In early January McLaren Vale hosted a wonderful event, The Harvest Festival which showcases local food, wine, produce and artwork. Many performers and artists from the region also have the opportunity to come out and show off their talents. We were lucky enough to be invited to do the photography for the Harvest Festival Art Exhibition Opening held in early January. Some fantastic pieces were entered by local artists including paintings, sculptures, jewelery and pottery. Check out the winning art and the artists below:

This circa 1910 railway cottage was a joy to photograph. Situated centrally in Blackwood, it is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.  It has some lovely stained glass windows steeped in Adelaide history, gorgeous jarrah floorboards and fireplaces. So many wonderful aspects to focus on, I was spoiled for choice for angles and beautiful shots. I love it when I get given such a property to photograph. So if anyone is looking for a place they can just move into with nothing to do, with original charm, check it out. http://raywhiteblackwood.com.au/sa/blackwood/1064678/ If you want to see a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFbRFUh_BBw.

I just found this article and found it had some useful tips if you want to create that "Wow" factor. I find that in a lot of homes we are photographing lately many are taking these elements on. It certainly is raising the bar and if you want to get more people interested in coming out and becoming enthusiastic about your property there are a few easily achievable ideas in this article. For instance, the part about coordinating your fixtures. Simply replacing old door knobs with the same sort throughout a home, or updating taps in a bathroom. It won't break the bank and is an easy way to update your property. Here's the link to the full article, http://www.news.com.au/realestate/selling/tips-to-make-home-buyers-bite/story  or feel free to read on below the cut and paste version.

Tips to make home buyers bite
from news.com.au

• Staff Writers
• News Limited
• November 15, 2013 11:09AM
• ENTRY
• Impress buyers from the outset with a beautiful - not least, tidy - entry to your home.
  
  If you don't have an entry, cleverly placed furniture such as console table or demilune chest of drawers can create a welcoming vignette. Remember that buyers like an entrance, rather than just walking through a front door to a living room.
  
  
• FLOORS
  
  
  
• Buyers are always on the hunt for wooden floors, as it's a hardy, stylish and timeless surface. A synthetic wooden floor is an option but know that a laminate floor won't convince everyone, as it doesn't look, feel or last the same.
  
  BATHROOMS
  
  Agents say bathrooms and kitchens are the most important rooms in the home during a sale, with potential buyers, particularly women paying most attention to those two areas during open inspections.
  
  Remember the thing is, installing a new bathroom or kitchen is a major hassle that new property owners would rather not have to deal with.
  
  GRANITE TOPS
  
  Buyers don't want to see grout lines in kitchens and granite is the top pick because it's hard, non porous and easy to take care of. Look for light colours and steer clear of black granite as its can make a kitchen look masculine and dated.
  
  FIXTURES
  
  Interior designers say that fixtures are "the jewellery of the home". While buyers will not stop to inspect the taps and be put of from buying a house because the door knobs are old, a home with co-ordinated fixtures will create a strong impression. Replacing fixtures is the cheapest and quickest way to update a property.
  
  STAINLESS STEEL
  
  Why do buyers love stainless steel appliances so much, particularly as they are impossible to keep clean? It's the power of suggestion, with stainless steel replicating a commercial kitchen feel. Everyone wants to feel like an accomplished chef, just look at the popularity of TV cooking shows.
  
  WALK-IN WARDROBE
  
  JUST as sleek kitchens and stainless steel appliances make us feel like great chefs, a walk-in wardrobe makes us feel organised. Nothing beats being able to hide clutter by simply sliding a door.
  
  BUILT-IN STORAGE
  
  Many buyers view built-in storage as free furniture. Well designed bookshelves, cabinets and entertaining units make a home stand out as quality.
  
  LIGHTING
  
  Lighting is the most overlooked, yet one of the most important aspect of interior design. Every home needs three types of light: task, ambient and decorative lighting, which allows you to change the mood of a room.
  
  LAWNS
  
  Families are drawn to homes with a flat open lawn. It's space that can easily be revamped to add an outdoor entertaining area and also provides room for home extensions. Gardens rather than courtyards have more appeal with buyers.
  Article Taken from
  

• News.com.au
• Staff Writers
• News Limited
• November 15, 2013 11:09AM
  

Having spent the last few weekends out and about looking at houses in an attempt to upgrade from mini to massive (I wish) I have come to realize even more the importance of good property photographs. On the whole most photographers do a great job representing a property allowing the buyer to get a good idea of what it is like before they view it.  Keeping in mind, it is often up to the agent to select the photos to be used in the advertising. 
As a photographer myself, I am reasonably good at interpreting what a house is going to be like from the photos. I understand just how and what a photographer has done to capture a particular shot and can get a fair idea of what a property will be like before I view it in the flesh.  But today a few things leapt out at me. Particularly in one instance when I viewed a property and was shocked to find that the view overlooking the pool of Glenelg and the City as a backdrop had not been captured or shown on the internet.  I was not entirely sure how it was overlooked because to me it was a huge selling point of the property -indeed many at the open were marveling at the view also.
Missing a vital aspect of a property is certainly not ideal.Of course it is also important to remember that "less is more". I am not saying that it is a good idea to misrepresent and hide aspects of a property, but sometimes using a better angle can work marvels for that tired shag pile carpet or that orange and green seventies wall paper. Having searched the internet and saved the open times to my calendar I had prepared myself well. I was even ready to act maturely when it came to viewing the overwhelming 80’s tiled bathroom I had spotted. However, when confronted by it in person I was surprised to realize that it was not nearly as bad as the photo had made out. Sometimes it is better to use a well thought out angle and capture the essence of something rather than try and contain the whole in the small frame that the camera has to offer. In doing this you give the viewer an idea to expect certain furnishings without overwhelming them and exasperating an otherwise reasonable room.
Real Estate photography requires a fine balance. When photographing a home I like to capture the best aspects of a property as well as give a realistic impression to the buyers. While it is important to get people interested in a property there is little point if they come along expecting something very different.  I often like to ask the owners which aspects they love about their home. Often they can point out an angle that I may miss due to the time constraints of a shoot.  Afterall, it is the owners that bought it to begin with and have spent many years there so you would expect them to know the sweet spots.
But of course there are particular properties that just scream creativity. It is these homes that can take advantage of those arty shoots which create a mystery and lure in potential buyers by not telling the whole story.   Architecturally designed homes or those homes a little out of the ordinary can benefit from photos a little off base with a creative edge to attract potential buyers who are intrigued to find out more and surprise and delight people upon inspection. Often it takes a courageous vendor and agent to use this sales technique, and my it’s fun for the photographer.

So, if you are putting your home on the market, please remember that good, well thought out photos are important.

Once in a while magic happens and this shoot was one of those times. Photographing properties at twilight or dusk you never quite know what the weather fairies are going to throw at you. There is always an element of surprise; whether it be a nice one as in this case or a not so nice one - when the skies decide to open up and bucket down.. But during this shoot I was lucky enough that when it did begin to rain, it was not quite enough to get soaked, yet enough, for when the sun did stream gently out for a few moments that a rainbow did appear right behind the home I was photographing. Wow, what fantastic timing. And the rain continued to stay away for the rest of the shoot too. I really just could not believe my luck. It really was a Magical Moment.
If you want to check out this property, it is for sale by Ray White Blackwood and has magnificent views of the city: 14 Lind Ave, Belair.
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-belair-114916019