Discover fabulous views from amazing properties in Southwest Washington

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Drone Imagery Can be Deceptive

The latest trend in real estate marketing is hiring photography and video companies that utilize the technology of drones to get viewpoints up high and off the street. I have a drone myself and I use it to take unique angles of difficult to photograph homes.

It is important to remember to look at the eye level images when considering a view. The drone may not be high in the sky, maybe only 30 feet, but that can be a huge difference in perspective. Sometimes distant mountains and vistas are visible from as little as 30 feet in the air that can dramatically alter the perception of a "view".
This image was taken with my Parrot Bebop drone at a height of just about 30 feet off the street. That is akin to standing on the third floor of a building. There is quite a bit of "drama" created in an image even just a bit higher than typical street level. Many drone videos are created to capture the essence of a neighborhood and its surrounding area rather than to suggest the property has a view that it does not. But it is easy to presume that something is visible that actually is not. The perspective the aerial drone has will likely include details that we will not see whilst standing on the ground or looking out the windows.

The video showing the camera sweeping in across a lake or river to a property is dramatic and shows the spectacular location well, but the person living in that house is not ever going to see the property from that perspective unless they own an ultra-light craft and fly into their yard.

Take all of this new technology with the proverbial "pinch of salt". There is no substitute for a proper tour of the home on a day with suitable weather to insure the views are what you are looking for. Get out and enjoy the view!