One of the many things that I believe sets me apart from other REALTORS® is that I am very concerned with the visual presentation of a property to discerning buyers. With so many properties on the market these days, it is crucial that my listings stand out and are presented in the best way possible to maximize the number of people who want to view the property in person…To that end, I have invested time in acquiring the skills to take wide-angle, natural light photography of my listings. I also shoot high-definition videos of most of my listings as well. But there is always room for improvement. Sooke resident Jason van der Valk (also known as Mr. Discover Sooke) has always been an amazing photographer (and a good friend – Jason was the first friend I made when I moved to the Island in 2005). Recently, he has expanded his portfolio from chiefly landscape-based images into portraiture, “real life” photography, and now, real estate and architecture.
One thing that has always impressed me about Jason is his ability to apply his previous experience in photography to a new method or style very quickly to produce a polished, professional result. A few years ago, he decided he was going to get into video. He started with a simple Flip Camera shooting raw video with simple edits and within a relatively short period has now produced high-definition spots for tourism commercials and other clients.
When shooting real estate photos, Jason uses his background in graphic design to help him see the best compositions. He ensures to use the best angles and times of day to get that “just right” look with the natural light. Using a professional digital SLR camera and high-end lenses, Jason captures images that can be used in both print media and online, showcasing the unique nature of each property. Jason is a people person and prefers to meet the owners of the property as he photographs, ensuring they are comfortable and involved in the process – this is something that I really like.
I decided to hire Jason to shoot a very large home for me. 7760 West Coast Road is a former B&B of over 4500 square feet. The rooms are enormous and the view is outstanding – and I must admit I was a little daunted at the task of making it present in its best light for my clients. Jason tackled the task with relative ease. He shot the property on a Thursday evening, and by Friday I had a set of 42 amazing, hand-edited images to use in my marketing materials. Jason has shot several properties for my REALTOR® colleagues here in Sooke and is currently keen on expanding this side of his photography business. His rate is very reasonable for our marketplace, especially considering the amount of work that goes into his photography and the post-production to ensure each image is perfect. If you’re tired of your listings that just don’t seem to pop off the screen at buyers, this is an easy way to make a great first impression and to take care of your seller clients like no one they’ve ever seen. Give Jason a call at 250-642-5447, and see his portfolio and contact him from there. Follow Jason on Twitter and Facebook – he always has some amazing images to share. Check out some more of his images of my listing below!
