Tips and Tricks to Prep for Your Next Real Estate Photo Shoot
The best way to prep for a real estate photo shoot is to treat it as an open house. You want the home to be ready and clear of all people and pets (including children, homeowners, and contractors) by the time the shoot starts.
While you definitely want the house clean, you don’t have to overdo it. I have had clients tell me they stayed up all night mopping and waxing hardwood floors, or spent the whole weekend scrubbing the whole house down. I always feel bad when they tell me this because most of what clients stress out about doesn’t even show up on the camera.
Read our list of tips below to get your property photo ready. You also want to share these tips with the homeowner, so that they can assist in getting the house ready, but also so they know what to expect!
General Tips
Lights Turn on all the lights, replacing any burnt out bulbs. It never looks good in the photos to have only a few of the lights on, while others seem to be off.
Fans Turn all ceiling fans off. The main reason for this is to avoid a blur if the fan is still turning when the photo is taken. Can the photographer turn these off? Sure, but sometimes it can take a while for them to stop.
Staging Have the home staged before the photographers arrive if you plan to stage the home. The last thing you want is to have to re-shoot a property because a picture was missing or the furniture wasn’t in place yet! Alternatively, you can elect to not stage the home, or have it virtually staged. Talk to your photographer or media company to see if they offer virtual staging solutions, or contact us at info@changeovermedia.com to discuss a solution for you.
Clutter Whether you plan to stage or not, it’s always better to clear all areas of the property of clutter and trash, leaving only decorations.
Personal Items Make sure you remove any personal photos or anything that displays personal information. Not only could this jeopardize the privacy of your clients, but it’s also difficult for potential buyers to imagine themselves in a new home if it looks like someone else’s home.
Pets Remove any pets, cages, food and water bowls that may be visible, as well as trash cans or recycling bins. You or your client may have the cutest kitten or puppy that’s ever existed, but buyers may not think so.
TVs and Computers Be sure to turn off all TVs and computer screens, especially if these screens show anything personal or confidential.
Exterior
Cars You should remove any cars from the driveway if possible, and if there are neighbors parked in front of the house, politely ask them to move while the photographer is outside. In some cases, it is not difficult to shoot around these cars, but many a photo has been ruined by them.
Trash Hide any trash cans or recycling bins in a place where they will not be caught by the camera and be sure to pick up any trash or debris around the property. Again, these objects can sometimes be avoided by the camera, but it is always much easier and much more reliable to just move them in the beginning.
Garages Close garage and shed doors. While there may be a garage or shed worth showing off, it is usually better to do single photos of these areas, rather than show them in all your exterior photos.
Deck and Patios Clean any deck or patio furniture. It does not have to be spotless, but the sunlight is more likely to catch imperfections outside. Sweep any leaves or debris off the patio/deck area, and if you have time, consider power washing older decks and patios to freshen them up, or staging the area.
Lawn Care Maintain the lawn by cutting grass, picking up fallen tree limbs, raking and so forth. If you have the time or means, consider a bit of fresh landscaping. A new batch of flowers or a freshly mulched flower bed can do wonders.
Clutter Remove any clutter such as children’s toys, pet toys, or garden hoses. Bird baths, large play equipment, and similar things are fine, but you want to make sure that the property does not look cluttered.
Signs Wait to put up any realtor or for sale signs until after the shoot. These signs can usually be blurred or avoided when shooting, but it is always best to wait until after the shoot to avoid any issues. You also cannot post photos with sales information on the Bright MLS website, and you can be fined if the sign is visible.
Living Spaces
Appliances Remove small appliances from kitchen counters. The less there is cluttering the counters, the better. The appliances do not have to be spotless but keep in mind that stainless steel appliances are more likely to show fingerprints and smudges than others, so tidy up accordingly.
Office Spaces Clean up office spaces and be sure to remove any paper clutter or important documents. We know no one really keeps an office like the beautiful ones you see on Pinterest and Instagram, but we all like to pretend.
Pillows Throw pillows and blankets can work wonders, but make sure they are neatly arranged or carefully placed, and not just tossed on a couch or chair.
Dining Room Make sure the dining room chairs or bar stools are arranged neatly and evenly. Nothing can throw off a good, straight-on shot of a dining room than crooked chairs.
Rugs Remove any small rugs that can make a space feel smaller than it is. This includes any doormats, kitchen mats, or hallway runners. If it works in the space, feel free to leave it, but make sure your viewers aren’t getting stuffy just looking at the house.
Furniture Straighten any furniture or rugs that may seem skewed. This is not something that can be fixed once the photographer has left the home.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Beds Make the beds and arrange the pillows in a way that looks inviting. If you’re using blow-up mattresses for staging, ensure that the mattress is covered with sheets or a sham. It never looks good to see inflatable plastic in a master bedroom.
Laundry Remove dirty laundry or laundry baskets from view. No one should air their dirty laundry, and no one likes looking at it.
Under the Bed If you have items under the bed, make sure they will not be visible by the camera. If there is no way they will not be visible, consider moving these items to another location for the time being.
Towels Remove all dirty or ragged towels from the bathrooms and arrange clean ones neatly. (Need some ideas on how to fold or roll those towels? Check out this article!)
Clutter Make sure to remove all clutter such as nightstand items, bathroom counter items, or excessive towels or bedding. A book or lamp on the nightstand is fine, but a glass of water, morning vitamins, and those old tissues are a stretch. In the bathroom, remove shampoo, soap, and bath toys from showers and tubs unless they are decorative.
Toilets Fully close all toilet seats and make sure they are presentable. Hide the toilet brushes and plungers if possible, as well as any visible trash cans.
Children In children’s rooms, try to hide anything with personal information such as names, schedules, or photos.
If there are items that cannot be removed, or that you forget during your prep, many companies offer image enhancement services and item removal services. While many companies offer this, it is always easier to remove these items before your shoot and can save you money and time in the long run. Should you need item removal or image enhancement services, feel free to contact the photographer or media company that you use, or you can also contact us on the web at www.changeovermedia.com, by email at info@changeovermedia.com, or on our social media pages, and discuss a solution for your photos.
Also, as a photographer myself, I do strongly urge you to be ready when your photographer arrives. We know your schedule relies heavily on your time management, and in the busy season, time crunches are all too real. If there is a serious problem, your photographer will understand. But please do keep in mind that your photographer also works on a tight schedule, and the more smoothly everything runs, the faster you get your media, and the faster you get that house listed and sold!