The Best Time to Take Exterior Photography- A Complete Guideline

We all well know the benefits of exterior photography shots, including real estate photography. Yet have you ever asked yourself what the best moment to take outdoor photos is? The right time can give these pictures an awe-inspiring yet mesmerizing look. A picture of sunset, twilight, or even the city at night will easily immerse viewers thanks to its breathtaking beauty. 

Check out the following concise post article for valuable tips for clickable outdoor photo shoots. 

What is The Best Time of Day To Take Real Estate Exterior Photography?

Exterior photography is the first feature that can capture buyers’ attention immediately, but not always easy to take. The more you learn about nature and its best moments to photograph, the more chances you may get to take inspiring outdoor photos.

1. Sunrise and Sunset

The magic hours of sunrise and sunset are the most popular exterior photography time. Usually, the golden hours are around 5-6 in the morning and around 6 to 7 in the afternoon. Yet it is still dependent on many objective elements. 

During these golden times, the sun is low on the horizon and filtered through atmospheric particles that scatter blue light, giving off warm light ( often yellow, orange, and red color). When this intense warm light strikes clouds, landforms, and other objects, the results will be colorful and highly photogenic.

The magic hour starts approximately 30-40 minutes before sunset in the afternoon. During this period, shadows get deeper while the light begins to be noticeably warmer, which can add beautiful texture to your house. Impressively, if there are clouds in the sky, they will light up with color at sunset and have a fantastic look. 

Whereas everything is in reverse in the early morning. The magic hour starts a few minutes before sunrise and lasts until about 30 minutes later when the light gradually loses its warmth. You never want to miss the moment of early morning sunshine came with a sky of fire and lights up the entire cloud. 

During the sunrise or sunset, the sky exposes its warmest color to the earth in front of billion eyes. This is the best time that to take great pics of houses that will definitely brighten in these indescribably beautiful scenes. 

2. Twilight

Consider trying Twilight shots if the warm vibe of sunset or sunrise is not your favorite. Twilight appears about 40 minutes after sunset or before sunrise when reality blends with fantasy. Most of the light at civil twilight is mostly blue or can be with the last remnant of sunset light or the first blush of sunrise. Sometimes, the brightest piece of the sky (usually where the sun has set or is rising) acts as a giant reflector, bouncing a soft “glow” onto the land, which can sometimes be quite colorful. 

During twilight, there is primarily meager light. Thus, ensure you plan for proper outdoor photography settings and techniques to compensate. For example, taking multiple exposures at different shutter speeds for each composition is an excellent idea. This will allow you to use HDR to brighten up dark corners and bring down highlights. You also can consider the number of exposures and ISO and aperture elements when setting your camera before photographing. 

Twilight is an intelligent choice for landscape subjects and architecture photography. The magic of home with twilight helps people envision living at home and returning from work to unwind. 

3. Night Time

Another magical time for stunning outdoor photos is when the sky gets utterly inky black at night. The nighttime enables all the city lights to become an appealing view you can’t take your eyes off. Hunting the picture during night hours is a more struggle experience because you must properly adjust your camera settings, ISO, and exposure. Besides, do not forget to prepare a nice tripod and a long shutter speed to create an impact on the sensor.

Shooting exterior photography at nighttime is rewarding yet pretty challenging at the same time. Night photography requires a complete understanding of your surroundings, photography tools, well-trained skills, and patience. Once you have good preparation of these well, the result will be incredible!

In real estate photography, such above time can create a stunning background to make the houses appealing. If you are still stuck with too many hassles when taking exterior photography, consider contacting a professional photo editing outsourcing team like BeatColor to help handle and present these images at their best.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, there isn’t any “best” time for exterior photography. The best time, instead, is up to your personal desire and photography accomplishment. As presented, sunrise, sunset, twilight, or nighttime can inspire people easily. However, open your mind and give other times of the day a try as well and see the magic of nature!

If you want to see more pictures with gorgeous skies, visit our Page! 

Related Posts: 

Tips for Shooting Real Estate Exteriors

Real Estate Twilight Photo Editing 

Simple Tips To Shoot And Edit Twilight Real Estate Photos