Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. If you’re interested in scheduling a photo shoot in the Napa Valley or Sonoma County, I can be reached at:
[email protected] or (707) 363 – 2489
Cheers,
Darren
Great examples of when to utilize drone photography for a real estate listing
Drone photography has become synonymous with real estate marketing over the past 5-7 years and it’s a wonderful tool to utilize for certain properties, not all.
As a full time real estate photographer I field inquiries for drone photography on a daily basis. Agents are excited about the opportunity to showcase a listing from the sky, as they should be, it looks awesome from up there!
However, one aspect that can be overlooked is what else we can see from the drone’s perspective.
In densely populated neighborhoods, it’s nearly impossible to photograph a listing from the sky without showing some of the nearby homes and backyards. While the target listing may have been staged and tidied up with meticulous landscaping in the front and backyards, the same may not be true for neighboring and nearby properties.
While I never intentionally focus on other properties, it’s inevitable that they will show up in the images. The appearance of the neighborhood can be a tipping point one way or the other for potential buyers.
To put it simply and transparent: not all properties should be photographed from the sky.
With that being said, there are many wonderful opportunities to capture properties from the sky. Neighborhoods where each property has a little bit more land than usual such as Browns Valley in Napa, Diamond A Ranch in Sonoma, the Lovall Valley areas of Sonoma, Monticello Park in Napa, etc.
Vineyard properties or even homes adjacent to vineyards call for drone photography. Properties in Yountville, Oakville, St. Helena are often within a stones throw of a vineyard and photographing them with a drone is a great way to showcase the unique location.
As somewhat of a surprise, we have some wonderful waterfront and water adjacent listings here in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County as well!
The Napa Valley Yacht club is a charming little subdivision in the South side of Napa that connects to the Napa River. A beautiful little waterfront with quaint boats and docks (see the images below).
Lake Berryessa is an outdoor enthusiasts playground with a beautiful blue lake and rural surroundings. Many of the homes in the area have views of the water.
In Sonoma County there are several areas that flank the Russian River or Lake Sonoma, but most importantly we have lovable communities along the gorgeous Sonoma Coast!
Bodega Bay and its quiet fishing village with charming shops, golf course, and delicious restaurants all enjoy a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and Bodega Harbor. Sleepy Jenner with it’s own array of charm and a couple of wonderful restaurants is home to the estuary where the Pacific Ocean is greeted by the Russian River. It’s abundant with wildlife and always a beautiful scene.
Further up the coast we meet Timber Cove with it’s rugged coastline, vast beauty, and world class vineyards.
In addition to natural landscapes that call for drone photography, even a well kept subdivision or charming community such as Downtown Sonoma around the Plaza or the charming village of Yountville can be wonderful opportunity to utilize drone photography for a real estate listing.
Sometimes specific properties call for the use of drone photography at a low altitude. For example, a listing I photographed in West Petaluma was perched at a slope, right in the middle of a very desirable neighborhood. Standing at ground level, it was impossible to get an eye level front exterior photo without introducing terrible distortion to the photo. So, enter the drone. I flew the drone about 15-18 feet up from the street and met the property at what would be considered “eye level” for the front door. See the example below! Another good example is a property I photographed on Spring Mountain of St. Helena. This particular property had great surrounding views from the pool and it wouldn’t have conveyed with a camera and feet on the ground.
Enjoy some of my favorite images below from recent photo shoots in the sky!
Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. If you’re interested in scheduling a photo shoot in the Napa Valley or Sonoma County, I can be reached at:
[email protected] or (707) 363 – 2489
Cheers,
Darren