Now that your villa looks almost like new, what good is it going to do if you present it using those old photographs you took 10-years ago or those your son shot with his new iPhone or his drone and then posted them on WhatsApp.

Convincing owners to spend money on professional photography is perhaps the most difficult part in the life of a real estate agent, especially in Bali, and many writers have commented on this topic recently.

But it's absolutely critical in presenting a professional image, showing that you're serious about selling.

Click here to view comparisons of the same shot with different exposures

But above all, it's all about standing out in a crowded market. And for that you need a "hero shot." This is the picture that says the oft-quoted 1,000 words.

The "hero" is the picture that invites others to want to know more. If it's done right it's gorgeous. You can taste it. You can smell it. It's the hook that catches your big fish!

But it's not always obvious, what the "hero" should show and from where to take it. Is it an aerial shot taken from the ocean overlooking the swimming pool and the lawn with the silhouette of the villa in the background? Or is it a shot at dawn of the main building with a dark blue sky in the background?

Whatever it is it pays to do it professionally. One of my favourite photographers to use for property in Bali is a guy called Chris Leggett. He's been around a long time and he knows his business very well. These are his images in this post, and as you can see they're pretty special.

When Chris takes a shot, he uses a tripod and shoots maybe 30 times the same frame at exposures varying from over to under-exposed. Why? Because he tries to create an image that looks like you would see it with the human eye, which is able to adapt and compensate bright backgrounds with dark subjects and lets us see the world as if the entire image was perfectly exposed and balanced. A camera simply can’t do that and that’s why you need the pro here.

Click here to view comparisons of the same shot with different exposures

Mind you that he will spend the same amount of time as he took for shooting or even longer to compose the final image in post-production in the editing process. It’s an art. And it comes with a price.

But so does the villa you're trying to sell right?

And for that reason it's worth hiring a pro to shoot your hero!

Similar to this:

How to sell my villa in Bali: standing out in a crowded market - Part 1

Due Diligence Part 4: get to know your legal options – freehold and right of use

Due Diligence Part 2: get to know your property and neighborhood