Everything you need to know about how rainy weather may affect your Open Homes photography appointment.
TL;DR
Rainy weather doesn’t have to delay marketing for your Bay Area listing. At Open Homes, we include blue sky replacement with every photo order so overcast skies are fixed in post. Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your shoot for free. Cancellations or reschedules made without at least a 24-hour notice will incur a $150 fee. Twilight shoots have a special weather policy: if bad weather forces a reschedule, you only need to give 2 hours’ notice to avoid the fee. Drone/aerial shoots follow a separate policy and can be rescheduled at no cost if rainy conditions persist.
Key takeaways:
- Free reschedule with 24-hour notice. Without at a 24-hour notice, reschedules/cancellations incur a $150 fee.
- Blue sky replacement is included with all photography orders. Note: this applies to photos only — not video.
- Twilight shoots: weather-related reschedules only need 2 hours’ notice to avoid the fee.
- Foggy/cloudy views can’t be restored. For listings with Bay or skyline views, clear weather is essential.
- Aerial shoots: these can be rescheduled at no cost if the weather presents safety concerns or affects the drone’s ability to fly.
- Use live weather cameras to monitor Bay Area microclimates. Generic forecasts often miss the hyperlocal conditions that affect your specific listing.
Left: original photos taken on overcast days. Right: the same shots after blue sky replacement.
Rainy day real estate photography in the Bay Area: what agents need to know
When the Bay Area rainy season arrives, real estate agents often wonder: what happens to my listing photos if there’s bad weather? At Open Homes, we’ve developed clear policies and post-production tools to make sure gloomy weather never derails your marketing timeline.
This guide covers everything you need to know — from monitoring the weather before your shoot to understanding our cancellation fee policy and what our blue sky replacement service can (and can’t) do for your listing photos.
Reschedule policy: what agents are responsible for
The most important thing to understand is that we cannot control the weather. As the listing agent, it is your responsibility to monitor weather conditions in the days leading up to your shoot and notify us at least 24 hours in advance if you need to reschedule.
Reschedule or cancel with no fee:
Contact us at least 24 hours before your scheduled shoot and we will reschedule at no charge.
Reschedule or cancel ($150 fee):
If you cancel or reschedule without a 24-hour notice, we charge a $150 cancellation fee. This is because we have already scheduled a photographer for your job and will compensate them for the trip regardless.
If you are booking more than two weeks in advance, we recommend using the weather tools below to track conditions as your shoot date approaches.
How to monitor Bay Area weather before your shoot
Check our email reminders with the projected forecast
Bay Area microclimates make weather prediction tricky, so we try to help. One day before your shoot, we’ll send you a reminder email that includes the Weather.gov forecast for your listing’s city. If the forecast gives you pause, that’s a good time to reach out to our team to reschedule — free of charge as long as it’s still 24 hours before your appointment.
Our email reminder includes a projected forecast for your appointment time
Check live weather cameras
Another tool our team uses is live weather cameras to gauge conditions at specific locations — and you can use these, too. Here are just a few local cameras across the Bay Area:
1. Berkeley
3. Marina District, San Francisco
4. Los Gatos
5. Pacifica
6. Sonoma
7. Sunnyvale
8. Oakland
10. San Jose
To search for a live weather camera closer to your property, try searching “live weather camera [City Name]” for more specific results.
Can you shoot in rainy or overcast weather?
Yes — and this is where we shine! Our blue sky replacement service is included with every photography order and replaces overcast or gray skies with a natural-looking blue sky in post-production. For most listings, proceeding in cloudy weather is completely fine due to this edit.
Two limitations to keep in mind:
- We cannot restore/recreate fog-obscured views. If your listing’s selling point is a Golden Gate or Bay view that’s hidden on shoot day, please reschedule.
- Blue sky replacement applies to still photos only — not video tours.
Twilight photography weather policy
Twilight shoots depend on a narrow window of natural dusk light, making them especially sensitive to weather. Because of this, we offer a more lenient policy: if bad weather forces a reschedule, you only need to give 2 hours’ notice to avoid the $150 fee — rather than the standard 24 hours.
Monitor conditions closely on the day and reach out as soon as you know weather will be a problem. Our Virtual Twilight service is also a great alternative if Golden Hour conditions are frequently difficult in your area.
Aerial and drone photography weather policy
Drone services follow a separate policy. Flying a drone in the rain not only risks permanent damage to the drone, but it can also be a safety hazard. Rain can cause propeller drag and motor issues, resulting in sluggish, unsafe flight.
If our photographer arrives and determines conditions are unsafe, we will reschedule your aerial shoot at no cost. Please still give us as much notice as possible if you know conditions will be a problem.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the cancellation fee?
The fee for cancellations made without a 24-hour notice is $150. There is no fee for cancellations made 24+ hours before the appointment. Twilight shoots are an exception — weather-related reschedules for these shoots only need 2 hours’ notice.
2. Can you shoot real estate photos in the rain?
Yes. Blue sky replacement is included with every photography package and corrects overcast or gray skies in post. Remember, we can only replace skies in photos — not video.
3. Can fog-obscured views be restored in post?
No. We can replace overcast skies, but we cannot recreate obscured skylines or views. If you need just a few shots of the views during better weather, consider proceeding with the full shoot on the day with bad weather, and ordering a Pick-Up Shoot.
4. What happens if weather prevents a drone shoot?
If conditions will be unsafe or too wet upon arrival, we will reschedule aerial services at no cost to you.
Ready to book your Bay Area real estate shoot?
Book your next shoot at open-homes.com or call us at (415) 592-5187. Our flexible scheduling and included blue sky replacement mean rainy days will never hold your listing back.
