10 Editing Mistakes That Make Listings Look Not Real

High-quality pictures are very important in the competitive worlds of real estate and online furniture sales. Listings with professional, appealing photos get more clicks, get more interaction, and eventually sell more quickly. When picture editing is done badly, though, it can go wrong and make listings look unrealistic, unreliable, or even dishonest. Too much editing or careless mistakes can change how a property or product really looks, which can disappoint buyers and hurt the seller's trustworthiness. We'll look at the top 10 editing mistakes that make listings look unrealistic in this in-depth guide. It includes tips from professionals in the field, such as PixelShouters, a leading provider of professional photo editing services. We'll also give you tips you can use to avoid these problems and make sure your posts stand out in the best ways.

1. Too much saturation of colors

The Mistake

Turning up the saturation to make a picture stand out is one of the most common mistakes people make when editing. Bright colors can be eye-catching, but too much of it can make colors that don't exist in nature look weird, like neon-green grass, electric-blue skies, or furniture with colors that don't exist in nature. This makes listings look fake and can lead buyers astray about how a home or product really looks.

Why it's a bother

• Misrepresentation: Images that are too saturated lead to wrong assumptions. According to a Zillow study, 75% of buyers are let down when the real estate they buy doesn't look anything like the pictures.
• Loss of Trust: Buyers can tell when changes aren't natural, which makes them less likely to trust the ad and the seller.
• Unprofessional Look: Images that are too bright make it look like they were edited by a beginner, which hurts the trustworthiness of your brand.

Example from Real Life

A lawn that is so green it looks like it was painted or a sofa with a color that is so bright it looks like it was digitally altered could be shown in a real estate ad. Buyers start to doubt the listing's authenticity when these kinds of changes are made.

How to Stay Away from It

• Use Subtle Changes: PixelShouters says to use small changes in brightness to make colors look better without making them look fake.
• Reality as a Reference: Look at the original picture or the real thing to make sure the colors stay true to life.
• Use professional tools: PixelShouters suggests Adobe Lightroom or Luminar AI as software that lets you make exact color changes while keeping the image's realism.
• PixelShouters says to take a break from editing and come back to the picture later so that you don't over-process it because your eyes are tired.

2. Too much HDR processing

The Mistake

High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography is a common way to get details in both dark and light parts of a picture. Overprocessing HDR, on the other hand, can make pictures look strange, with too many colors, artificial lighting, and a "cartoonish" look.

Why it's a bother

• Artificial Look: HDR that has been overprocessed makes rooms look more like video game graphics than real places.
• Buyer Disappointment: HDR effects that aren't true can give buyers false hopes, which can be disappointing when they see the real thing.
• Brand Damage: Listings with pictures that look fake make the agent or seller look less professional.

Example from Real Life

If you push HDR too far in a kitchen picture, the countertops might be too bright, the cabinets might glow in a way that doesn't make sense, and the shadows might not line up with natural light sources. This makes the room look planned instead of like a place to live.

How to Stay Away from It

• Use HDR Subtly: PixelShouters says to use HDR to bring out details without changing how realistic the picture looks. The point is for people to not even notice that HDR was used.
• Check Against Reality: To make sure your HDR image is still true, compare it to the real property.
• Use AI Tools: PixelShouters recommends Luminar AI and other AI-powered tools for making HDR changes that are well-balanced and don't overprocess.
• Follow a Workflow: Set up a normal way to edit to keep things consistent and stop making too many changes.

3. Changing the size of a room or piece of furniture

The Misake

Using aggressive perspective correction tools or ultra-wide-angle glasses can change the sizes of rooms or pieces of furniture, making them look bigger or smaller than they really are. For instance, a small bedroom could look like a master suite, or a small chair could look too big.

Why it's a bother

• Misleading Buyers: Wrong proportions make buyers expect too much, which makes them disappointed when they see the real room or product.
• Legal Risks: Giving false information about dimensions could be seen as dishonest advertising, which could lead to a disagreement.
• Loss of Credibility: If buyers find problems, they will not trust the seller or agent.

Example from Real Life

A very wide lens could be used in a real estate ad to make a small bathroom look bigger than it really is, but buyers would find it to be very crowded when they got there. In the same way, a furniture ad could lie about the size of a table to make it look bigger than it really is.

How to Stay Away from It

• Choose Moderate Lenses: PixelShouters says that for real estate photos, a 24-35mm lens is the best way to get pictures of rooms without too much distortion.
• Be Careful with Tools: To fix vertical lines without stretching proportions, only use perspective adjustment tools a few times.
• Maintain Proportions: PixelShouters stresses the importance of having the right size ratios for furniture so that buyers don't get confused.
• Test with Measurements: Make sure that the changed pictures match the real size of the room or item.

4. Bad Removal of Objects

The Mistake

In picture editing, it's common to get rid of things like power lines, clutter, or structural flaws like cracks or stains. But sloppy removal can leave behind artifacts, textures that aren't even, or lighting that isn't consistent, which makes the edit stand out and the picture look fake.

Why it's a bother

• Visual Imbalance: If you remove an item incorrectly, it can mess up the look of the picture, making it look patchy or fake.
• Editing out structure flaws can be dishonest and get you in trouble with the law.
• Less Interest: Buyers may skip over listings that have clear changes because they think the seller is not trustworthy.

Example from Real Life

A real estate picture might try to hide a utility pole, but where the pole used to be, there is a fuzzy spot in the sky. When photographing furniture, getting rid of a scratch on a table might leave a spot that looks smooth but isn't supposed to be there.

How to Stay Away from It

• PixelShouters says to use professional tools like Photoshop's Clone Stamp and Content-Aware Fill to remove objects smoothly.
• Keep Shadows and Reflections: Make sure that the changes you make blend in with the rest of the scene, and keep the lighting believable.
• Don't Make Big Changes: To keep pictures honest, don't take out important structural parts.
• Hire Experts: If you need to get rid of something complicated, you might want to look into professional services like PixelShouters, which focus on making exact edits.

5. Lighting and color tones that don't match up

The Mistake

Images in an ad that don't have the same lighting or color tones can be confusing to people looking at them. One room might have warm lighting, while another might have cool tones. Or, a piece of furniture might look different in different shots depending on how it is lit.

Why it's a bother

• Lack of Professionalism: Listings that are inconsistent look like they were not well handled or written by professionals.
• Not as much interaction: Zillow study shows that listings with consistent editing styles get 30% more clicks.
• Buyers Get Confused: Visuals that don't match up can make it harder for buyers to imagine what a place or item would look like.

Example from Real Life

One picture of a sitting room in a real estate listing might have warm, golden lighting and another might have harsh, blue lighting, which would make the room look and feel very different. If the white balance is off, a furniture description might show a sofa in a number of different colors.

How to Stay Away from It

• Use Preset Filters: PixelShouters says to use Lightroom presets to make sure that all of your photos have the same colors.
• Standardize Workflow: Edit all of the pictures in a listing using the same steps every time.
• For a consistent look, make sure that the editing style fits with the seller's or agent's brand.
• Use AI: PixelShouters recommends AI tools like Canva Pro, which can make uniform lighting changes automatically.

6. Surfaces That Are Too Smooth

The Mistake

Surfaces that are too smooth, like walls, floors, or furniture, can look fake or made of plastic. This happens a lot when editors try to get rid of flaws or imperfections but erase too many natural colors in the process.

Why it's a bother

• Unrealistic Look: Surfaces that are too smooth make real places and products look like CGI renderings.
• Loss of Character: Listings with natural surfaces, like wood grain or brick, make them seem more real and fun.
• Buyer Skepticism: Surfaces that are too perfect make you wonder what else is hidden.

Example from Real Life

A picture of a house might make a wooden floor look like a shiny plastic sheet by making it very smooth. A furniture ad could make a leather chair look fake by making it look too smooth.

How to Stay Away from It

• Edit Gradually: PixelShouters says to work next to the original picture to keep an eye on the changes and not make too many.
• Preserve Textures: To get rid of flaws without changing the textures around them, use selective editing tools.
• Use Layer Masks: PixelShouters says that Photoshop's layer masks let you make changes that don't destroy the image and keep natural features.
• Exercise Restraint: Make surfaces look better without changing what makes them unique.

7. Background replacements that don't look real

The Mistake

If you're not careful, changing backgrounds to make a listing look better—like switching a cloudy sky for a sunny one or putting furniture in a set room—can make the listing look fake. The edit is easy to see because the lighting, color tones, or sizes don't match up well.

Why it's a bother

• Visual Disconnect: Backgrounds that don't look real take away from the main subject, like a house or a piece of furniture.
• Loss of Authenticity: Buyers want transparent ads and may not trust ones whose backgrounds have been changed.
• Less appealing: If you don't edit the background well, the whole picture can look cheap or sloppy.

Example from Real Life

A real estate offering might show a colorful sunset instead of a dull sky, but the house looks out of place because the lights don't match. A furniture description might put a chair in a cozy room, but the change is clear because the shadows aren't all the same.

How to Stay Away from It

• Match Tone and Lighting: PixelShouters stresses that the lighting and color of the background should match the subject.
• Use AI Tools: When fine-tuned, AI sky replacement tools like those in Luminar AI can make changes look smooth.
• Keep It Real: PixelShouters says to pick backgrounds that look natural, like a cozy eating room for a table.
• Test with Viewers: Show changed photos to clients or coworkers to make sure the background really is there.

8. Details That Are Too Sharp

The Mistake

If you sharpen too many details, like edges, textures, or furniture features, pictures can look harsh or fake. If editors try to make photos look sharp but go too far with the sharpening tools, this can happen.

Why it's a bother

• Unnatural Look: Images that are too sharp have lines that are too sharp and make them look digital instead of photographic.
• Noise Amplification: Sharpening can make noise stand out more, especially in the sky or on smooth surfaces, which can make the picture look rough.
• Viewer Fatigue: Too many harsh details can make a picture less appealing to look at.

Example from Real Life

A real estate picture could make a brick wall look like a digital drawing by making it too sharp. A furniture listing could make the texture of a fabric look too sharp, giving it an artificial sheen.

How to Stay Away from It

• Use Very Little Sharpening: PixelShouters says to use sharpening very little, especially in sky areas.
• Change Settings: To get rid of noise in Lightroom, lower the amount of sharpening that is set by default (it's usually 40).
• Selective Sharpening: Use covers to only sharpen important areas, like the edges of furniture.
• Review at Different Zoom Levels: Look at the picture at different zoom levels to make sure the details look right.

9. Not Using White Balance

The Mistake

If you change the white balance settings wrong, color casts can appear in photos that make them look fake. If you don't fix the lighting right, for example, a room might look too yellow or blue, or a piece of furniture might have a color that doesn't match.

Why it's a bother

• Color Misrepresentation: If the white balance is off, the real colors of a property or object are not shown.
• Not appealing: Color casts make pictures look unprofessional and not welcoming.
• Changes in white balance between photos make the listing less cohesive.

Example from Real Life

A picture of a house might show a sitting room that is yellow, which means the lighting is old. In a furniture ad, a white sofa might look blue, which could make people confused about what color it really is.

How to Stay Away from It

• Set the white balance: PixelShouters says to use a gray card while taking to get the white balance right.
• Change in Post-Processing: To fine-tune the white balance based on the lights, use Photoshop or Lightroom.
• Make Sure Everything Looks the Same: For a unified look, make sure all the pictures in a post have the same white balance.
• Use AI to Help: AI tools like Adobe Sensei can make white balance adjustments automatically, which saves time.

10. Cropping Images Too Much

The Mistake

When you crop pictures to get a certain arrangement, you might lose important background information or make the subject look weird. For instance, cropping too closely around a room or piece of furniture can change its size or leave out important features.

Why it's a bother

• Loss of context: Buyers may find it hard to understand how the area or product is laid out when something is overcropped.
• Framing that doesn't look natural: Tight crops can make compositions look odd and forced, like they're missing something.
• Less appealing: Without background, the picture can't tell a story as well, which makes it less interesting.

Example from Real Life

Part of a window might be cut out of a real estate picture, which can make a room feel small. A furniture ad might cut off the legs of a chair, which makes it hard to judge its style.

How to Stay Away from It

• Plan your composition before you shoot: PixelShouters suggests taking a bigger picture so that you have more options when you edit it.
• Follow the Rule of Thirds: Use rules of design to make sure that the crops add to the subject instead of taking away from it.
• Keep Important Parts: Make sure that important parts of the picture stay in the frame, like windows or furniture details.
• Review Crops: Look at cropped photos on different devices to make sure they look whole and balanced.

How PixelShouters Can Help You Avoid These Mistakes

PixelShouters is a well-known and respected name in expert photo editing. They focus on taking pictures of homes and furniture. Their specialty is making images that are both beautiful and true to life. This helps sellers and real estate agents get more buyers without sacrificing sincerity. PixelShouters can help you stay away from the above editing mistakes:

• Expert Editing: PixelShouters hires skilled editors who use cutting-edge programs like Photoshop, Lightroom, and Luminar AI to make changes that look natural and accurate.
• AI-Powered Solutions: They use AI tools to make sure that lighting is consistent, colors are correct, and objects are removed smoothly, which lowers the risk of making edits that don't look right.
• Standardized Workflows: PixelShouters uses a consistent editing process to make sure that all of the photos in a listing look the same.
• Focus on Realism: Their theory is to improve pictures without changing what they really are, so that people can trust what they see.
• Customized Support: PixelShouters has solutions that are made to fit your needs, whether you're a newbie using free software or a pro looking to make advanced changes.

By working with PixelShouters, you can improve your ads with high-quality images that look like they were made by a professional, help you avoid common editing mistakes, and appeal to buyers.

More Advice for Listings That Are More Real

Besides avoiding the top 10 editing mistakes, here are some other things you can do to make sure your ads look real and appealing:

• Start with Good Photos: The best changes start with photos that were taken well. For the most freedom, use good lighting, a good camera, and RAW file.
• Before changing, take 30 seconds to look over each picture to find problems with the way it looks and how it works technically. This works better and saves time.
• Use professional software: PixelShouters suggests Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Canva Pro as tools that give you exact control for editing that looks real.
• Test on Several Devices: Look at the edited photos on various screens to make sure that the colors, brightness, and features all look the same.
• Ask for Feedback: Show edited photos to coworkers or clients to find any unrealistic parts before you post them.
• Stay Ethical: Don't make changes to the property or product that make it look different from what it really is, like fixing structure flaws or changing important features.

In conclusion

In the fast-paced world of online ads, pictures are what people see first. While editing photos can make real estate and furniture listings more appealing, common mistakes like using too much HDR, over-saturation, and skewed proportions can make pictures look unrealistic, which can hurt buyers' trust and interest. If you know about these mistakes and stick to best practices, you can make ads that are both interesting and real.

Working with professionals like PixelShouters can help you improve your images and make sure they are edited in a way that meets the needs of the market. Realistic pictures help people believe you, want to buy your product, and make sales, whether you're a real estate agent showing off a house or a furniture seller highlighting a piece. If you don't make these 10 editing mistakes and use professional tools and services, your ads will stand out in a crowded market.