You Have Questions? We Have Answers!

This whole media thing can be confusing; especially if it's not what you do every day. In an effort to help make everything more clear, we give you this list of common questions and answers.

Please browse through the questions below. You're likely to find an answer to that burning question. If you have a question that hasn't been addressed, please reach out. We'll get back to you just as soon as we can, and your question will be added to this list.

WHAT EXACTLY IS HDR PHOTOGRAPHY?

HDR is an acronym for High Dynamic Range photography.

The human eye is capable of seeing a vast range of light from pure white to pure black. Called "stops" of light in photographic nomenclature, your eye can see about 14 stops. When you observe a scene with a massive range of light, most eyes are more than capable of seeing detail in the lightest light tones and the darkest dark tones. While cameras vary, they typically can "see" anywhere from 5 stops to around 11 stops. What that means is that a camera is incapable of capturing the same amount of detail as your eyes can.

Maybe you've tried to capture a landscape photograph that looked amazing as you were looking at it. But your photo? Not so much. You may have noticed that if you pointed your camera at the sky, it may have come out a deep beautiful blue. But what about the bark on the nearby tree which was in shadow? You can't even see the bark in your photograph. And what if you pointed your camera at the tree and its bark instead of the blue sky? The bark looks great, but the sky is a stark white. What happened to all that blue? These things happen because your camera cannot correctly expose both the bright blue sky and tree in the dark shadow in a single photograph.

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HDR is the solution to this dilemma. When we create an HDR photograph, we are actually creating anywhere from three to as many as six photographs (exposures) of every individual scene. Each exposure is created to handle a different range of light. Some exposures capture all the highlights, while others capture the darker details, and finally, the remainder capture all the details in the middle. In the end, a human artist combines (or "blends") all of the exposures by hand. The result is a final, beautiful photograph that is properly exposed for all of the nuances of the light in the scene.

Some photographers choose to use a different method called “flambient.” This approach is a combination of artificial light (in the form of one or sometimes multiple flash units) and existing (or ambient) light. Multiple exposures are also created using flambient.

Neither method is right or wrong. They are just different means to reach the same end. We personally prefer HDR because it allows us to work much quicker, bring far less equipment into your client's home, and get the job done more efficiently.

HOW High Dynamic Range WORKS

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Is your Work Guaranteed?

Absolutely! Our foundational principle from start-to-finish, and every where in between is 100% client satisfaction.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with the work that we produce, we will do whatever we can to remedy your concern. If we are unable to arrive at a solution that is satisfactory, you will not be charged for the portion of the work that you are unhappy with.

WHAT IS YOUR TURNAROUND TIME?

For most products, the guaranteed turnaround time is twenty-four hours from the time the session is complete. So if your session is finished at 2:00 PM, you're guaranteed to have most products by 2:00 PM the next day. Often times you will receive your content even sooner, but less than twenty-four hours is not guaranteed.

Some services (such as virtual staging and video editing) can take longer, though they usually don't.

ARE YOU INSURED?

Absolutely!

We are insured through State Farm with full liability coverage. In addition, we carry E&O (Errors & Omissions) insurance, and drone liability insurance.

ARE YOU FAA Part 107 COMPLIANT?

Absolutely!

We are certified FAA Part 107 drone pilots, and fully comply with all of the rules and regulations that the FAA expects us to follow.

Because we follow the rules, there are certain things that we cannot do. For example, we can never fly higher than 400-feet above ground level (AGL) and sometimes not that high depending on where the flight will take place. There may also be places that we cannot fly at all. We will do a pre-flight check to make sure that we are in compliance.

WHAT THINGS SHOULD I DO TO PREPARE MY LISTING?

DOWNLOAD HOME PREPARATION GUIDE

Thank you for asking!

If your listing is vacant and empty, it's pretty straightforward: Turn on all the lights (every single one!), turn off all ceiling fans, and open all of the blinds (either twist open the slats or lift them all the way up). Make sure those toilet lids are closed too.

If your clients are still living in their home, we have a comprehensive list of things that they should do prior to the session to ensure that their home will look its very best.

You can either download that list now, or it will be emailed to you after you've booked a session. You can then keep it on hand for future clients.

WHAT IF YOU ARRIVE AND MY LISTING ISN'T READY?

If we arrive at your listing and it appears to our photographer’s eye to not be ready, we will contact you immediately and let you know (assuming, of course, that you are not on-site). Once you are aware of the condition, if you authorize us to go ahead, then we most certainly will do as you direct. If you decide that you want to reschedule, we're happy to come back. And no, there won't be a fee.

We do respectfully request that you inspect your listing prior to our arrival to lessen the likelihood of the property not being ready.

CAN YOU WAIT IF MY CLIENT IS FINISHING THE HOME PREP?

That depends entirely on our photographer's schedule.

We try to allow enough time between appointments to photograph your listing and also provide a few extra minutes beforehand to make sure that your listing is ready (checking to be sure that all lights are on, window blinds open, and so on). If we don't have another appointment scheduled after yours, we may be able to wait a few extra minutes if a few odds and ends need to be tied up. Generally, we can start photographing in rooms that are ready while your client prepares other rooms.

If the property still needs significant preparation, we would need to reschedule unless you tell our photographer to go ahead regardless of the property's condition (please see the previous question).

We do respectfully request that you inspect your listing prior to our arrival to lessen the likelihood of the property not being ready.

How Do I Schedule a Session?

Easy peasy!

The simplest way is to schedule online. Just follow a few prompts to provide your contact information, your listing information, and order whichever services you're interested in.

Or, if you prefer, you can call or text (615) 416-8030 or email hello@aavc.media. You can also use the contact form to drop a line.

DO I NEED TO MEET YOU AT THE LISTING?

While we don’t require you to be present, we do prefer it for a number of reasons, including ensuring that we are capturing all of the images that you want us to capture.

If your listing is vacant, and you would prefer not to meet our photographer, we do have access to SentriLock lockboxes. If you are not using a combination box you can give us the lockbox code.

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On the other hand, if you would like to meet us at the listing, hey, we like the company!

What days and times are you available?

We are available Monday through Friday at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and during Daylight Savings Time, at 6:00 PM.

If you order a real twilight session, then we will be at your listing at the appropriate time to capture that amazing sunset light.

are you available on weekends?

If you ask nicely! 😉

Seriously though, while we do try to reserve weekends for time with our families if you are in a crunch and you need a listing photographed on a weekend, we are more than happy to accommodate you.

There is no extra charge for a weekend session, but you do need to contact us to schedule. The online scheduler does not allow weekend scheduling. To schedule a weekend appointment you can call or text (615) 416-8030 or email hello@aavc.media. You can also use the contact form to drop a line.

WHAT AREAS DO YOU SERVICE?

We service the entire state of Tennessee.

We don't charge a travel fee unless the location is two hours or more (one way) from Smyrna, Tennessee. In that case, there is a $25 travel fee for every two hours. For example, $25 for two hours from Smyrna, $50 for four hours, and so forth.

DO YOU CHARGE A FEE FOR CANCELATIONS OR RESCHEDULES?

Let's make this very simple: No.

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We are fully aware that the Real Estate industry is fast-paced and schedules can often change without warning. We believe that charging a fee for something that is beyond your control is a poor way to do business. If something comes up, just let us know as soon as you can, and we'll get things switched around.

WHAT ABOUT Inclement WEATHER?

The only kind of weather we cannot photograph in is significant rain. Obviously that only applies to the exterior photography and aerial (drone) work.

If the rain is light, it's typically not a problem*. But rain that is heavy enough to force a person inside will show up in the final photographs and that's not a look you'll be happy with.

If there is heavy rain on the day of the session, we will photograph the interior and come back as soon as possible to photograph the exterior. There is never a charge for returning to photograph the exterior.

*PLEASE NOTE: The preceding does not apply to aerial (drone) work. Drones cannot be flown in any amount of rain, or wind speeds above 15 MPH. These conditions will cause a drone session to be canceled and (at no extra charge) rescheduled.

CAN YOU POST MY photographs to the mls / realtracs?

Unfortunately we cannot help you with that.

While we would love to help, in the name of security and your safety, MLS systems absolutely forbid anyone except you from accessing your account. That includes your media company.

Under no circumstances should you ever give your user name or password to anyone. Most MLS systems will fine an agent who does so and may ban them from the system.

HOW DO I UPLOAD MY CONTENT TO the MLS?

Most of the time, your local MLS will offer technical support during regular business hours. If you are having trouble submitting your media, you can reach them by phone, or (in most cases) via live chat on their website. You can likely also ask your principle broker, or your office manager for help.

If you use RealTracs, click here for instructions on how to manage the media for your listing. You can also contact RealTracs technical support at (615) 385-0777 or email them at support@realtracs.com.

Do You Have A Question That Hasn’t Been ANSWERED?

If you have another question that hasn't been answered in this list of questions and answers, please reach out.

We will get back to you just as soon as we can, and your question will be added to this list.

CRAFTED WITH HEART AND SOUL IN TENNESSEE