What Is Commercial Real Estate Photography?
Commercial real estate photography aims to capture and showcase the unique features and appeal of commercial properties.
In this article, I’ll discuss what commercial real estate photography is, explore the purpose, and talk about the key differences between commercial real estate photography and residential real estate photography.
Table of Contents
Commercial Real Estate Photography
Commercial real estate photography is simply capturing photographs of commercial properties such as office buildings, retail spaces, hotels, and industrial facilities. These photographs are typically used for marketing purposes to showcase the property and attract potential buyers, tenants, or investors.
At its best, commercial real estate photography highlights the key features and selling points of a property while also displaying its size, layout, and overall aesthetic. If that sounds a lot like residential real estate photography, it’s because the jobs are very similar.
Key Differences Between Commercial and Residential Real Estate Photography
Property Type
Commercial real estate photography focuses specifically on commercial properties such as office buildings, retail spaces, industrial facilities, hotels, and warehouses. Most of the time these properties are owned by companies.
Residential real estate photography, on the other hand, takes place in residential properties like houses, apartments, condominiums, and townhouses. Most of the time these properties are owned by individuals.
Purpose
Commercial real estate photography is used for marketing and promotional purposes. The photos are intended to attract potential buyers, tenants, or investors who are interested in commercial properties.
Normal real estate photography is also used for marketing purposes, but the target audience is typically individuals or families looking to buy or rent residential properties.
Commercial real estate photography isn’t always for sale. Most of the time it’s of an office space and the company is trying to entice potential employees. It’s of a retail space where the photographs will be used for branding and marketing purposes.
Commercial real estate photography is slightly different in over aesthetic however. It’s less about selling the property and more about selling the possibilities.
Unique Features
Commercial real estate photography highlights different features of the property compared to residential real estate photography.
In commercial photography, the focus is on the functionality, layout, and amenities of the property. It’s meant to capture the environment and accessibility for potential businesses or individuals.
In residential real estate photography, the emphasis is more about the aesthetics, comfort, and livability of the property, showcasing rooms, decor, and lifestyle aspects.
In practice, this can mean it might be really important to photograph the work space or public areas of a commercial property, something like a fireplace or living area is more ideal for residential photography.
Additional Resources
If you’re just getting started in real estate photography, check out our Beginners Guide. It’s full of helpful articles and tips that will guide you in the right direction as you begin your real estate photography journey.
You can check out our Gear section as well to see reviews and recommendations on the latest real estate photography gear.
If you’re more interested in other resources that can help your real estate photography business, check out our Business Resources page.
