How to Prepare Your Property for a Real Estate Photo Shoot: A Room-by-Room Guide

The most common feedback we give to agents and homeowners after a shoot is some version of: "That room would have photographed much better if we had moved those three things." Preparation takes an hour. The photographs last for the life of the listing. The investment is obvious.

Before the Photographer Arrives

The most important pre-shoot task is decluttering throughout. Real estate photography amplifies everything that is visible — both the beautiful and the distracting. Personal photos, refrigerator magnets, prescription bottles on nightstands, children's drawings on the refrigerator, pet bowls, charging cables: all of these pull the buyer's eye away from the space itself.

Every surface should be cleared to near-empty and then styled with one or two intentional items. A kitchen counter should have at most a coffee maker and a bowl of fruit. A bathroom vanity should have nothing except perhaps a single luxury item like a candle or a hand soap dispenser.

Room by Room

Living room: Plump cushions symmetrically. Remove remote controls, chargers, and any clutter from coffee tables. Open blinds fully. Turn on all lamps. Move any furniture that blocks natural flow through the room.

Kitchen: Clear all countertops except for one or two styled items. Clean all appliance faces. Remove the dish drying rack. Take the magnets off the refrigerator. Empty and clean the sink. Put away dish soap.

Bedrooms: Make all beds with your best linens and arrange pillows. Remove items from bedside tables except for a lamp and perhaps a book. Close wardrobe doors. Remove any exercise equipment or office items that have migrated into the bedroom.

Bathrooms: Remove all personal care products from the vanity and shower. Put out clean, folded towels. Close the toilet lid. Clean all mirrors and chrome fixtures — water spots show on camera.

Exterior: Mow the lawn and edge if possible. Move cars off the driveway and street in front of the property. Put away garden tools, hoses, and bins. If there is patio furniture, arrange it intentionally. Turn on all exterior lights for twilight shoots.

What We Handle

We use professional lighting to balance interior and exterior exposure, remove harsh shadows, and bring out the best in each room. We do not photograph mess or clutter — we will ask you to clear it before we shoot rather than photograph around it. The one thing we cannot fix in editing is a room that was not properly prepared.