Just to lt you all know we’ve been using a Brisbane based business of late to digitally renovate some pretty terrible properties. We first used them to remove a few cars from the shot to make a street look less ‘cluttered’ and more serene and since then we’ve been using them for literally all of our photo’s. We’ve done away with our Pro Photographer and now take our own digital images and pass them onto these guy’s. Really are cutting edge and make some fantastic shots.
We managed to get hold of them when we we’re hiring a freelancer to update our Real Estate site and he got them to do some image manipulation trickery for the site.
I deal with them once or twice a month when I send them our latest portfolio additions and they’ve always been good, I said i’d put the word out about them to help them get fully established so here’s my good deed!
Hope this can help some of you out – I know my open homes have been down the last three months and we’ve stopped dealing with Auctions until things pick up – but these guy’s really are an added selling point.
Anyway – if you’re interested you can find them through google – alta image in brisbane or at http://www.altaimage.com.au/photo-editing
Oh and has anyone heard from Michael of Sydney lately? – Surely someone’s got to reel him in a bit on the news.com.au forums – he’s getting out of control!
I have an interesting take on this……. If you used theses photo and put it up on RPDATA, PDSLIVE etc would it influence valuations?
This Just came through last week
REIA Guidelines to the Trade Practices Act (TPA)Photographic RepresentationsPrepared in collaboration with the ACCCACCC
Statement of Concern
The increase in popularity of advertising via the Internet has seen an increase in complaints to the ACCC about the ‘touching up’ of pictures that appear on these sites. More and more consumers use the Internet as their primary source of information about a product. The ACCC is concerned that photographs of properties which have been touched up to hide undesirable characteristics or enhance other features could mislead consumers.
REIA Guidelines
The REIA reiterates that whether conduct is misleading or deceptive, including the portraying of photographic images, can depend upon the overall impression or the implied representation produced by that conduct. Therefore, agents must ensure that photographic images and other market devices are not used in a manner that can give rise to implied representations that are false or otherwise amount to misleading or deceptive conduct. Consequently:
• Real estate agents must not alter or permit to be altered photographic images of properties, digitally or by other means, such that the images no longer truthfully and fairly represent that property.
• Whether the alteration of a photographic representation is misleading or deceptive will depend upon all of the circumstances. For example, digitally adjusting the exposure of a photograph so as to brighten the lighting of the photograph taken on a dull day may well be legitimate. However, removing television aerials or power poles adjacent to the property; brightening up paint work on a house or over-stating the views that might be achieved from the property may well amount to misleading or deceptive conduct
.• Real estate agents may well be liable for misleading representations contained in photographs that have originated from external sources such as an advertising subcontractor or the vendor. The passing on of such photographs by agents to potential buyers can amount to misleading or deceptive conduct by the agent. Agents would be well advised to ensure that their contracts with advertising sub-contractors include provisions to ensure that the sub-contractors do not engage in misleading and deceptive conduct, including in connection with marketing representations contained in photographs.• Real estate agents should also bear in mind that it is generally no defence to an action for misleading or deceptive conduct for a real estate agent to claim that the consumer concerned should have checked the information provided by the agent or for the agent to claim that the consumer has failed to make reasonable enquiries.
Always physically look at a property before buying it !
Good points Troodyg and as you we’re well aware of the guidelines which is why these guy’s are great – they play within the boundaries enough to make things stand out without overstepping the mark. And it doesn’t say you can’t remove cars from the street or clutter from the kitchen worktops! – just so long as you don’t physically alter the property in any way (i.e removing lightshades and electrical outlets would be a big no no!)
In the states the rules are again different. I still stand by these guys and the work they’ve done for us – and even just their colour retouching is worth it, we all know the colours digital cameras output are never near the actual representation – that in itself is a crime! And as for representation – we all know the rules about ‘over selling features’ this is in the same ball park!
Good to see some productive comments though Troodyg
I checked out the examples…………..in one picture they removed the overhead electric wires & the poles…………….For me that is a big NO NO……………that is cheating…….
If you search his ABN on the net he is a sole trader set up for approx 3 months. I think the concepts good but he needs to keep an eye on the markets he's promoting his work in. No point in offering something that can get your clients in trouble… give the guy a bit of time and he might work it out.
Agree with gurjjeet; removing powerlines etc just makes the guy look dodgy / promoting deception. If he focuses on the other pics e.g. removing towels and clothes from the bathroom floor, uncluttering the tables and general tidy up it could be a good service.
One would think if you get a good photographer you could stage good photos anyway. You’re always better off with a good photo to start with…
This is very interesting. I went to a property today and was shocked to find that it had a massive powertower right in front of the house. When I looked at the photos, there was no sign of it. Who is the agent kidding?
I wouldn't have wasted the petrol to go see the property if I had known how huge this power tower was. I didn't bother going in the property and have made notes that photos from this agent could be quite deceptive in all his other properties.
As a real estate investor, and also real estate photographer myself, removing poles and other permanent structures would be breaking some rules. I am however happy to add blue sky, brighten the place, etc because those variables do change.
I would also like to add that there's a big difference between taking a photo from a pocket camera, and professional photographs. For a start, I use wide angle lenses to show more of the interiors, and use up to 3 flashes strategically placed to really light up the place.
Here's a sample and I think the results speak for themself. The left was taken with one of those pocket cameras. The right was taken with the right photographic equipment and controlled lighting.
Feel free to ask me any questions about it.
Regards
Daniel
http://www.latorrephotography.com.au
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. If you don't have an account, you can register here.
