How quickly will I receive my photos after the shoot?

We guarantee 24-hour delivery on all standard photography packages, measured from shoot completion to gallery delivery. Photos are delivered via a private online gallery with high-resolution downloads — ready for MLS upload, Zillow, Realtor.com, and social media. Rush same-day delivery is available for time-sensitive listings for an additional fee. In practice, over 85% of galleries are delivered within 16 hours of shoot completion.

Are you FAA certified for drone photography in South Florida?

Yes. All Estate Shutter Florida drone pilots hold FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificates, which is legally required for all commercial drone photography in Florida. We carry full liability insurance and obtain the required FAA LAANC authorizations for controlled airspace near Miami International (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL), and Palm Beach International (PBI) airports before every flight.

What areas of South Florida do you serve?

We serve all of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties with no travel fees. Primary markets include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Coral Gables, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Hollywood, Doral, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, and 20+ additional cities. Travel to the Florida Keys and Naples area is available upon request.

Do I need to be present during the real estate photo shoot?

No — many of our shoots are coordinated directly with property managers or lockbox access. We recommend having someone present to handle access issues and highlight features the agent wants emphasized. We send a preparation checklist 24 hours before every shoot so sellers know exactly how to stage and prepare the property for optimal results.

Best Time for Real Estate Photos in Delray Beach

Florida Real Estate Photography — Miami, Orlando, Tampa & Fort Lauderdale

Estate Shutter Florida delivers professional HDR real estate photography, FAA-certified drone aerials, Zillow 3D virtual tours, AI virtual staging, and twilight photography for agents, brokers, and developers across South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) and Central Florida (Orange, Hillsborough, Osceola counties). Founded by Mike Brun — FAA Part 107 certified drone pilot, 8+ years experience, 2,000+ MLS listings photographed. Photos starting at $199 with guaranteed 24-hour delivery.

Real Estate Photography Services

HDR Real Estate Photography — from $199

Professional interior and exterior photography with 24-hour delivery. 25–50 fully edited photos. Sky replacement, color correction, object removal, and MLS-ready files included. Serving all of Florida.

FAA-Certified Drone Photography — from $199

Aerial photography and 4K video by FAA Part 107 certified pilots. Captures waterfront access, lot size, neighborhood context, and community amenities. Required airspace authorizations obtained before every flight.

Zillow 3D Virtual Tours — from $199

Interactive 3D walkthroughs for Zillow, Realtor.com, and MLS. Listings with Zillow 3D tours generate 40% more inquiries and earn the Zillow "3D Home" badge. Ideal for international and remote buyers.

AI Virtual Staging — from $7/photo

Transform empty rooms into furnished spaces using AI. 12 styles, results in ~15 minutes. Order online anytime without scheduling. Volume pricing: 1–5 photos $20, 6–10 photos $15, 11–15 photos $10, 16+ photos $7.

Twilight & Blue Hour Photography

Dramatic dusk exterior photography for luxury and waterfront listings. Particularly effective for oceanfront condos, Intracoastal estates, and high-rise penthouses with Miami or Fort Lauderdale skyline views.

Commercial Photography

Architectural, office, retail, and construction progress photography for developers, architects, and commercial brokers. Serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Naples, and Tampa.

Packages & Pricing

Transparent pricing — no hidden fees. 10% off for new clients. Pay only after approving your gallery.

Package	Price	Includes
Basic Photography	from $199	25–35 HDR photos, 24-hr delivery, sky replacement, object removal
Standard Package	from $349	Photos + drone aerials, 30–50 images, 4K drone stills & video
Pro Package	from $599	Photos + drone + Zillow 3D tour + twilight + floor plan
AI Virtual Staging	from $7/photo	Online ordering, 12 furniture styles, results in ~15 min, volume discounts

Package

Price

Includes

Basic Photography

from $199

25–35 HDR photos, 24-hr delivery, sky replacement, object removal

Standard Package

from $349

Photos + drone aerials, 30–50 images, 4K drone stills & video

Pro Package

from $599

Photos + drone + Zillow 3D tour + twilight + floor plan

AI Virtual Staging

from $7/photo

Online ordering, 12 furniture styles, results in ~15 min, volume discounts

Real Estate Photography FAQ — Florida

How much does real estate photography cost in Miami?

Packages start at $199 for 25–35 HDR photos with 24-hour delivery. Standard package (photos + drone) from $349. Pro package (photos + drone + Zillow 3D + twilight + floor plan) from $599. New clients get 10% off. Pay only after gallery approval.

How quickly will I receive my real estate photos?

We guarantee 24-hour delivery. Over 85% of galleries are delivered within 16 hours. Photos arrive via private online gallery with MLS-ready and high-resolution downloads. Rush same-day delivery available.

Are you FAA certified for drone photography in Florida?

Yes. All drone pilots hold FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificates — legally required for commercial drone photography in Florida. We carry full liability insurance and obtain FAA airspace authorizations near all major Florida airports (MIA, FLL, PBI, MCO, TPA) before every flight.

What areas of Florida do you serve?

All of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in South Florida, plus the Orlando metro (Orange, Osceola, Seminole counties) and Tampa Bay (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco counties) in Central Florida — 50+ cities statewide including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Orlando, Tampa, Windermere, Winter Park, and Lake Nona. No travel fees within each region.

What is a Zillow 3D virtual tour and why does it matter for Florida listings?

Zillow 3D creates a fully navigable 3D digital twin buyers can explore online from any device. It earns the Zillow "3D Home" badge and generates 40% more inquiries. Essential for Florida's international and remote buyers — particularly in South Florida's luxury markets and Central Florida's high-volume relocation markets.

About Estate Shutter Florida

Founded by Mike Brun, Estate Shutter Florida is Florida's premier real estate photography service, trusted by 550+ active realtors across South Florida and Central Florida. Mike holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, is a member of the Professional Real Estate Photographers Association (PREA), and is a Zillow Premier Partner. 8+ years of South Florida experience · 2,000+ MLS listings photographed.

Equipment: Sony α7R V · DJI Mavic 3 Pro (Hasselblad lens) · Zillow 3D Pro3 · Profoto B10X. Learn more →

The best time to photograph a property in Delray Beach depends entirely on its orientation and desired mood. For most homes, I schedule shoots to avoid the harsh midday sun, typically starting mid-morning for east-facing fronts and early afternoon for west-facing ones to get bright, flattering light. Twilight sessions, though, offer the most dramatic and emotionally appealing images, especially for waterfront or luxury listings.

I’ve shot over 2,000 homes in South Florida, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that light is everything. Get the lighting right, and a standard 3/2 in Delray Lakes looks like a million bucks. Get it wrong, and a waterfront estate in Tropic Isle can look flat and uninviting. The sun here in South Florida is a powerful and fickle business partner.

Why Midday is Usually the Worst Time for Photos

Agents and homeowners sometimes assume high noon is ideal—the sun is brightest, right? In my experience, it’s the absolute worst time for real estate photos. The sun directly overhead creates deep, harsh shadows under every eave, awning, and palm frond. Instead of showcasing the property, you get a high-contrast, unflattering mess.

Windows, which should look bright and welcoming, appear as dark, reflective voids. The intense glare washes out colors, making lush green lawns look pale and tired. On my Sony α7R V, I can recover a lot of detail, but the core problem remains: the light is actively working against you. This is why I almost never schedule a standard exterior shoot between 12 PM and 2 PM in Delray Beach. The only exception might be for a property completely shrouded in the shade of dense, mature banyan trees, but even then, the dappled light can be tricky.

Matching the Light to the Property: My Scheduling Strategy

My entire scheduling process revolves around the sun's path and the property's specific features. It's a bit of a chess game. Before any shoot, the first question I ask an agent is, "Which way does the front of the house face?" This seemingly small detail dictates the entire timeline.

East-Facing Homes

For a home with an eastern exposure, the morning is our window. The rising sun casts a beautiful, warm light across the facade. I typically aim to start shooting the exterior around 9:00 or 10:00 AM. By this time, the sun is high enough to illuminate the property fully without the extreme angles of sunrise, but still low enough to avoid those harsh overhead shadows. This gives us that bright, airy, and welcoming look that performs so well on the MLS.

If the property has a pool or patio in the back (west-facing), we’ll shoot the front first, then move inside, and finish with the backyard in the early afternoon as the sun moves over the house. This kind of planning is crucial for creating a cohesive and well-lit gallery of professional real estate photography.

West-Facing Homes

For west-facing properties, the opposite is true. A morning shoot would leave the front of the house in deep shadow. You’d lose all the architectural detail, and the entrance would look dark and uninviting. For these homes, I schedule the shoot for the afternoon, typically starting around 2:00 or 3:00 PM. This allows the sun to swing around and bathe the front of the property in warm, flattering afternoon light. It’s perfect for highlighting the curb appeal that buyers first see online.

Just last week, I was shooting a beautiful listing deep in Tropic Isle. It was a classic west-facing waterfront home. We started inside, and then at about 4 PM, the light hitting the front of the house was just perfect. The entryway was bright, the landscaping popped, and the whole home felt alive. An hour earlier, it would have been a shadowed mess.

North and South-Facing Homes

These can be a bit more forgiving. A north-facing home never gets direct sunlight on its front, which means it has soft, consistent, but somewhat flat light all day. The challenge here is to avoid it looking gloomy. I use my Profoto B10X strobes to add a little life and dimension, creating subtle highlights that mimic sunlight. For these, timing is less critical, but you still want to avoid the ambient glare of midday.

South-facing homes get sun all day long, which is great for interiors but can be tricky for the exterior. You have to be careful about the time of day to manage the shadows from the roofline. Usually, mid-morning or mid-afternoon works well, when the sun is at a pleasing 45-degree angle rather than directly overhead.

Property Facing	Best Time for Exterior Photos	Why It Works	My Pro Tip
East	9:00 AM - 11:00 AM	Soft, bright morning light illuminates the facade.	Shoot the front first, then interiors, then the west-facing backyard in the afternoon.
West	2:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Warm afternoon light creates a welcoming curb appeal.	Ideal for a lead-in to a twilight session to capture the sunset over the back.
North	Flexible (avoid midday)	Consistent, indirect light all day avoids harsh shadows.	I use off-camera flash to add dimension and a “kiss” of sunlight to the facade.
South	10 AM - 12 PM or 2 PM - 4 PM	Gets sun all day; the goal is to avoid direct overhead light.	Watch the roof eaves; you want light on the house, not long shadows from the roof.

The Magic of Twilight: Is It Worth the Investment?

This is a question I get a lot from agents in Delray Beach. My blunt answer: for the right property, it’s not just an investment, it’s a necessity. Twilight photography—those stunning shots taken in the 20-30 minute window just after sunset—creates an emotional pull that standard daylight shots can’t match.

When is it worth it? I always recommend it for:

Waterfront Properties: Capturing a home on the Intracoastal or a canal in Tropic Isle with the deep blue of the twilight sky reflected in the water is pure magic. It sells a lifestyle, not just a house. My DJI Mavic 3 Pro is essential for these shots, capturing the property, the water, and the sky in one epic frame. These drone photography services at twilight are unbeatable for luxury listings.
Homes with Great Landscape Lighting: If the owner has invested in professional outdoor lighting, twilight is the time to show it off. It highlights the design and creates a resort-like feel.
Properties with a Pool or Fire Pit: The glow of the pool lights and the warm flames of a fire pit against the cobalt sky make a backyard feel like a private oasis. It’s an image that makes buyers stop scrolling and dream.
Luxury Listings: For high-end homes, twilight photos signal premium value. They are the standard for properties in the upper price brackets and help justify the asking price. A 3D virtual tour is another must-have for this segment.

Twilight isn’t just about turning on the lights. It requires careful planning. I arrive before sunset to set up my camera on a tripod, compose the shot, and balance the interior and exterior lighting. As the sun dips below the horizon, the sky cycles through a stunning palette of colors. The goal is to hit the shutter when the ambient light from the sky perfectly balances the artificial light from the house. It’s a small window, but the results speak for themselves.

Don’t Forget the Interior and the View

The property’s orientation also dramatically affects the interior shots. For a condo in a Brickell high-rise with floor-to-ceiling windows facing east, a morning shoot is spectacular. The light floods the unit, making it feel huge and airy. For that same condo, an afternoon shoot would be dark and disappointing.

In Delray Beach, if you have a view of the ocean, we want to shoot it in the morning light. If you have a western view over the Everglades or a golf course, an afternoon or sunset shoot is the ticket. This is where video walkthrough services can really shine, panning across a room to reveal a stunning sunset view.

Sometimes, the view is great but the room is dark, or the room is bright but the view is blown out. This is where my technique and gear come in. Using my Sony α7R V and a technique called "flambient," I take multiple exposures—one for the interior using my Profoto strobes, and another exposed for the exterior view. I then blend them by hand in post-production to create a single, perfect image where both the room and the view look exactly as the eye would see them. It’s a meticulous process, but it’s the only way to do justice to a great South Florida view.

What if the property is vacant? An empty space with harsh light can feel cold and sterile. In these cases, we can use virtual staging services to not only furnish the space but also to help mitigate some of the less-than-ideal lighting by adding digital lamps and warmth.

Your Listing’s First Showing is Online

The first time a potential buyer sees your Delray Beach listing is almost certainly going to be online. The lead photo is your one shot to make a great first impression. The difference between a home shot in harsh midday light and one captured during the golden hour or at twilight is the difference between a buyer scrolling past and a buyer clicking to see more.

As an FAA Part 107 certified drone pilot with over six years of experience in this market, I’ve seen firsthand how strategic, high-quality photography impacts a listing’s performance. It’s not just about making things look pretty; it’s about marketing an asset in its best possible light to attract the most qualified buyers and the highest offers.

Ready to make your Delray Beach property stand out? Check out my photography packages or give me a call directly at (786) 604-0823 to discuss the best strategy for your specific listing. Let’s create images that sell.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a typical real estate photo shoot take?

A standard shoot for a property under 3,000 sq ft usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours. This can extend to 3-4 hours if we're also capturing drone footage, a video walkthrough, and twilight shots. I always plan my arrival time based on the sun's position relative to the property's front.

Should I turn on all the lights for real estate photos?

Yes, please turn on every single light in the house before I arrive—lamps, overhead lights, under-cabinet lighting, everything. This creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. I will turn off lights or adjust as needed to balance the scene, but having them all on to start is a huge help.

What if it's a cloudy day? Should we reschedule?

Not necessarily. Overcast days provide soft, even light that can be very flattering for exteriors, eliminating harsh shadows. While you won't get dramatic blue skies, the colors of the home and landscaping can look rich and saturated. For interiors, it makes little difference as I use professional lighting to control the scene. We would only reschedule for heavy rain.

Is twilight photography really worth the extra cost?

For luxury, waterfront, or properties with significant outdoor features (like a pool or landscape lighting), absolutely. Twilight photos consistently perform as the top 'hero' images online, grabbing more attention and conveying a premium feel that can directly impact buyer perception and offer price. For a standard rental, it may not be necessary.