An unnoticeable flaw to the untrained eye is the presence of reflection in real estate images. Sometimes we could praise a photo and say that it is already in its best form, but in reality, the image says otherwise. In real estate photo enhancement, the editor must be vigilant in looking for imperfections that aren’t obvious. These tend to hide under the pretext of an attractive photo, but are surely a difficulty in terms of accepting its overall beauty. It leads to the thought that there is something wrong but we can’t seem to point it out. Now, the question then begs on how to reduce reflection in photos. Photography offers plentiful options from lenses to adjustments in exposure. The story though, is different in real estate photo enhancement.
Asking how to remove reflections in Photoshop or how to reduce reflections in photos is a step towards perfection. Being aware of the presence of reflections and finding ways through post-processing creates a totally new paradigm in real estate photo enhancement with even just this aspect.
What are Common Causes of Reflections?
Reflection is a natural phenomena, inevitably occurring in almost all objects. This isn’t an excuse though to keep them in your photos. Reflection removal in real estate photo enhancement could point to sources such as windows, bulbs, or even your flash. You can make the proper adjustments and learn how to reduce reflections in photography and knowing how they behave is a breakthrough in itself.
1. Natural and artificial lighting
While it is desirable to light up the image in such a visible fashion, too much light can actually show up on multiple surfaces, bouncing off as if they were directed there. One of the most precarious locations is the floor. Artificial light through bulbs will directly shine on them, projecting a reflection that is intense and concentrated. Real estate photo enhancement can be of help to such cases, but the work involved could be enormous to correct excessive flaws.
2. Smooth surfaces
Another inevitable source of reflection are smooth areas. Scientifically speaking, light bounces off better on smoother surfaces and in larger quantities when perceived by the eye. This is due to the fact that as light hits the surface, it follows a unidirectional path that is seen in every direction. Unlike light hitting a non-uniform surface, light that bounces off is diffused in various directions, thereby creating less reflection on a particular angle. Thing is, we cannot make floors and walls rough, right?
Why it is an Eyesore
So, real estate photo enhancement enables the cover up of reflections or at most times, their reduction. But why in the first place is this even considered a flaw? Do people really despise looking at reflections? Are they that bad? Well, there are professional reasons why reflections should not appear as strong.
1. They are distracting
For the most part, what reflections start to cover are interior spaces. Real estate photo enhancement must try to maximize what the viewers focus on and this is the beauty of the insides. See, when people buy a home, most of them take into consideration the look of the interior. They know they will be spending most of their time indoors, resting and relaxing, and thereby requiring something to their liking. Gobs of light will draw their attention away from what should be an easy sell, and this is something that has to be addressed.
2. Details are kept unseen
With light bouncing off of surfaces, colors and designs critical to the taste of potential buyers are left beneath the shine. These could be minor in the eyes of some people, but some of these could be hard selling points. Furthermore, real estate photo enhancement must be able to work with tools such as shadows that further emphasize objects, and reflections could easily ruin such intentions.
How Can I Reduce the Reflection of a Picture?
Some of these are techniques already known to most real estate photo enhancement professionals. The secret to pulling of a great reduction is knowing which techniques to put together in allowing a seamless outcome to surface and overall just make the photo still look its best.
1. Do the window pull
Reflections on windows are common. Sometimes they can be full of glare but they are also catalysts for light bouncing off with their shiny surface. Executing the window pull or window masking technique easily hides the reflection by replacing it with a completely visible view of the other side.
2. Polarizing effects
In a bid to maintain the photo while also retaining some of the reflection, creating a polarizing effect could be smart. See, the way this works is that the photo is made to contrast between the background and foreground. For interiors, this points to furniture versus walls and the floor. Creating that contrast then darkens edges which allows delineation and emphasis on the separation of objects, foreground and background alike. This alone allows you to darken the photo, make the details pop, and reduce any hints of overly exposed reflections.
3. Use the clone stamp tool
If you want to get rid of reflections easily and not look to just minimize then the clone stamp tool is an easy bet. This will allow you to cover up any surfaces with an unwanted reflection of light, covering it with neighboring colors and pixels to make it look homogenous.
4. Take it through photography
For most people who are wary of ensuring photos are near perfect during the photoshoot, there are many ways to do this such that you do not need to rely heavily on real estate photo enhancement. Some would recommend choosing an angle that minimizes the reflection from surfaces while ensuring that the brightness and exposure is not too dark to avoid emphasizing the brightness of reflections.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to reduce reflection in photos works well for your photo’s benefit. The wonder that it does can boost sales and attention, thereby ensuring that your photos hold the value that your property wishes to convey. Finally, it is also a step towards keeping an eye out for perfection. Real estate photos must be nothing short of breath-taking, and they must always exude the beauty that potential buyers are hoping for in their next move.