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iPhone- A Pro Photographer Killer. is Video next?
We are a pretty big and well established real estate video tour provider and photography company. This last weekend I was amazed when a friend showed me his new iPhone and the photos he was taking. He was showing me his HDR app that was taking amazing interior photos of his loft. Uh oh, I thought. "How many megapixels?" I asked. "Sex." Crap, I thought. "Well, at least you can't do wide angle photographry on there!" And he looked at me and said, "Ummm, I can interstitch panoramic pix." And he showed me and they looked good. What the Fraggle Rock?! Photogs are in real trouble because amateurs can take some really amazing photos with this thing... So, the question is... Is video next?
I don't think it is. With photography, better and better automatic cameras will take great pictures because all they have to do is hold still for a split second. Even with the best video camera, it can be a disaster in the hands of an amateur......heck it's often a disaster in the hands of a pro (handheld, that is).
With video, there is so much more involved to do a decent video, from tripods to tougher lighting situations, to audio, to editing.
The only thing I can see really interfering with video are the 'smart' people that are running around telling the real estate pros that they can do it themselves, and it doesn't matter that it's shaky and unedited. They tell them, people are 'turned off' by a good video and they want more natural stuff.......which based on viewing trends is nonsense.
Just because someone can pick up a camera it doesn't make them a photographer of filmmaker. There's an element of "talent" required that only a minority has.
I have friends with expensive equipment that kneel or lay down, bend over backwards to take that cool picture, yet it somehow eludes them. What you need is an "eye" for composition, not expensive equipment, gadgets or tools. In the wrong hands these are all a waste!
Point and shoot cameras make it pretty darn easy to take a photo, yet one glance at any MLS will tell you that it's not quite THAT easy!
If you bought Tiger Woods' driver, it wouldn't make you a superstar golfer. Good paintings have nothing to do with the paint or the brush or the canvas - it has to do with the artist - the person using those tools. A good artist can make good art with chalk on a sidewalk.
A photographer named Chase Jarvis published a pretty amazing photography book - all taken with an iPhone!
As we all know, it's NOT about the equipment, it's about the person behind the equipment. I know photographers who have had photos published in books taken with 3 megapixel point and shoot cameras from 8 years ago! My best friend has a 5D (paid around $3,500 for it... plus he has another $4000+ in lenses) and he has NO idea how to use it - after owning it for 4 years! He still shoots on automatic!
I do agree - the biggest danger is people telling realtors that raw, shaky, unedited video is an acceptable way of marketing property worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Because the public accepts raw video of cats spinning in the dryer, they think they will accept similar "raw" video of a house tour. THAT'S what I would worry about. And I see that crap spewed by so called 'experts' almost daily. And many realtors feel that this is what buyers and sellers WANT and PREFER.
But... here in 2010, you can still look at MLS listings anywhere, anytime.... that just make you scratch your head - they're THAT bad. There's plenty of room for quality in the real estate world, and always will be. And that's what will separate the good and successful agents from the 90% of agents who are lucky to sell 2 houses a year.
Right on as always Fred. Could I post this on my blog - with your credentials of course?
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying a realtor with a decent camera will take a great picture, just that it is much easier to take an acceptable still image than it is to take an acceptable video.
