A picture may be worth 1,000 words in other circles, but for New Mexico Real Estate, it enters the realm of deal or no deal.

With over 80% of home buyers starting their search on the Internet, photos are to home sales today what curb appeal used to be - the place where first impressions are made.

Every day, decisions about which homes to see and which homes to skip are made based on what a buyer sees online.

Increasingly, Realtors are turning to Professional Photographers to do what they themselves cannot do - take those jaw-dropping shots even when the home isn't a mansion or an architectural gem.

What follows are a few questions and answers that will help you know a little about me. I look forward to becoming your Real Estate Photographer.

What education and experience do you have?
I graduated from San Francisco State University in 1986 with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art Photography. After graduation I apprenticed in a studio where I did the photography for Macy's Sunday Supplement newspaper ads. My goal was to make the products look better in the photos than they did in person.
A few years later, I opened a business that photographed machine shops for advertising purposes.

How did you get into photographing Real Estate?
When my wife and I were living in California and looking to buy a house in New Mexico, we started our search on the Internet. It was hard to get a feel for the properties because the pictures were so bad. There was no way we were going to fly to New Mexico to meet with a Realtor and look at a house without having a pretty good idea in advance what the house looked like. I knew I could do a much better job than whoever was photographing the homes we were looking at online.

What services do you offer and what do they cost?
I only offer one service - I photograph Real Estate and build a web page and slide show for Realtors to use to market their listings. The cost for this is $125 + tax.

Who owns the photographs you take?
I retain ownership of the images. What you are paying for is the right (as the Realtor representing the listing) to use these images to market the property.

Do you make Virtual Tours?
Yes and no. I was constantly asked by Realtors to create virtual tours, but always declined because Virtual Tours are (by their very nature) unappealing.
What I came up with is a slide show presentation that can be uploaded to MLS as a virtual tour. There is none of the Disneyland Twirling Teacups effect of the virtual tours you usually see.
You can see a demo of the slideshow by clicking here

What happens after you take the photos of my listing?
After I photograph your listing,

• I select the photographs that best represent your listing.
• I polish the photographs in Photo Shop.
• I use these photos to build a web page which has your contact information (such as your phone number and email address).
• I convert the photos to a slide show that you can upload as a Virtual Tour into MLS.
• I upload the Web Page and the Slide Show to the Internet.
• Finally, I send you an email giving you the links to both the web page and the Slide Show.
  How many pictures can I expect on my Web Page and Slide Show?
  I will use however many photos it takes to tell the story of the house and give a potential buyer a great idea of what the house is all about. Typically I end up using between 35 and 40 photos.
  Does MLS allow your Slide Show to be used as a Virtual Tour?
  Yes. It's basically a Virtual Tour that doesn't go around in circles. The only limitation imposed by MLS is that it be unbranded (which means that there is no contact information in the presentation).
  What do I do after you email the links to me?
• Directing buyers to the Slide Show is easy. You just copy the link, and paste it to MLS under Virtual Tour. You can also use the slide show link in all of your print and online advertising for the property.
• The Web Page link can be used in all of your flyers, print ads and web pages to allow potential customers to see between 35 and 40 large, high quality photos of the property you represent.
• You can right click on individual pictures in the web page to save them to your computer and use them for your print ads and flyers.
  One of the properties you photographed will be used as a magazine cover. Is this OK with you?
  Absolutely, but contact me so that I can provide you with a large, high resolution picture. The web page and slide show photos are 300 DPI. They are great for smaller print ads and flyers, but not ideal for larger displays.
  Do you offer a CD with the photos?
  I will make one for you, but it really isn't needed. Just save the pictures from the web page to your computer. It's very easy
  If you want me to make you a CD with the web page burned to it, I would be happy to do it. The cost is $10.00 including tax and postage.
  How long after you photograph my listing can I access the Web Page and Slide Show?
  Typically, I will complete your job within 12 hours of the time I shoot the pictures. I will send you an email as soon as your listing is on the Internet.
  Do you do portrait or wedding photography?
  For some reason, I get asked this all of the time. The answer is no.
  I do an awesome job photographing houses, but my portrait photography is no better than what you can do. I haven't been trained in portrait photography, I don't own the lighting that it requires, and I really don't enjoy photographing people.
  When is payment due and what forms of payment do you accept?
  Payment is due when the job is complete. I will send you an Invoice. Please make the check payable to Mike Tucker.
  I'm selling my house myself (For Sale By Owner). Will you take the pictures for me?
  No. I ONLY work with Realtors, and in this market, strongly suggest that you do too!
  Can you recommend a Realtor to me?
  Sure. There are several exceptional Realtors I work with, and would be happy to share my opinions...
  How long does the Web Page and Slide Show you made for me stay on the Internet?
  I leave them on for 1 year.
  I need a Web Site for my Real Estate business. Will you built one for me?
  No. Although I believe that every Realtor needs a great web site, building them is very time consuming and (for me) not much fun to build and maintain. I would rather do what I truly enjoy doing - photographing houses for Realtors.