* Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 is a good software program for nonprofessionals. It allows color and lighting adjustments and for flaws to be fixed easily. It costs about $100. Agents, who will be using it more often, might want to invest in Adobe Photoshop, which costs about $600.
Altadena-based Chris Considine, who has shot historical homes and bungalows for the last nine years, has these recommendations:
* Use a tripod. It provides steadiness and allows you to operate your digital camera's controls -- specifically, shooting interiors at a slower speed.
* Move excess furniture out of the way. You don't want to be shooting directly into the backs of chairs.
* Don't be afraid of the shade. Gardens look richer when they aren't shot in the blazing sun.
All of this leaves homeowners who are screening potential listing agents with a new question to ponder: How will the agent handle photographing their home and presenting it on the Web?
The question is music to the ears of Topanga Pritchett-Rapf agent Gary Harryman, who knows his way around a camera and has an Internet-savvy wife, Mariline. His easy-to-navigate website is filled with dozens of high-quality photos of his listings.
"Mariline and I realized the value and the increasing importance of the Internet years ago, and adjusted our marketing accordingly," Harryman said.
Harryman has had a lifelong interest in photography -- he had his first darkroom when he was 10 years old -- and has a master's degree in sculpture. "I see every house as a work of art -- specifically, a sculpture. And I try to exhibit it on our website in as flattering a light as a curator does a sculpture exhibition in a museum or gallery," he said.
His wife, who is also a real estate agent, keeps their website up-to-date. It's not unusual for her to make changes to it several times a day.
"She is constantly updating and improving. If I get a new photograph with different light and a better angle, she will immediately put it up on our website," Harryman said.
The effort has paid off: The Harrymans sold more than $10 million in properties in the first quarter of this year.
"It's the website," he said.
Interior designer Hillary Hayne listed her 4,680-square-foot Topanga home at $3,495,000 with him two weeks ago, after having seen his website (www.garyharryman.com).
"It's easy to navigate and is a great source of information," she said. "Plus, he's just passionate about his photos."
