Real estate marketing as a profession began to take shape in the late 19th century, in rapidly growing cities like New York. Around the same time, advertising as a field was also starting to develop. Large construction companies began promoting projects through newspaper ads and flyers.
Until the mid-20th century, these ads typically used realistic illustrations to represent the product.
The Iconic Image of the American Suburb
The real turning point that led to the rise of photography companies specializing in real estate—and gave birth to the genre of “construction photography”—occurred in the United States in the early 1950s.
This was the era of the great American boom: hundreds of thousands of discharged soldiers returned home after World War II, and the American Dream of a house with a tiled roof, a small yard, and a Chevrolet in the driveway was born.
The massive construction boom of that period created the real estate marketing industry and the modern real estate agent. These agents adopted the marketing techniques we know today, including the emergence of photography companies specializing in construction.
This was also the period when the well-known folder was introduced: a floor plan accompanied by a photo of a model home representing the project.
To a large extent, the iconic image of the American house from the 1950s was shaped by this style of photography.
Black-and-white photos were replaced by color images in the 1970s, and later, as agents began selling secondhand homes, interior photography became common too.
So, How Do You Choose a Real Estate Photography Company?
As noted, real estate photography is a specialized field that requires expertise and a unique approach.
Thanks to new technological developments, the field is now more diverse than ever.
What should you check before choosing a photography company to document and produce content for your real estate project?
Here’s a short checklist to help you stay organized:
1. Experience
As in any field, when it comes to construction photography, you don’t want someone inexperienced to be in charge of capturing the visual identity of your project.
Construction photography requires significant experience and understanding.
That’s why it’s recommended to choose a company with a long track record and to make sure the photographer assigned to your project is a seasoned professional.
2. Review Their Portfolio and Previous Clients
There’s no substitute for seeing the work yourself.
Don’t skip this step—visit the company’s website or Instagram page and look at previous projects.
Check if you connect with their results and visual style. See who their clients are, and whether they include well-known real estate companies.
3. A One-Stop Shop for Property Photography
A real estate project requires various types of content throughout its lifecycle—from photos used as the basis for renderings to final images for your portfolio.
In addition to still photography, you may also need video documentation, drone footage, and, in recent years, many serious real estate developers are installing time-lapse cameras and transmitters to document project progress.
The recommendation is to find a photography company that can deliver all this in one place.
Yes—just like TimelapseIT 🙂
📧 Timelapseit11@gmail.com
📞 050-225-6866
