If you are a real estate agent or a real estate appraiser and need to edit photos, it’s a snap with Picnik. Picnik is an online photo editing website that I use whenever I need to enhance a photo I have taken. The basic functions are free and if you want more advanced features it’s just $24.95 a year.
Some problems that occur when taking photos include under and over exposure, tilted pictures, including something in the photo that you do not want, or just a dull low color picture. Some of the basic features in Picnik that are free include rotate, resize, crop, sharpen, red eye, and color correction. Other features that are available include adding frames, shadows, stickers, text, and special effects to the photo. As an appraiser, the features I use most for the photos I include in my appraisal reports are the sharpen, color, crop, and rotate tools. I have included a short video of me editing a photo to show you how easy it is.
Real estate agents would also benefit from the basic Picnik features, as well as some of the advanced features like frames and shadows, for more “artistic” photos that you could use in flyer’s and marketing materials. If you write a blog this is also a good tool to use for the photos you use in it. In addition to the features noted above you can resize your photos to make them smaller. Photos that are too large may cause your website to load slower, which could result in lost site visitors. This is only a basic tutorial so if you have any questions about Picnik please let me know. If you have used it in other creative ways I would like to hear about that as well.
If you need to contact me please call me at 205.243.9304, email me, or connect with me on Facebook.
Hey Tom,
Thank you so much for sharing this very helpful tool. You peaked my interest when you mentioned adding frames and shadows. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with The Appraisal IQ or not. Alison Masis is adding some awesome appraisal photos as art form and displaying these photos in frames where one can click on 1 individual photo within a collage frame of 20 photos. It’s a really neat feature of this Austin Appraiser’s blog. You can view it here: http://theappraisaliq.com/behrens-ranch-round-rock-tx-market-report-2009-2010/
I created a video this morning for straightening a photo using the free Windows Live Photo Gallery and mentioned/showed your Picknik post this morning at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNatKsv2eZg.
As Always, We Appreciate Your Excellence With Your Blog!
Bill Cobb
Hey Bill, Yes I do know and visit Alisons website and it looks great. She has some real awesomes photos. Thanks for spreading the news about my blog as well. You are much appreciated!
Tom,
Thanks for the wonderful information on the website. I will be putting this website to use.
Great video tutorial.
Kathy, thanks for the kind words. Have fun with it!
Tom, Man, Thank you so much!! I was featured yesterday on Active Rain Network because of your tip! I’m using it to add impressive frames and then using SnagIt to capture that look. I added that image here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2073665/fountain-hill-subdivision-2010-price-trends-positive-for-2011 and Active Rain featured my post in the Hyper Local segment and awarded me an extra 300 points. Convinces me more and more that “Presentation” does matter!
Thanks Again!
Bill
Awesome Bill. I’m glad I could be a part of something positive. It pales in comparison though to the guidence you have provided me. Congratulations!
Thanks for the heads-up on this tool. It’s always good to know what’s out there. Nice video tutorial.
Thanks Ryan. I’ve used other editors but none as easy to learn and use as Picnik.