Realtor Feet: A Quick Photography Lesson. Or, a Tribute to Athol Kay

by Jay Thompson on February 21, 2009 · Comments

in Real Estate

Back in the day, a real estate agent in Connecticut by the name of Athol Kay used to post a series labeled, “Bad MLS Photo of the Day”.  Athol would combine a typically awful photo actually found in a MLS (Multiple Listing System) with a witty caption.

Athol has since left real estate, but his legacy lives on. One of my main goals in taking listing photos was to make sure none of my pictures ever showed up on Athol’s blog. I learned a lot from Athol about photography and I miss him.
Nary a day goes by where I don’t run across a photo in a real estate listing and say to myself, “Athol would have torched this one.”

One thing Athol taught me was that taking photos from different angles can make a marginal shot into a good one. The other day I found this photo and thought to myself, “Good on this agent for getting a different angle!”

And in the same breath, I heard the voice of Athol whispering, “Remember, watch those reflections…”

Realtor Feet


 

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Tagged as: Real estate photography

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  • I was wondering what happened to the sock puppet...

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Doug Quance´s last blog post..When Buying A Home In Atlanta - Look For VALUE</abbr>
  • LOL... She could have photo shopped that out so easy!

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>monika´s last blog post..New Hampshire Foreclosure and Short Sales</abbr>
  • @Doug - Athol returned to nursing full time. Last I heard, he was doing well.

    @Monika - Yep, 5 whole minutes of extra work....
  • I am not sure who athol is but I have added the "worst listing photo of the week" to my blog aswel.

    So thanks for the idea Athol.

    I am really surprised at some of the photo's agents upload to advertise a property.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Jaco´s last blog post..Eleven Women On A Rope</abbr>
  • Does Athols blog still exist?
    what is the url?

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Jaco´s last blog post..Eleven Women On A Rope</abbr>
  • I used to love that blog. I think the most amazing part about the pictures on his blog was how the seller's let that fly. Some of those were really horrific.
  • Quite the shot, however I see no evidence that this is in fact a REALTOR® photo, or that it was ever published in the context of selling a home by a REALTOR®. Believe half of what you see or hear. I think someone's trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Mike Leibel - Calgary REALTOR®´s last blog post..Affording the Roof</abbr>
  • Photography is a passion of mine, and I'd like to think it shows in my real estate photos. Shoot lots, use a good camera and lens, or if you can't - hire somebody who can. I was also inspired by Athol's blog, and picked up where he left off. See my blog at http://642Blog.ca for the Horrible MLS Photo Of The Day. Great post, I'm glad you pointed it out.
  • Jay - I also miss Athol and his witty banter about real estate and photos. Another one that is wrong on so many levels. Why is she standing on the tub? What is the photo really trying to show?
    Mike - whether this picture is real or not, isn't the point in my mind. It is that we (agent and sellers) need to make sure their homes are being sold in the best possible light. To identify the person could be a violation of NAR Code of Ethics (harming the reputation of another REALTOR) though I would argue I was pointing out the agent's own errors. However, it would still probably wind up with me in a litigious situation and I'd rather sell real estate than deal with a lawsuit.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Toby Boyce´s last blog post..Sunday Drive: Route 62 Barbecue</abbr>
  • Mike Leibel -

    Why would I be "trying to pull the wool over your eyes"? What would possibly be the point in that? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

    As for "evidence" that this was used in the context of selling a home, you're right. I could have published the MLS# or embedded a copy of the page of the MLS, but again, what is the point in that? I'm not trying to humiliate an individual, I'm trying to show both home sellers and agents that they need to look at the photos they use to market a home.

    I can't say that his was taken by the agent and will freely admit that I'm making the assumption that a professional photographer wouldn't ever take a photo with their feet in it, or if they had that they certainly wouldn't have released it for publication. Safe assumption? I think so.

    So the only "evidence" that this photo was used to market a home is my word. I suppose you are free to question my word and my integrity, but I don't have to like it.
  • It has always amazed me how people could look at a photo and not see the background but they do it all the time.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Janice´s last blog post..I hate when that happens!</abbr>
  • Homeowner: Why are there foot prints all over my tub?
    Agent: It was like that when I got there...

    LMAO - good find Jay!

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Matt´s last blog post..Fountain Hills Market Reports - January 2009</abbr>
  • @calgarymike Well there is my word that I found it in MLS. I could publish MLS# but whats point n naming the "offender"? http://is.gd/kq01
  • I made the same mistake and won't do that again. I found a professional photographer who wasn't expensive. Pictures came out so much better!
  • Cute shoes!

    Oh wait... That's not what she's marketing.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Teri L´s last blog post..The Federal Housing First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit explained</abbr>
  • I'm not sure what's funnier - the photo or someone not believing that this was actually used to market a home. There are so many bad photos that are used - this one is tame compared to many I've seen. Bad photos only run a close second to the agents who don't even bother using any photos in their listings.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Carolyn G-Tu´s last blog post..Twitter Friends - Presidents’ day edition</abbr>
  • Thanks for putting a smile on my face Jay!

    I too loved to follow Athol's blog and think about him every time I see a boneheaded photo (moving truck & people, I'm too lazy to get out of the car photos & fisheye photos). Maybe I'll have to do my own tribute with one of those gems ;-D
  • Jay - it never ceases to amaze me the criticism you get.........here is the bigger thought...........someone has to live with this guy! Mike, from Calgary.............
    I appreciate his defending the "REALTOR" name and reputation, but give me a break - if you really wanted to demonstrate the ineptness of "REALTOR"S you would have presented a blank photo screen, we see this everyday, all day! NO PHOTO'S AT ALL. Also, please note his correct use of trademark ....REALTOR® . He is the only one who took the time to put the little "circle R" in his post - Good job Mike from Calgary, but please - lighten up - life will look a lot different and you will have more fun!
  • I don't know if I have ever seen any of Athol Kay's series, but I do come across the poorly made Real Estate Photo from time to time. It is amazing that so many of these get through, because people don't check their images or simply don't care.

    I think the worst one I ever saw was one where someone had tried to photoshop in some grass, but did it really really poorly.
  • Hilarious. Although, now I can't stop staring at the photo, almost to the point where I think I'm starting to like the feet in it :). Maybe it's just something about the way there seems to be a spotlight just on the feet from the sun that is drawing eyes to them. Ok, maybe not.

    Have to give 'em points for the creativity though -- using the mirror to get both the vanity and the bathtub into the shot at the same time.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Lewis´s last blog post..Sedona Sunset (and first HDR test)</abbr>
  • Maybe she has new shoes?

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Tina´s last blog post..Where's Buckhead?</abbr>
  • Perhaps she was trying to make the bathroom look bigger? Without a wide angle lens bathroom shots usually don't come out all that well...unless the room is really big. Glad to hear that Athol is doing well.
  • You are so funny with the "photo" thing, you are all over the photos on your MLS, huh? You should check out our MLS in Miami and Miami Beach, you would just die!!!

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Jamey Prezzi´s last blog post..The Courts Condos in South Beach</abbr>
  • The fact she can stand there though does speak volumes for the storage space for things like candles....and as for Mike Leibel's insulting comment to you; he completely missed the nice "teaching" moment you were sharing with all of us. Taking a photo like that- thinking we are getting a great, unique shot but not looking closely enough to see our feet- could very well happen to someone taking hundreds of pictures of their listings and trying to quickly upload them. All I can say is that he hasn't been reading you for long. I think it speaks volumes of your integrity NOT to embarass the Realtor that has this picture on one of her MLS listings. She may not have taken it, but she still had to list it.
  • Jay - this one is a classic! I've seen reflections of folks holding their cameras but never "the feet!" I'll be sure to share this post with some of my Realtor partners down here in FL. They'll love it.
  • Are her toes painted?
  • I found a great alternative to photoshop to fix photos like these in a jiffy.
    its http://www.gimp.org if anyone is interested...

    The price cant be beaten its free

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Jaco´s last blog post..</abbr>
  • That is too funny. We've all been there where we try to get the perfect picture, only to find out later that part of ourself made it into the picture.
  • That's too funny! I hadn't seen these REALTOR bloopers before. It's good to have a laugh -- and a reminder to always check your photos! Thanks for the laugh.
  • I see so much bad photography by agents. They stand in the middle of the room and point the camera directly at the windows. The room looks dark and it really is a picture of a wall. Has anyone heard of photosynth? It is a great way to make a 3d walkthrough of a home.
  • actually, i think the feet in the reflection are what makes that photo interesting! ok, so maybe not so great for the real estate pics but it tells a story all by itself...
  • Hi Jay, thanks for the tribute!

    Yes I am doing very well back in nursing, having made much better money in that field than in real estate. It's all a long story, but I missed nursing, and am happier for returning. And lets face it, wrestling psychotic individuals to the ground is just so much more relaxing than showings.

    I did have to take the old blogs offline completely. It would have taken days of work to unpick the links between myself and my old brokerage, and frankly I didn't have the interest anymore. So they are all lost to the winds.

    I have slowly started dipping the toe back into the world of blogging though, and all are welcome to visit at the new digs. Though not much overlap between group home nursing and real estate. It's early days for that blog too, so not much to see as yet.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Athol Kay´s last blog post..Men Make Better Nurses Than Women</abbr>
  • project52au
    I still miss Athol, he was THE man. He's inspired me to make a move into real estate photography in my local area. I still miss Athol even now...
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