There are 5 key differences between real estate photography and other, more common genres of photography that you should understand before you get started:

1. Purpose: The main purpose of real estate photography is to showcase properties for sale or rent. This is done by highlighting their features. The secondary purpose of real estate photography is to create marketing content for the real estate agent. Other genres of photography may focus on capturing emotions, telling stories, or creating art.

2. Technical Demands: Real estate photography requires a specific set of technical skills, including an eye for detail, an understanding of lighting, the ability to shoot with a wide-angle lens, and the ability to compose images in a way that shows spaces properly.

3. Post-Production Work: Real estate photography often involves significant post-production work, including color correction, object removal, sky swapping, distortion correction, and even virtual staging. Many professional photographers choose to pay an editor to handle these tasks.

4. Client Focus: Real estate photographers work with clients who sell or rent properties. Many other photographers may work with individuals, businesses, or magazines who are looking to photograph moments or emotions. Real estate agents are concerned with sales and marketing above all else.

5. Marketing Strategy: Real estate photographers must have a strong marketing strategy to reach potential clients, showcase their portfolio, and convince realtors to hire them. This is widely agreed to be one of the most difficult aspects of real estate photography.