Every great property photo I take starts before I even arrive. The camera sees everything: the kettle cable, the bottle of bleach by the bath, the car parked across the front of the house. A little prep turns a good listing into one that stops people scrolling.
I shoot homes, rentals, HMOs and Airbnbs across Liverpool and Merseyside, and this is the checklist I would love every landlord, agent and host to run through the day before. It takes about an hour for most homes, and it makes a big difference.
The short version
- Clear the surfaces. Worktops, tables, windowsills and bathroom shelves.
- Let the light in. Blinds up, curtains open, every bulb working.
- Hide the everyday stuff. Bins, cables, drying racks, pet bowls and toiletries.
- Sort the outside. Cars off the front, bins away, lawn cut if you can.
- Tell me what matters. The view, the new kitchen, the garden. I will make sure it shines.
1. Clear the surfaces
This is the big one. Wide angle lenses make rooms look spacious, but they also pick up every small thing on every surface. Clear the kitchen worktops down to one or two nice items, empty the windowsills and take everything off the coffee table except maybe a book or a plant. If a surface looks empty to you, it will look just right in the photo.
2. Let the light in
Open every blind and curtain fully and check that all the bulbs work. Mixed bulb colours can make a room look patchy, so if you can match them, even better. I balance the window light with the room light when I shoot, and it works best when I have plenty of both to play with.
3. The kitchen
Put away the kettle, toaster, washing up liquid, sponges, tea towels and anything stuck to the fridge. Close cupboard doors and appliance doors, and move the bins out of sight. A clean, clear kitchen reads as bigger and newer on a phone screen.
4. Bathrooms
Toilet seats down, toiletries into a cupboard, shower screens wiped and fresh towels folded neatly or taken out altogether. Take the bath mat away too. Bathrooms are small, so every bottle shows.
5. Bedrooms and living spaces
Beds made with smooth, plain bedding and the pillows plumped. Clear bedside tables, tuck away laundry, chargers and shoes, and straighten the sofa cushions. In a tenanted home, personal photos and anything with names on it are best put away for the day.
6. Outside
Move cars off the drive and away from the front of the house, put the wheelie bins round the back, and cut the lawn if it needs it. The exterior shot is often the first photo people see on Rightmove or Zoopla, so it is worth ten minutes with a brush.
7. Tenants, pets and people
If the property is tenanted, give the tenants plenty of notice and a copy of this list. I work quietly around whoever is home and keep my time on site short. Pets are lovely, but they are best out of shot, so a walk or a friend’s house for an hour is perfect.
Your property shoot checklist
The day before
- Worktops, tables and windowsills cleared
- All bulbs working, ideally the same colour
- Bathrooms cleaned, toiletries away, fresh towels
- Beds made with smooth, plain bedding
- Tenants told the time and given this list
- Keys or access arranged with me
On the morning
- Blinds up and curtains open
- Bins, cables, drying racks and pet bowls hidden
- Cars moved off the front
- Toilet seats down
Questions landlords and agents ask
Do I need to be there during the shoot?
Not unless you want to be. Plenty of agents and landlords leave me keys or have a tenant let me in. If you are there, it is a great chance to point out the features you love most about the place.
Can you edit out clutter afterwards?
Small distractions can sometimes be tidied in the edit, but it is always quicker, cleaner and more natural to move things on the day. What you move in a minute can take much longer to fix afterwards.
What if the weather is bad on the day?
Interiors are fine in any weather. If the front of the house looks gloomy in the rain, just tell me and we can talk about grabbing the exterior on a brighter day.
More guides for landlords, agents and hosts: Airbnb photos that get you booked and Questions to ask before booking a property photographer.
Got a property to shoot?
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