Clean shots

For real estate photographer, the art is in the uncluttered details

- SUSAN LAGSDIN

“I remember one of the first houses I photographed professionally,” Travis Knoop recalled.

“[Realtor] Kathy Emerick, liked my work but picked out one shot and said, ‘Oh no! I can’t believe you didn’t see the tag on that bath towel.’” That was all he needed. His photos now help market homes in Wenatchee and across north central Washington, and he has gained a reputation for assiduous attention to detail.

“That’s good and bad,” Travis said. “I think sometimes Realtors tell homeowners, ‘Don’t worry about a thing; the photographer will make this room look great.’” That has meant, on occasion, a little strategic housekeeping for him — neatening a rumpled duvet here, picking up a dog bowl there, removing refrigerator magnets galore.

Travis has no ambitions to be a gallery photographer, though his landscapes and outdoor rec photos (on his website and on Chelan County Commons) are stunning. But he does seek perfection in his craft — or as close as he can come in a reasonable amount of time.

His career in real estate photography is an amalgam of two skills he perfected independently: knowing his way around cameras (“I’m a self-admitted tech geek,” he said) and knowing from first-hand experience how and why people purchase homes.

Travis has always enjoyed chronicling hikes, snowboarding, wake boarding and other outdoor adventures. “I remember my first digital camera was the size of a brick and just as heavy, but it had a cool little screen,” he said, “and there was instant gratification!”

He was later gifted with a better one, a Canon 20d that was meant for taking pictures of his kids for their grandparents. But he also took it to work.