How do I place an order?

Go to our Order Page to register your account, place your order and manage your listings. If you need assistance, please call us at 855-382-3873, Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm Pacific Time, email support is available after hours.

When is my appointment confirmed?

Your appointment is confirmed when we send you an Appointment Confirmation via email that details the date, time and photographer assigned to your appointment. Unfortunately, we are not able to hold appointment slots unless we have a completed order.

How do I avoid rescheduling fees?

Should you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, kindly do so no later than 8:00PM Pacific Time of the day prior to the appointment at no charge. If you reschedule or cancel your appointment after 8:00PM Pacific Time of the day prior to the appointment, a Late Notice Fee of $75 will be assessed to your order. This Late Notice Fee applies to reschedules, cancellations and postponements for any reason. We shoot rain or shine, so please verify that the weather conditions will meet with your approval ahead of time. We include our “Blue Skies Everyday” service with every order at no charge so you never have to worry about rainy or cloudy conditions! To modify your appointment, please contact f8 directly via email or call us at 855-382-3873. Thank you!

How do I reschedule or put my appointment on hold?

To modify your appointment, please login to your account, find the listing and click the Manage button. On the Manage page find the order table and click the Modify Appointment button. Select Reschedule or Put on Hold and Submit Request as needed. You can also contact f8 directly via email or call us at 855-382-3873. Thank you!

Do I have to pay when I order?

We require payment by credit card at the time the order is placed. Should you need to cancel an appointment, we will happily process your refund less any applicable Late Notice Fees.

How quickly are refunds processed?

If a refund is necessary, it will be processed by Accounting within one to two business days.

Do I need an f8 account?

Yes, you will need to register for a FREE account so that you can place orders and manage your listings. We invite you to get started on our Order Page.

When will I get my photos?

Your photos will be delivered into your account the day following your appointment, guaranteed by 12pm Pacific Time. Our Quality Assurance team will review your photos and send you an email notification when your photos are ready.

When will I get my Aerial Photos, Video, Matterport, etc.?

All of your media will be delivered into your account the day following your appointment, guaranteed by 12pm Pacific Time. Our Quality Assurance team will review your media and send you an email notification when your media is ready.

Who owns the photos?

When media is delivered, f8 grants to you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for use of the images, video and other media created for you. You are free to use this media to carry out normal business tasks associated with offering real estate properties to the public for sale or lease. This includes uploading the photos to your MLS, uploading videos to YouTube, printing brochures, creating social media postings, etc. This pre-approval to use the content in an unfettered manner also makes it unnecessary for f8 to complete photography authorization forms required by some MLS organizations. f8 retains a limited license to use the images and media it captures for its own marketing purposes.

Do I need to get a Copyright Authorization form signed?

No, it is not necessary as we include a license in our Terms of Service that enables you to use the content you purchase from us in your normal course of business. This means that you are free to upload any content we provide to you on your local MLS service, social media platforms and any other sites requiring copyright authorization.

What time of day is best for photography?

We do not advise on what time of day is best for photography as the lighting conditions vary from location to location. We have designed our photography hours to deliver the very best results to you from 9am to 4pm local time.

Do you shoot rain or shine?

Yes. We shoot rain or shine so that agents can get their photos regardless of the weather conditions. We include our “Blue Skies Everyday” service with every order at no charge so you never have to worry about rainy or cloudy conditions. With this service, we digitally replace cloudy or rainy skies with blue skies to give your photos their best appearance. We ask that you verify that the weather conditions will meet with your approval by 8pm the day prior to your appointment.

When are appointments available?

Appointments are available Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm local time during Daylight Saving Time and from 9am to 3pm during Standard Time. Twilight Photography appointments are set for 30 minutes prior to local sunset. We invite you to place your order at your requested date and time within these guidelines. We will then follow up with an Appointment Confirmation or with a proposed alternate date and/or time. You can call our Client Center at 855-382-3873 to get up to the minute availability.

What holidays does f8 observe?

f8 observes the following holidays and we do not set appointments on: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.

Will you call me to confirm my appointment?

No, we send Appointment Confirmations via email. We will only call you if there is an issue with your appointment request that requires clarification or if we need to propose a different date and/or time for an appointment.

Do you photograph offsite amenities?

No. Please note that our service applies to the subject property only and does not include nearby amenities and other offsite locations. Our service does include common area amenities for Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), subject to access provided by the client.

Do you help with staging and moving things around?

No. Please note that we photograph properties "As Is." Insurance restrictions prohibit photographers and videographers from providing maintenance, cleaning, staging, landscaping or repair services at the appointment, so we kindly request that the property be in photography-ready condition when we arrive. Please be sure to allow adequate time for any staging or landscaping services to be completed prior to the appointment.

How do I get the home ready for photos?

This Checklist provides you with instructions on how to prepare your home for photography. Please note that insurance requirements limit the photographer’s ability to handle personal property, so the home will be photographed in the condition the photographer encounters when he or she arrives. Before we arrive:

• All home improvement projects should be completed and cleaned up

How do I arrange my photos?

When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Images tab. To move an individual photo, click and hold the sort button under the image in the gallery and drag and drop it to its new position. Remember to click Save Sort Order to save your photo arrangement. To move multiple images, click the check boxes and then click and hold the sort button on one of the images to drag and drop the set to their new position. Each tab under Media and Marketing has its own image sorting function so that you can arrange photos by service type. You can also arrange the photos in the Images tab and copy that sort order to the other tabs.

How do I hide a photo?

When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Images tab. To hide a photo, click the Hide button under the photo. To unhide the photo, click the Unhide button under the photo. Hidden photos will not be included in your download sets. If you want the same images to be hidden in other tabs, click the Copy Sort Order to Other Tabs button.

How do I create and revise my Virtual Tour Video?

f8 now offers self-service Virtual Tour Videos! When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Virtual Tour Video tab. To create your video, select up to 15 photos and click the Generate Video button. Note that images do not need to be together, you can select them from anywhere in the gallery. Next, select your preferred musical accompaniment and click Process. Your video will be processed and posted to your Property Website automatically. You will receive an email when it is ready to view and download. You can continue to work on other parts of your listing while the video is processing. To revise your video, click the Revise Video button and follow the same steps above.

How do I download my photos?

When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Images tab. At the top of the Images tab, there are several buttons. To download all images, click the Download All button. To download selected images, use the checkboxes above the images and click the Download Selected button. Choose from Web Resolution (for online display) and High Resolution (for print). Note that hidden photos are not included in the download set.

I clicked the download button. Where are my photos?

When you click the Download button, the f8 system will send the photos in a Zip File to a location on your hard drive that is determined by the settings in your browser. This is typically a place on your computer called "Downloads" or "Desktop." Please note that f8 cannot alter this destination as it a setting on your machine. To determine the destination of downloads in your browser, access the Settings for your browser and locate the Downloads section. f8 recommends the Chrome browser by Google for best performance.

What is a Zip file? How do I open it?

Zip files are used to combine multiple files into one file for download purposes. In this case, the Zip file acts like a folder that contains your individual photo files. Locate the Zip file on your computer’s hard drive. Note that you should not need a separate Zip software program like WinZip to access the photos. Mac Users If you are using a Mac, use Finder to locate the Zip file. Double click the Zip file to open the folder and access the photos. PC Users If you are using a PC, use File Explorer to locate the Zip file. Right click on the Zip file and choose Extract All. The image files should be saved in the same location as the Zip file in both types of machines.

How do I upload my photos to the MLS?

Download the photos from the f8 System to your hard drive. Once you have the photos, login to the MLS and upload your photos according to the instructions provided by your MLS.

What is the difference between Branded and Unbranded?

We provide you with two links for your Property Website: Branded and Unbranded. Both terms originated from the MLS practice of sharing listings with other brokerage firms and web publishers like Zillow. In order to share your listing with these other entities, the MLS requires that your contact information be removed. This is known as “Unbranded.” Your Branded tour link is used on sites that allow your contact information to be displayed.

Do you syndicate my listing?

f8 does not syndicate your listing, but your MLS will syndicate your listing for you when you enter the listing on the MLS. In addition, many brokerages provide enhanced syndication services for their agents.

How can I print a Brochure?

When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Brochures tab. Select one of the templates. The system will automatically create the brochure using the first several photos in the listing. Click the edit icon on a photo to choose a replacement from the image gallery. The contact info on the brochure is managed in your profile. The property information is managed in the Property Details section of the listing. Click the Generate PDF button to download a pdf version of the brochure that can be printed at your home or office, or sent to a commercial printer for printing.

Do you offer printed brochures?

Not at this time, but we plan to offer it in the near future.

Do you have Analytics?

Yes. You can track the activity on your Property Website by clicking the Analytics tab in the Media and Marketing section of the listing. To generate the report, select a time frame from the drop down and the page will refresh automatically.

What browser should I use?

In some browsers, the functionality of the system can be affected because the browser is older and/or no longer supported. f8 recommends the most recent version of the Chrome browser by Google for best performance.

How can I get additional support?

The best way to get help is to send an email describing your concerns. Please be sure to include: The name and contact information associated with the order Full property address Detailed description of the issue You can also call our Client Center at 855-382-3873, Monday through Friday, from 8am to 5pm Pacific Time.

What is f8's Concern Resolution Process?

We strive to deliver the highest quality on every service we produce. If you feel that we have not delivered to our stated quality standards, we will initiate the f8 Concern Resolution Process ("Four R's") with you: Review - We are always happy to review our work with our clients Revise - If something does not meet our quality standards, we are happy to edit (revise) the media Revisit - If editing does not yield our promised quality, we will revisit the home Refund - If we are ultimately unable to achieve our quality standards, we will refund your order

How do I post my Property Website to the MLS?

Most MLS systems allow you to post an Unbranded Virtual Tour and a Branded Virtual Tour. f8 includes two different websites with every photography order: Unbranded Tour/MLS Site Link and Branded Tour Link. In the Dashboard for your project, copy the links from the Property Website Links section and paste them into the appropriate field in the Virtual Tour links in the MLS.

How can I email my photos to someone else?

When you login to the f8 System, find your listing in the Dashboard and click the Manage button. Under Media and Marketing, click the Links tab. In the Links page, there is a Photo Download Link. Copy this Link and include it in the email you send. The recipient can choose from Web Resolution (for online display) and High Resolution (for print).

Why are Virtual Tour Videos limited to 15 photos?

Each photo in the video is displayed for approximately 4 seconds, so if you selected the maximum allowed number of photos, the video would play for about one minute. Our research on Virtual Tour Video viewing habits indicates that most viewers stop watching the video at around one minute. The limit on the number of photos also reduces processing time so your video will be ready to view sooner.

What does f8 mean?

f8 refers to a camera setting that controls the Aperture for the photo. We use the Aperture setting "f/8" for our Signature Photography service.

How long has f8 been around?

f8 was founded in 2016 by industry veterans with decades of experience serving residential real estate professionals.

Where is f8 located?

f8's main office is located in San Jose, California, but we work with photographers across the country who are intimately familiar with their local markets.

What does "Better Than Being There" mean?

f8 produces media that is so vibrant, immersive and entertaining, it's "Better Than Being There." Our goal is to produce media that strikes a chord with consumers to help drive showings and visits to your listing.

What is f8's mission?

f8 delivers an exceptional experience for residential real estate professionals who use our media services to connect with consumers. Every service we offer must have: Quality - Production value that reflects your professionalism Value - Affordable pricing so you can use our services on every listing Convenience - Short notice scheduling, quick turnaround and satisfaction guaranteed

Why should I become an Affiliate?

As we are fond of saying, “Come for the free training, stay for the paid gigs!” If you’ve always wanted to earn a living as a professional photographer, f8 can help you get started in real estate photography. We refer to photographers and videographers who provide services for f8 as Affiliates.

Can I still do other things?

Yes! We encourage you to continue to pursue your other photography work in events, weddings, portraits, etc. Photograph homes for f8 when your schedule permits.

Do you provide training?

Yes! f8 offers a best-in-class training program to help you become certified to photograph real estate. The certification program includes tutorials, instructional videos and service “hot sheets.” Once introduced to our methods and practices, we require you to take a test photo shoot to evaluate your technique. Finally, we have a certification exam which will test your knowledge and understanding of the training materials.

Does certification cost anything?

No! Certification is absolutely free.

What equipment do I need?

We require professional camera gear including a DSLR camera body, wide angle lens and a commercial tripod. Additionally, we require reliable transportation and a broadband internet connection with sufficient upload speeds to reliably upload images.

How long does certification take?

You are free to work at your own pace, but most Affiliates are able to complete the certification process within a week.

What if I already have experience shooting real estate?

All Affiliates are required to complete the certification process to make sure everyone delivers content to us in a way that meets our quality standards and editing requirements.

How long will I have access to the training materials?

You will always have access to the training materials as long as you are an active Affiliate. Training materials are updated regularly as we evaluate and improve our processes.

How long will each photo shoot take?

Photo shoots for most homes will take 30 to 45 minutes on site. You will then need to allocate time to upload the images which may take another 15 minutes. If the home is oversized, you will receive additional pay and time to complete the service.

Am I required to edit the photos?

No. You do not need to worry about editing or other post production tasks as our Production Team takes care of all that. Once you complete your uploads, you are free to enjoy the rest of your day!

What days are appointments available?

Appointments are set Mon-Sat, 9am-4pm local time. Twilight Photography appointments are set for 30 minutes prior to local sunset. Holidays where we do not set appointments: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.

Will I be required to travel out of the area for photo shoots?

We strive to assign appointments to Affiliates in their local areas to minimize travel. In cases where travel is required, we pay travel fees depending on the location and drive time.

Do I need to be insured?

Yes. We require that you carry general liability insurance to protect yourself and others while performing services for f8. This is in addition to insurance for your car, equipment, health care, renter’s insurance, homeowner’s insurance, etc.

Can I provide additional services?

Yes! We offer certification for additional services like Aerial Photography, Twilight Photography, Panoramas, Videography, Matterport 3D Scans, etc.

How much will I be paid?

We have a competitive payout schedule that is based on the services you perform. We will share all of that information with you during the certification process.

When will I be paid for assignments?

Payments are made on a weekly basis for assignments completed the prior week.

How do I get started?

It’s easy, just complete the Photographer Interest Form and we will be in touch!