REIWA Digital Webinar Wrap
The focus of the webinar is primarily on property photography and how we need to view it from the point of view of consumer protection - protecting the buyers and sellers.
In a fast-moving space where our ability to edit and manipulate photos is getting better and better we’ll be looking into what goes into editing a property photo and what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of extra editing, with the consumer front of mind.
Legal responsibility:
The Real Estate and Business Agents and Sales Representatives Code of Conduct 2016 (rule 11) and the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (section 18) prohibits conduct that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive. Breaches of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the Australian Consumer Law attract fines and pecuniary penalties.
Property photography aims to give the potential buyer a true representation of the property. Considerations when it comes to "true representation":
•Lighting
•Views
•Colour of finishes
•Size of spaces
It is important to be aware of what you are asking the photographer to do and that it is in the consumer's best interest.
•Wide angle lens – our photographers have a maximum width lens we allow them to shoot with to avoid making the room look too large, Obviously angles give a sense of space but we never want to distort an image to the point where it is misleading.
•Colour and light – making a property look too bright. We want a property to look inviting but not fake. Sometimes we need to rely on the agent or photographer for feedback on this – remember our editing and in-house team have never seen the property.
With advancements in editing now, there is so much that can be done to manipulate photos and it is the responsibility of your photographer to advise what can and can’t be done.
When we look at the do’s and don’ts we are looking at edits that alter the property condition versus edits that add to the photo but do not alter the condition of the property that is being sold.
Common requests include:
DO'S
Standard photo editing by Crib (no charge, done prior to the agent ever receiving the images):
Adding fire to a fireplace ( only if in working order)
Turning on a TV screen
Remove pool cleaners from a pool
Photo editing requested by Sales Representatives:
Greening the grass
Fixing cracks, water stains etc
Removing powerlines
DON'Ts
As a general rule, if we are asked to fix something that is physically wrong with the property, we will request proof, in writing, that that feature will be fixed prior to editing the photo.
If the edit is not being fixed and may mislead the consumer, we will add a disclaimer to the image.
Let’s look at some examples:
Example 1: The client requested to remove stains from pool. Advised client we could remove leaves but not stains.
Example 2: Client requested ‘green grass edit’. Informed client that is not an ethical edit and we needed to put a disclaimer on the image.
Example 3: The owner removed all cupboard doors prior to shooting. Advised we could replace them digitally, however the agent had to put in writing that they would be replaced prior to sale of property
Example 4: Virtual landscaping requiring disclaimer
Example 5: Deck edited - client advised the deck had been painted shortly after the shoot and provided photographic proof.
Virtual furniture
Staging a property is very costly as opposed to virtually furnishing a property, which is approximately $66 per image ( we do discount orders of 4 or more)
No disclaimer is needed as the property is sold vacant. Therefore virtual furniture is misrepresenting what the property will look like, but rather showing it to its fullest potential so that buyers are attracted to view the listing online.
Virtual landscaping
Virtual landscaping is different as the landscape is sold as part of the property. A disclaimer is required if the property is being sold as is and not with the advertised landscaping.
Ethical considerations with virtual furniture
Scaling of furniture
Furnishing the space (not rendering the building or altering fixtures & finishes)
To be a true representation of the property for sale.
Commercial Property
Virtual furniture can be used to showcase the different potential uses for a space. In this case, a disclaimer should be used.
What to consider:
Walls cannot be removed – you can only alter what you can see in an image
Potential usage must be in line with the commercial zoning of area
Other marketing material to be mindful of:
Floorplans
Strata properties – we must use the measurements given on a strata title as that is what is legally being sold (unless otherwise instructed in writing)
Garage versus carport - be careful of labelling old "garages" that may be too small ot fit a modern car
Study versus bedroom - ensure correct labelling
Aerial imagery/Google overlays
Ensure you are not misrepresenting a benefit e.g. the scale of the example below makes the property look like it is close to the beach but actually 15km away
For information about:
Social media
Personal/agent marketing
Video
Anything else! Please peruse our other blog posts, get in touch or keep a eye out for other education opportunies.
This was a really informative read. The emphasis on ethical property photography and protecting buyers through accurate representation is important, especially with today's editing tools. On a lighter note, when I have too many things to juggle, I jokingly say, "Take My Online Class," because balancing multiple responsibilities can feel like a full-time job.
This was a very informative read. I appreciate the emphasis on ethical property photography and protecting buyers through honest visual representation. The clear examples of what edits are acceptable and when disclaimers are required make the guidelines easy to understand. As someone interested in learning industry best practices, I find educational resources like this just as valuable as online course help because they provide practical, real-world insights that professionals can apply immediately. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful overview.
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Reading the REIWA Digital Webinar Wrap made me think a lot about honesty in how we show things online because the article explains how real estate pros must avoid edits that mislead buyers and keep true representation first. I got busy in college once and had a moment where I had to do my assignment late at night to stay on track without shortcuts. The way this post connects rules with real photo examples helped me see how clear standards matter for trust and fairness.