How To Edit Day-to-Dusk Real Estate Photos In Photoshop

Virtual twilight images, or Day-to-Dusk conversion, is a popular thing in real estate photography. It is a way to add that extra “wow factor” to your property listings by letting your properties bathe in the golden hours’ magic. While shooting at twilight time offers the most authentic results, there’s an editing technique that can help you achieve the same effect at home without having to go through that troublesome process. In this article, we will explore the steps of editing day-to-dusk real estate photos in Photoshop, allowing you to provide an additional service and generate more revenue.

What is Day-to-Dusk Editing in Real Estate Photography?

Twilight real estate photography is capturing exterior shots during the golden hour of sunrise or sunset, giving them a romantic and magical glow. However, capturing that exact golden hours’ ambience can be difficult and require photographers to make multiple trips to the house. Day-to-Dusk editing is a cost-effective alternative, offering the same stunning visuals without the hard work. 

The Power of Day-to-Dusk Real Estate Photos

Editing day-to-dusk real estate photos holds immense importance due to its ability to make listings stand out in a highly competitive market. With the majority of real estate photographs being taken in broad daylight, utilizing day-to-dusk editing techniques automatically sets a listing apart from the crowd. Research indicates that only about 8% of all real estate listings feature Twilight images, making their usage a distinctive advantage.

By incorporating Twilight photos, the chances of capturing a buyer’s attention increase significantly, especially when regular daylight photography fails to create visually captivating images. Moreover, Twilight images are commonly associated with higher-priced homes, with 59% of their usage seen in homes priced at $500k or more. This utilization not only results in an elevated sales price but also adds a unique, romantic quality to the images that is highly appealing to potential buyers.

So without any further ado, here is a step-by-step guide to edit gorgeous Day-to-Dusk real estate photos yourself using Photoshop.

1. Creating Window Illumination

To begin the transformation, open your photo in Photoshop. 

• Step 1: Start by zooming in on the windows and selecting them using the polygonal lasso tool. 
• Step 2: Once all the windows are selected, create an adjustment layer for a solid color fill. 
• Step 3: Choose a yellowish-orange color to mimic the illumination from inside the house.
• Step 4: Change the blend mode of the layer to “Linear Dodge (Add)” and adjust the opacity until the effect looks natural.
• Step 5: To soften the edges of the window illumination, apply feathering to the mask.
• Step 6: Next, address any overlapping elements, such as bushes, by using the brush tool with a soft brush and black as the foreground color. Carefully brush over the areas where the illumination overlaps with objects outside the windows. This will restore the natural appearance of the scene.

Optional: Consider adding a subtle glow to the windows by applying an outer glow layer style. This gives the impression of light emanating from within the house, adding to the overall ambiance of the image.

2. Replacing the Sky

Now it’s time to replace the sky to create a twilight atmosphere. 

• Step 1: Select the background layer and navigate to Edit > Sky Replacement.
• Step 2: Choose a sunset or twilight sky from the available presets, or upload one from your computer. Opt for a sky that looks natural and complements the overall composition of the image.
• Step 3: After applying the sky replacement, create a layer mask for the sky layer. Step 4: Use a soft brush with low opacity to carefully brush over areas where the sky replacement appears excessive, such as the house or other elements.

3. Adding Illumination to Lights

Adding illumination to the lights on the house and the lanterns can make the scene even more magical and captivating. 

• Step 1: Create a new layer above the color lookup layer and set its blend mode to “Color Dodge.”
• Step 2: Choose a yellowish-orange color and paint over the lights to make them appear lit up.
• Step 3: Adjust the brush opacity and size to achieve a natural and realistic effect.
• Step 4: To enhance the illusion of light, create an additional layer set to “Overlay” blend mode.
• Step 5: Use a large brush with low opacity to add a subtle glow around the lights, resembling a halo.

4. Adjusting the Overall Tone

Last but not least, to complete the day-to-dusk transformation, adjust the overall tone of the image and add finishing touches. 

• Step 1: Select the background layer again and add an adjustment layer for color lookup.
• Step 2: Choose a suitable 3D LUT (Lookup Table) to give the photo a nighttime appearance.
• Step 3: Adjust the opacity of the color lookup layer to achieve the desired effect. Remember to use a layer mask and a soft brush to refine the effect, focusing on areas that should remain brighter, such as the windows and illuminated portions of the house.

Final Thoughts

By following these step-by-step instructions, you can effortlessly transform your day real estate photos into stunning dusk images using Photoshop. This technique allows you to offer an additional service that will impress agents and leave potential buyers in awe.

However, if you find editing virtual twilight real estate photos too time-consuming or challenging, Fotober’s team of professional editors is eager to take your real estate photo editing off your hands. For a limited time, we offer 3-5 free tests for new customers! Try out Fotober’s professional Day-to-Dusk editing today and enjoy services of the highest quality.