Farms, open land, and rural properties offer unique opportunities—and challenges—when it comes to real estate photography. Unlike traditional homes, these types of properties often require aerial photography, wide-angle shots, and creative approaches to capture their full beauty and potential. Whether you’re photographing farmland, hunting grounds, or large open plots of land, it’s essential to showcase the space in a way that highlights its vastness and appeal.
In this final post of our series, we’ll dive into how to approach real estate photography for farms and open land. From using drones to capture sweeping aerial views to highlighting key features of the landscape, we’ll provide practical tips for creating stunning photos that help rural properties stand out.
The Unique Challenges of Shooting Farms and Open Land
Photographing farms and open land is different from shooting traditional residential homes. These properties often span multiple acres and may include a mix of buildings, natural landscapes, and wide-open spaces. The challenge lies in capturing the full scope of the property while also highlighting the most important features, such as barns, water sources, or tillable land.
How to Photograph Farms and Open Land
- Use Drone Photography for Aerial Views Drones are essential for photographing large properties like farms or open land. Aerial views allow you to capture the full scale of the property and highlight important features like barns, fences, or water sources. Drones are especially useful for showcasing the layout of farmland, including how fields are divided, where crops are planted, and how the property is situated in relation to surrounding land.
- Focus on Key Features Even though the property may be large, there are likely a few key features that stand out. These could include a well-maintained barn, a scenic pond, a grove of trees, or a prime hunting area. Make sure to capture close-up shots of these features to give buyers a better sense of what the property has to offer.
- Highlight the Land’s Potential Buyers looking for farms or open land are often thinking about how they can use the space. Whether it’s for farming, hunting, or building a future home, make sure to highlight the land’s potential. For example, if the property has fertile soil for crops, showcase that in your description and photos. If there’s a scenic view, make sure to capture that in a wide-angle shot.
- Shoot During the Right Season The appearance of open land can change dramatically depending on the season. If possible, schedule your shoot during a season that shows the property in its best light. For farmland, this might mean capturing the fields when crops are in full bloom. For hunting land, early fall can provide beautiful foliage and highlight the natural beauty of the area.
- Showcase Accessibility Accessibility is important for large properties. Use your photos to show any trails, roads, or pathways that lead into and around the property. If there’s a main entrance or gate, make sure to capture that as well. Buyers want to know how easy it is to navigate the property, especially if it spans multiple acres.
Real-World Example: Capturing the Vastness of a Large Farm
We recently photographed a large farm with over 500 acres of land, including crop fields, a barn, and a small pond. To capture the full scope of the property, we used a combination of drone photography and wide-angle shots. The aerial views showed the layout of the fields, while close-up shots highlighted the barn and pond. The result was a set of photos that gave buyers a comprehensive view of the farm and its potential, attracting several serious offers.
Activity: Plan a Shoot for Open Land
If you’re photographing open land or a rural property, start by walking the property and identifying the key features. Make a shot list that includes both wide-angle and close-up shots, and consider using a drone for aerial views. Think about how you can highlight the property’s potential and accessibility, and plan to shoot during the season that shows the land at its best.
Discussion Question: How Can Drone Photography Enhance the Appeal of Rural Properties?
Drone photography is essential for capturing the full scope of large properties like farms and open land. Discuss how aerial views can give buyers a better understanding of the property’s layout and potential. Why do you think drone photography is so effective for these types of listings?
Wrapping It Up
Photographing farms and open land requires a creative approach and a keen eye for detail. By using drones, focusing on key features, and highlighting the property’s potential, you can create stunning photos that capture the vast beauty of rural properties. This wraps up our 20-week series on preparing for real estate photography shoots. We hope these tips and insights have helped you feel confident and prepared for your next listing!
Thank you for joining us on this journey—whether you’re a realtor, homeowner, or photographer, we wish you all the best in creating beautiful, compelling listings that capture buyers’ attention. Keep these tips in your toolkit, and happy shooting!
