In short
- Virtual twilight, sky replacement, lawn replacement and seasonal edits all change elements of the property image and count as digitally altered under AB 723.
- Basic corrections such as exposure, white balance, colour correction, sharpening, straightening and cropping do not, so long as they do not change how the property is represented.
- Edit the atmosphere, never the structure: do not remove power lines, neighbouring buildings or defects that a buyer would see in person.
- Disclose each edit on or beside the image, and link to the original.
- A restrained edit looks better and is easier to defend than an overworked one.
Exteriors are the first image in most listings, and the one most often edited. A grey midday shot can become a golden-hour image in a few minutes. The same tools that make a listing look its best can also mislead, so it helps to know where the line is.
What the edits do
- [Virtual Twilight](/tools/virtual-twilight): a dusk sky with interior lights glowing through the windows.
- [Natural Twilight](/tools/natural-twilight): a restrained golden-hour conversion that keeps the sky plausible.
- [Rain to Shine](/tools/rain-to-shine): replaces an overcast sky and rebalances the light.
- [Changing Seasons](/tools/changing-seasons): recasts foliage from winter to summer, or green to autumn.
What counts as altered
California's AB 723 defines a digitally altered image as one changed with photo-editing software or artificial intelligence to add, remove or change elements of the property. It lists landscaping, hardscape, the facade and things outside the property such as utility poles and neighbouring buildings. Sky and lawn changes belong in the same family. The statute says that adjustments to lighting, sharpening, white balance, colour correction, angle, straightening, cropping and exposure do not count, provided they do not change how the property is represented. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Where to draw the line
- Fine: a better sky, warmer light, a lawn that looks as it does in a good season, interior lights switched on at dusk, all disclosed.
- Not fine: removing a power line, a neighbouring building or a busy road that buyers will see in person; hiding a roof defect or a crack; adding a view that does not exist.
- A useful test: would a buyer who arrives for the showing feel they were shown something other than the property?
Disclosing exterior edits
Put a statement on or next to every edited image saying it has been digitally altered, and include a link or QR code to the original. Vesta applies a disclosure to every render and publishes the original on a public page; you place the link with the listing. If your MLS bans QR codes in photos, use the listing's originals link instead.
Keep it restrained
The best twilight images look like a photographer waited for the light. Heavy-handed edits with a violent sky and oversaturated lawn look fake and draw complaints. Choose the gentler option when the listing does not need drama.