Real estate photographer and videographer in Chicago who plans the light first
Architectural photography, launch films and aerials for Chicago developers, architects and brokerages. Every exterior is scheduled to the minute the sun is right for that facade, and every drone flight is cleared with the FAA and the City.
- 8:28 pmsunset on 21 June in downtown Chicago, our calculation
- 4:22 pmsunset on 21 December, so winter twilight shoots start before rush hour
- $15K to $50Kper building film, published, photography added on the same days
Photo: a concrete residence at dusk, photographed by TERAMOK.
When does the sun hit your facade?
Pick the direction your main facade faces and the month of the shoot. The planner shows when that facade is in direct sun, golden light, shade and blue hour in downtown Chicago, and when to shoot.
Best direct light on a south facade: 8:00 am to 5:10 pm, when the sun is low enough to model the facade. For the hero twilight shot, be set up by 6:00 pm and shoot around 6:20 pm.
Computed for downtown Chicago on the 21st of each month with the NOAA solar position equations, local clock time. Nearby buildings, the lake haze and weather change the real light; we scout every site before the shoot.
Our light, our crew, our cameras
Every image here was shot by our own team on RED and ARRI cinema cameras and professional stills bodies. None is stock, none is AI.
Photographed by TERAMOK on projects in Greece. Chicago work is shown on request where the client allows it.
What a Chicago shoot delivers
Launch film
Two to four minutes that sell the building before it is finished, shot on RED and ARRI cinema cameras.
Architectural photography
Exteriors at the right hour, interiors lit and composed, and details for galleries, press and awards.
Twilight and night exteriors
The shot that sells a tower: lights on, sky still blue, timed to the minute with the planner above.
Aerials
FAA Part 107 certificated pilots, airspace authorization where needed, and City permits for downtown flights.
Construction progress
Monthly visits from groundbreaking to topping out, for buyers, brokers and lenders.
Listing-ready sets
Photo sets that follow the Chicago MLS rules, with usage rights in writing, delivered alongside the film.
What the footage did after the shoot
units reserved before groundbreaking on a Chicago launch our crew filmed
organic reel views in year one for a luxury brokerage
video views in year one for MIA Developments
followers for Loyal Group Realty, up from about 3,000
Documented results with dates on our results ledger. The Chicago launch is under NDA, so the project is not named.
Rules every Chicago shoot follows
Licensed, broadcasting drones
Every commercial flight needs an FAA remote pilot certificate, Remote ID (required since September 2023) and prior air traffic authorization in controlled airspace, through LAANC or DroneZone.
14 CFR 107.12, 107.41 and 89.105Chicago's drone ordinance
The City restricts hobby flights near airports, at night and over people or property without consent. Part 107 pilots are carved out but still follow City requirements, and fines run $500 to $5,000 per offense.
Chicago Municipal Code 10-36-400Film Office permits on the street
A permit is needed when equipment or vehicles occupy the public way or traffic is stopped: $250 a day per location, $1 million liability insurance, and up to 10 business days for drones and other high-impact shoots.
Chicago Film OfficeBrokerage name on every listing ad
Illinois requires the sponsoring broker's business name in all real estate advertising, at least as large as any team or agent name. Listing films and social cuts carry it.
225 ILCS 454/10-30MLS photo rules
On the Chicago MLS the first photo must be an exterior, photos carry no logos, names or people, and virtual staging is allowed only when disclosed in its field. Power lines or highways may not be edited out.
MRED Rules and Regulations, 2026Fair housing in every frame
Photos and footage in housing ads must not suggest a preference for or against any protected group, so casting and lifestyle scenes are planned with that in mind.
24 CFR 100.75(c)A production summary, not legal advice.
What Chicago real estate photography and video cost
- Building or launch film$15,000 to $50,000
- Architectural photographyAdded to the same shoot days
- CGI renders before constructionFrom $7,000, minimum nine renders
- AI-generated films, labeledFrom $2,200
Published on our pricing page. Permits and drone authorizations are scoped with the shoot.
Questions about Chicago real estate shoots
What is the best time to photograph a building in Chicago?
It depends on which way the facade faces and the month. In Chicago an east-facing facade is lit in the morning, a west-facing one in the afternoon and evening, and a south facade most of the day in winter, while a north facade gets direct sun only early and late in summer. Twilight shots work best roughly 15 to 30 minutes after sunset, when the sky is still blue and the interior lights are on.
Do we need a city permit to photograph our building in Chicago?
Usually not for a low-impact crew on the sidewalk or inside the property. You need a Film Office permit when you close a street or a sidewalk, use more than limited parking, or fly a drone over the public downtown.
How far ahead should we book a drone shoot downtown?
At least 10 full business days for the city side, per the Chicago Film Office. Airspace authorization near O'Hare or Midway is a separate FAA step. We start both as soon as the date is fixed.
Can you shoot exteriors in a Chicago winter?
Yes. We plan two backup dates for every exterior and use interior days when wind or snow closes the window. Some of the best tower footage comes from clear days in January.
What does a Chicago building film cost?
Expect $15,000 at the low end and $50,000 at the top. Where yours lands comes down to shoot days, drone work, permits and edit length. Photography can be added to the same shoot days.
Can you show the building before it is built?
Before ground breaks, we can turn the drawings into renders and walkthrough videos, each marked as a visualization. After that we switch to filming the actual site as it rises.
Tell us the building and the date you need
We check the light, the permits and the airspace, then send a shot list and a price from the published rate sheet.