How We Handle Real Estate Photos in the Rain: Solutions for Spring Weather Challenges

Spring is arguably the best season for real estate listings. There are typically more buyers on the market, the days are longer, and curb appeal is at its peak with everything in full bloom. However, rainy days can throw off plans for listing photos, walkthroughs, and open houses. The trick is knowing how to work around the weather to ensure you’re still getting the best listing images possible. At Square Foot Photography, we’ve developed some strategic solutions for producing quality real estate photos in the rain.

Flexible Scheduling

First, we always try to offer flexible scheduling to our clients, especially for rainy days. The weather can be unpredictable, so we do our best to accommodate alternate times or dates to work around it. When rescheduling due to weather, we typically reach out the day before the shoot at the latest. We recommend the next available time slot, as weather permits, but do our best to accommodate your next preferred time.

If that’s agreeable and we move the shoot before the day of the appointment, there is no rescheduling fee. Otherwise, there will be a rescheduling fee if the entire appointment is moved, or a “trip fee” if the photographer needs to return later for exterior shots.

Blue Sky Replacement

Whether it’s raining or not, spring weather can still bring overcast days, which are not ideal for helping properties pop. If gray skies are an issue, our editing team can digitally add a beautiful. blue sky replacement to almost any exterior photo. This is an add-on service that can be booked when scheduling an appointment or added to the order after the shoot. We will also brighten other elements in the image to give the appearance of a sunny day.

Virtual Twilight

Everyone loves a good twilight photo, so our virtual twilight add-on service is popular with clients. Sunset colors really help a home’s exterior pop and connect emotionally with potential buyers. Our virtual twilight editing is especially great on overcast days because there are no harsh shadows from the sun. The digital twilight sky looks realistic, showcasing what a beautiful evening at home might look like.

Removing Water Puddles

Another downside of taking real estate photos in the rain is puddles and wet areas. They can be unsightly and cause unwanted reflections, which can be distracting from the home’s features. Our editors can sometimes digitally remove water from images, included with our basic photo editing. It is possible to remove puddles only when they cover a portion of the ground, not if the majority of the ground is covered. It would not look realistic, and it would take away from the image quality.

When to Keep Your Appointment vs Reschedule

So, how can you know when to keep your appointment and when to reschedule it? If there’s a little rain, or the showers are on and off, it might be possible to keep your appointment as planned. However, if the weather is extreme or hazardous, it’s definitely best to reschedule. While our photographers can shoot on cloudy days, we cannot use our equipment in the pouring rain.

It will lower the quality of the final photos, as we can’t always remove puddles or make the ground look dry when it’s very wet. It also affects the indoor lighting and makes rain streaks appear in the photos, which we cannot digitally remove. If you’re concerned about rain during your appointment, contact our team, and we will be happy to recommend a plan for you.

With these flexible and creative solutions, there’s no need to worry about rainy day photo shoots! Schedule your real estate shoot with Square Foot Photography today, and we’ll make sure you have the best quality listing photos possible.