Drone Photography for

Office Buildings

Photography of Office Buildings is different from other types of buildings. With this guideline, we want to give you all the tools you need to create outstanding images. We will show you all the essential aspects, motifs and rules of real estate photography for creating interior and exterior shots. Guideline as of May 2024

What is different about Office Properties?

In office building photography, the focus is on perspectives towards the city and public transportation (ÖPNV), which sets it apart from regular drone photography. It is important to photograph the features and functions of the building to accurately represent the unique characteristics of office properties. To help with this, we have divided the key perspectives into 3 heights, with example photos and videos provided for each:

High-angle shots
Low-angle shots
Detail and situational shots
The Rules for Real Estate Photography
On-site notes

High-Angle shots

To get a good overview of the office property, we always require high-altitude shots that show the entire plot, including all buildings. It is important that the property is not cropped and that the facade is clearly visible! The surrounding area of the property is also a key feature. The view towards the city center and the proximity to public transportation should highlight the central location of the property. If possible, create a top-down shot of the property!

Foto

To photograph the office property correctly, you can capture the property from every side and corner. It is important that the attractive and central location of the property is clearly conveyed by photographing the building with a view towards the city center. Public transportation (ÖPNV) is also a key feature that should appear in the photos. The facade should be clearly visible in the high-altitude shots, but make sure that the property is not cropped!

Video (3-4 Clips)

The video footage should also provide the viewer with a comprehensive overview of the property. Key subjects include the building with a view of the city center, its connection to public transportation (ÖPNV), as well as the facade and architectural design.

TIP: The roof of the property is not relevant. Therefore, avoid flying directly over the building (roof). It is better to fly at a lower altitude towards the facade or around the property/building from the side.

2- Low-Angle Shots

Through the high-altitude shots, we have already covered the overall overview of the property and its central location. The low-altitude shots should now focus on the building and its architectural design. The ideal height for these shots is often the mid-building height!

Similar to the property shots, we need images that show the entire building from all sides and corners to provide a detailed overview of the structure. Afterward, the most important features of an office property are its central location, proximity to public transportation (ÖPNV), and facade design. Both in photos and videos, you can capture the facades and entrance areas from the front and sides to ensure they are sufficiently covered. In addition to the location, access points to underground parking and parking facilities may also be important.

Foto

To photograph the building correctly, you can capture it from mid-building height from every side and corner. The building should not be cropped, if possible!

In general, avoid including people in the shots, as well as trash bins or any visible dirt.

Video (5-6 Clips)

The video footage should also fully represent the building. Key subjects include the facade, entrances, and other design features.

TIP: The mid-building height with a gimbal properly aligned is your best friend ;) This will focus on the facade, which will fully engage the viewer when they watch the video.

3- Detail and Situational Shots

Through the high and low-altitude shots, we have already covered the building and its central location. To now give the photos and videos more personality in the overall view, we need detail and situational shots.

Important subjects for this include the details of the property. This includes the logos and signs of tenants on the building or property entrance, as well as unique features of the facade. Corporate headquarters and office buildings often demonstrate prestige, which is why these buildings are usually designed impressively. For the detail shots, it's important to highlight these architectural features.

Foto

For the detail photos, you can capture key subjects like the logo on the building’s facade or a sign at the entrance of the property. If there are particularly attractive features on the facade, such as a pleasing color combination, a detail shot would also be a good subject.

Video (2-3 Clips)

For the video footage, you can capture subjects such as the logo on the building, or signs and flags on the property. Use architectural features to highlight the building's details and make them stand out.

The Rules for Real Estate Photography

The Central Perspective

The central perspective is the most important perspective for real estate photography and can be used not only for ground-level shots! It is crucial to position yourself directly in front and centered on the building or subject. In this position, the lines of the building appear parallel and converge at a single point on the horizon. This emphasizes architectural details and creates a harmonious image.

To illustrate this, we have highlighted these lines in a few example images. The red circle in the center marks the vanishing point. The blue lines represent the horizontal axis. The red lines highlight the visible parallels in the image that converge towards the vanishing point.

The Mid-Building Height

Why do we emphasize the mid-building height so much? The mid-building height is the perfect height for creating real estate photos, which is almost NEVER achievable from the ground. At this height, buildings can be captured without distortion. Vertical lines remain straight, and the building doesn’t appear tilted.

On the left, we've illustrated this. In the first image, the photo was taken at mid-building height, and all the lines run straight or converge toward the vanishing point in the center of the image. The camera is aimed directly forward and is not tilted. The second image was taken at the height of the upper edge of the building. The building is no longer centered in the image and is cropped. The horizon is not visible, the lines appear distorted, and the building looks crooked. The image is generally unappealing. The same applies to the subsequent photos.

On-Site Notes

Here we summarize the key rules for creating the shots and on-site instructions:

Instructions for the shots:

Take the shots in landscape format! If there are subjects that would be better captured in portrait format, please create both portrait and landscape versions.
For shots at mid-building height, ensure that your camera is as straight as possible, with a tilt of no more than 10%. This will avoid distortion.
Capture the building from all sides and corners, ensuring that the building is not cropped at the top (and, if possible) at the sides.
Follow the key rules for real estate photography.

General on-site instructions:

Wear the FairFleet pilot vest!
Remember that you are on assignment for FairFleet.
Check in on-site (unless explicitly stated otherwise).
If a contact person on-site requests more shots than agreed upon, always contact us for confirmation!

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