Faq | Matt Marshall Photography

1. Why should I hire a professional real estate photographer?

Simply put...most of us shop with our eyes. More than ever, potential buyers begin their search for a new home on the internet, and images of homes are one of the first, and often most powerful factors in their decision to contact the listing agent. Homes with better photos get more clicks. The more views your listing receives, the more potential buyers you reach. Potential buyers have a better expectation and feel for the home before even visiting. In future listing interviews, you are able to use those photos to impress the homeowner that you will present their home in the best way possible. Considering the cost of most new homes in our area, and the potential commissions from a sale, hiring a professional photographer who has the proper equipment and the skills to use it, is well worth the investment.

2. How long will it take to photograph my property?

My typical time on-site for a standard size home (2000sf), is approximately 45-60 minutes. I utilize a technique that involves off-camera lighting, bracketing photos at various exposure levels, and than hand-blending each image in post-processing. It's a more time-consuming process than the HDR photography that most other real estate photography companies utilize, but the results offer far more pleasing images that not only look more realistic but have a beautiful artistic element as well. My overall style is "light & bright", perfectly suited to make your listing stand out among all of the other listings on the MLS.

I prefer to meet with you (the agent) when I arrive and work with you to develop a "shot list" based on the number of photos that you ordered. I always strive to include a few extra "photographer's choice" shots above and beyond the shots that you've paid for.

If you (the agent) aren't able to make it to the shoot, then the shots I chose are at my discretion. I always strive to tell the "story" of the home as best as possible, but ultimately having you (the agent) on-site to develop a shot list with me prior to the shoot guarantees that you receive the shots that you're wanting.

3. How can I help prepare my client's (or my) home for a real estate photo shoot?

The neater and cleaner your home or business is, the better it will photograph. In order to help homeowners and realtors prepare for the photo shoot, I have prepared a checklist of things you can do to really make the home photo ready. Please take a moment to download a copy of my "HOME PREP CHECKLIST" by clicking here.

I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH how important this step is in helping to ensure that the home will photograph as best as possible. I must also add that due to my busy schedule, it is extremely important that the home be ready to photograph "prior" to my arrival, not upon it. If the home is not ready, there may be a chance that I will not be able to finish the job during our allotted time, and will need to return at a later date which will result in a $100 fee to do so. It is my preference (as I'm sure it's yours), that we finish the job as quickly and efficiently as possible, all in one trip.

4. What services do you provide?

I provide high-quality real estate photography, 360 photography powered by Ricoh Tours, Zillow 3D Home Tours, aerial drone photography, twilight photography, virtual slideshow tours, digital floor plans, domain .COM addresses for property websites, and photo books. A complimentary Virtual Slideshow Tour and Total Media Marketing Kit are included with every job.

5. What are your rates?

You can view my rates by clicking here.

6. What areas do you service?

I cover most communities in San Diego County, and some communities in Riverside County. I am available to traveling to other cities and counties, and can work up a quote once we've discussed the details of the job.

7. What is your availability?

I am available Sunday-Friday. Saturdays are reserved for family.

8. How is the media delivered?

I submit delivery of your media via email. The email will contain links to download the photos both in Hi-Res (for print), and for MLS (to display online). There will also be links for the Total Marketing Kit, and other products that may have been ordered such as a 3D tour, floor plans, etc.

9. What is your turnaround time?

I guarantee delivery of the media by end of next day, but typically deliver the next morning.

10. Can I reserve a date & time by calling or texting you?

I work on a first come first served basis. Once you've placed your order online, you will immediately receive an email confirming our appointment. There is no need to contact me prior to placing your order, unless you may have questions in regards to certain products or services. I always advise my clients to place their order as soon as possible to lock in a specific date & time before someone else does. If you have questions after your order is placed, please let me know and I will get back to you as soon as possible and we can adjust your order then, or reschedule if necessary.

11. Do I (the agent, broker, or homeowner), own the images after I take delivery of them?

No, I do not sell images, I license the use of them for the promotion, marketing, and sale of a real estate or commercial listing. Under federal copyright law, the individual who created the image(s) (or any other media content), has full ownership of the image(s) or content. I believe an easier way to explain and understand this is as follows...

When you hire a stager, you pay a rate to rent their furnishings for a period of time. You aren't buying their furnishings, simply renting them. The cost of the rental is typically based on how long you would like to rent their furnishings. Sure, you may be able to purchase their furnishings out (this is called copyright in the photography world), and that would come with a much higher price point than renting their furnishings. Unless, you actually purchase the furnishings, you don't own them. This also applies to media created by a photographer. Unless you purchase copyright, you don't own the media, you're paying for a license, and the cost is based on what, and for how long you're wanting to use said media.

This is why my MLS rates are less than my Airbnb and VRBO rates. Once a listing is sold on the MLS, the images are typically no longer needed. However, with a rental the images are typically used for many months, more often, many years (ie...short-term, or long-term).

12. Do you relicense your photos?

Effective February 2024, I no longer offer the relicensing of my real estate photos agent-to-agent. This has always been a tricky gauntlet to navigate as a photographer, and although I'm within my right to relicense my work per Federal Copyright Law, if you have a listing that you need photos for, and I've already photographed it for another agent, you will need to hire me to come out and photograph it again.

13. What if I need to cancel my order?

If an order is cancelled with 24 hours or more notice, a full refund (excluding any credit card processing fees) will be issued. Any order cancelled within 24 hours or less of the scheduled job, may incur a $75 cancellation fee + any credit card processing fees.