image, which is a lot different from what they are actually selling. This can deceive internet viewers into believing that what they see is what they get.
When Do Real Estate Agents Abuse Photoshop?
• From the viewpoint of ethics
There are some people who believe that real estate agents who do not present the original photo in their websites are downright deceptive and unethical. Using Photoshop to enhance a particular view is acceptable. However, when you remove something else to get that view, this is considered an abuse.
• Depends on one’s intentions
When a real estate agent removes something from an image to give a clearer view of the house he is selling, then his intentions are good. On the other hand, when his intention is to deceive web viewers into buying his products, then this is considered as abusive.
Are There Any Legalities Regarding the Abuse of Photoshop?
As of now, there is no accountability when it comes to using and abusing Photoshop while selling real estate. This is more of an issue on ethics. Bragging is a natural way of advertising and marketing. So, real estate agents should not be blamed if the buyer gets duped. It is the duty of every potential buyer to inspect a property and to have a background checking, before making a purchase.
Code of Ethics
More and more realtors are making use of Photoshop, to come up with more beautiful house pictures. In fact, even photos of high end homes are being enhanced. Even so, most of them are following their own code of ethics. They indicate the ways by which they alter their photos. They even include a notice, which says that the picture has been altered. If an image has been enhanced by removing graffiti and other eyesores, the seller promises to do this in reality.
Conclusion
Using Photoshop with restraint is always something that real estate agents should consider. Enhancing photos of houses for sale are acceptable when all they so is adjust their brightness, color and lighting. It would not help to go overboard since it will not make the image look natural. Presenting an image, which is far better than what is on sale, will let potential buyers feel that they have been duped. Though at first they were impressed when they viewed the property online, they will definitely be disappointed upon seeing the real thing. Real estate agents are fortunate that this is not yet considered as a legal issue that can lead to a lawsuit.
Sources:
http://mikeandmcgee.blogspot.com/2011/01/when-real-estate-agents-abuse-photoshop.html
http://www.ehow.com/list_6338237_benefits-using-photoshop_.html
http://realestate.msn.com/not-so-real-estate-is-it-ethical-to-alter-photos