A couple of years ago I stumbled upon this new technology out of the Microsoft Live Labs called Photosynth (http://photosynth.net). I have had photo stitching software technology before to do my own virtual tours. But Microsoft is on to something here. The technology is easy to use and it creates some very engaging results from just a few photos. Click on the graphic of my photosynth in this post to view the first one I ever made.
Basically all I did was go out and walk a big circle around the house shooting a photo every few feet. But instead of just shooting in a perfect line, I just threw the photos together, sometimes walking up and taking a closer photo of the rock work or the wrap around porches. The system figured out how to place the photo in my "synth" so that it flowed in with the other photos. The resulting 3-D effect once you have gone completely around the house in the tour is really stunning.
To understand how to take photos for Photosynth, go here:
http://photosynth.net/howtosynth.aspx
Like I said, I am truly amazed at how this technology works. Microsoft is making it free. In fact you get 20GB of space to use for your "synths". The technology works equally well shooting inside of the property. You just stand in a corner and shoot while sweeping the camera from one of the opposite corners to the next. Then you can stand in the middle of the wall and do the same for additional perspectives.
Unlike traditional "photo tour" technologies, Photosynth allows for "zoomed in" perspectives to be intermixed. This allows you to show zoom in to details that might otherwise not be possible in a normal "tour". It allows the viewer to really explore the subject, such as a house.
When you finish adding the photos to you "synth", you can add location data by selecting on a Bing map where the Photosynth is located. I will go into some additional things about Photosynth in another article.
So give it try. You have nothing to lose except more exposure for your listings.
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