As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Photographing for interiors and exteriors is among the most challenging niches you can do. However, you can improve your photography skills at home thanks to the advancements and accessibility of online learning. I'm compiling a list of real estate photography classes and what you can learn from them.
Best Real Estate Photography Classes
You can enroll in online real estate photography courses, including shooting interiors and exteriors, shot composition, creating VR tours, drone photography, and editing in Lightroom. There are also classes available for developing and marketing your photography business.
Whether you're looking for ways to handle the business side or improve your creativity, these are some of the best photography classes you can study online.
The Art & Science of Great Composition
Composition plays a huge role in leading a viewer's eye to a property's furniture arrangement, colors, and decorations. For the Art & Science of Great Composition online class, you will learn the step-by-step process of photography composition from award-winning interior and architectural photographer Tony Colangelo.
Pros
- A 2.5-hour jampacked video tutorial of nuanced composition tactics.
- Understand the rule of thirds, and how lighting, and lines influence composition.
Cons
- It only focuses on composition, so you need other courses for other basic elements of real estate photography.
Real Estate Photography: How to Get Started
In contrast to the first class, this 1.5-hour online course on Real Estate Photography: How to Get Started talks about how to take photos, editing techniques, equipment selection, and delivery. Entrepreneur Greg Gottfried will also teach you how to make this business profitable.
Pros
- It includes a live photoshoot demo shoot.
- Ideal for beginners who want to set up a photography business.
Cons
- Limited examples of sample camera settings.
Level up Your Interior Photography: How to Shoot and Edit Like a Pro
In Level Up Your Interior Photography: How to Shoot and Edit Like a Pro, New York City-based professional interior photographer Alex Staniloff teaches how to photograph spaces using multiple exposures. The coursework covers camera settings, retouching images, and a documentary-style approach.
Pros
- It has a hands-on project requiring you to create an interior composite image.
- Suitable for beginners and advanced photographers looking for tips on photographing tricky interiors.
Cons
- It briefly explains composition, although you can get more from the Art & Science of Great Composition.
Real Estate Photography: Exterior at Twilight
The Real Estate Photography: Exterior at Twilight online course will help you discover how to do twilight exterior photography. Scott Hargis, an architectural photographer from San Francisco, will cover everything, including how to style the home, set up the lighting, and edit the photos.
Pros
- Earn a shareable LinkedIn certificate of completion that attracts industry experts.
- Learn how to shoot exterior photos while combining natural and interior lighting.
Cons
- It requires a subscription to LinkedIn Learning, although there's a one-month free trial.
Mastering Twilight Photography
Garey Gomez, who was voted the 2019 photographer of the year by PFRE, offers yet another online course on how to perfect twilight photography. In Mastering Twilight Photography, he will show you how to use basic equipment, compose a captivating twilight photo, get even lighting, and finish post-processing quickly.
Pros
- It uses two locations to give more detailed examples.
- It discusses advanced editing techniques such as sky replacement and frequency separation.
Cons
- No free previews, although there's only a one-time payment.
Real Estate and Architectural Photography
Are you looking for a Real Estate and Architectural Photography online class to watch in no more than three hours? Los Angeles-based architectural photographer Mike Kelley debunks common myths and demonstrates the best techniques for photographing properties and architectural structures realistically.
Pros
- Includes industry practices for working with property agents, architects, interior designers, clients, and editorial outlets.
- Discusses how to infuse personal style in staging and lighting.
Cons
- It focuses more on the business side than the creative part.
Drone Photography for Real Estate
Take this online course on Drone Photography for Real Estate to discover the secrets to a highly profitable business. Another master class from Greg Gottfried, this session offers advice on the best drone gear for real estate, the right settings to utilize, shooting angle suggestions, and quick drone photo editing.
Pros
- Includes tips on how to get commercially drone certified.
- Ideal for seasoned photographers who want to add drone photography to their services.
Cons
- It talks too much about the business aspect of photography.
Create VR Property Tours for Real Estate With Matterport 3D
If you want to upgrade your services, this online tutorial on how to Create VR Property Tours for Real Estate With Matterport 3D is an excellent place to start. RPAS-certified instructor Steve Preston teaches the necessary equipment to create VR and 3D tours, how to prepare a property for scanning, and tips on Matterport scanning.
Pros
- Learn how to make more immersive virtual reality and 3D models of properties.
- Includes troubleshooting techniques and how to locate hot spots in scanning.
Cons
- It requires prior knowledge of Matterport because there's little explanation of the basics.
How to Edit Real Estate Photos Like a Pro in Adobe Lightroom
Discover How to Edit Real Estate Photos Like a Pro in Adobe Lightroom in this online class from Florida-based commercial photographer Edin Chavez. This lesson covers how to polish photographs using the Basic Panel, Lens Correction, and the Transform tool.
Pros
- Basic Lightroom editing class for beginners.
- It features a hands-on tutorial on post-processing images of a living room, dining room, and kitchen.
Cons
- Crams eight lessons in under 30 minutes.
Business and Marketing Strategy for Real Estate Photographers
This online class on Business and Marketing Strategy for Real Estate Photographers provides a blueprint for setting up and growing your business. Prepared by property marketing entrepreneur and photographer Steven Ungermann, he combines his entrepreneurial expertise and technical photography knowledge to help you price services, develop marketing strategies, and find business opportunities.
Pros
- Includes templates and resources for market survey, competitor analysis, financial strategy, and marketing action plan.
- Perfect for entrepreneurs, realtors, and photographers who want to develop their photography business strategies.
Cons
- It uses a slideshow format, which tends to cram the text.
Benefits of Taking Photography Courses Online
As a photographer and entrepreneur, you need to do something daily to help achieve your business goals. One of the greatest ways to do that is by enrolling in online photography programs, especially considering its advantages.
- Lower costs: You won't be traveling to a school or paying for unnecessary school fees. You would only have to pay for a device, internet access, and possibly the subscription fee.
- Flexible learning schedule and environment: You can play and pause the videos anytime and anywhere. You won't miss classes and deadlines because most courses offer lifetime access.
- Self-discipline: You have to push yourself to complete the coursework. While some courses allow direct communication with the instructor, it's still up to you whether you will watch the videos diligently and apply the teachings into practice.
Related Questions
Are Photography Online Classes Better Than Face-to-Face Training?
Online photography courses are preferable to in-person ones if you require a flexible learning environment because of your work schedule and other responsibilities. However, in-person classes would be more beneficial if you learn best through interpersonal interaction.
What Are the Disadvantages of Taking Photography Classes Online?
The drawback to enrolling in online photography courses is that if you don't effectively manage your time, you will find it challenging to finish the coursework. Since you can multitask while watching videos, some people may also find it difficult to concentrate.
Conclusion
There's an online course suited for you on this list, whether you're looking to improve your real estate photography skills or are still considering whether to try this niche. Once you finish your coursework, you can continue reading articles about equipment, shooting, and editing here.
