Photographer day is your one shot at a first impression online. Most buyers see a listing's photos and 3D tour long before they ever walk through the door, so what's in front of the camera matters as much as the camera. Here's the checklist we share with agents before every shoot, built from what we see go right (and wrong) in co-ops, condos and houses across Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island.
The week before
Clear building access early. Many co-op and condo buildings want advance notice, and some ask vendors for a certificate of insurance before they'll let anyone up. Check with the super or managing agent now so the shoot doesn't stall in the lobby.
Pick the right time of day. Rooms that face east look best in the morning, west-facing rooms in the afternoon. For houses, tell us which way the front faces so we can time the exterior shots with the sun on the facade.
Fix the small things. Replace burned-out bulbs (and match the color, so one warm bulb doesn't sit next to a cool one), tighten loose cabinet doors, and touch up obvious scuffs.
Decide on staging. If the apartment is empty or the furniture works against the space, decide now whether you want virtual staging, so we shoot the empty rooms with that in mind. Our guide to using virtual staging without misleading anyone covers the disclosure side.
The day before
Clear the counters. Kitchen counters down to two or three items at most. Bathroom counters completely bare. Take everything off the fridge door.
Put personal items away. Family photos, mail, medications, toiletries, pet bowls and litter boxes all go in a closet or drawer.
Make the beds. Light, neutral bedding, pillows plumped, nothing stored underneath that shows.
Clean the glass. Windows and mirrors show every streak in a wide-angle shot, and a clean window is what makes a view read on camera.
Hide the cords. Chargers, power strips and cable boxes tucked away, TVs off.
Clear the floors. Shoes, laundry baskets and rugs that bunch up. Open floor makes a room look bigger in photos and in the 3D tour.
For houses: cars out of the driveway, trash bins out of sight, lawn cut and walkway swept.
Shoot day
Every light on. Overheads, lamps and under-cabinet lights, with blinds open to the same height in every room.
Bathrooms ready. Toilet seats down, shower curtains straight, towels folded neatly or removed.
Ceiling fans off. Moving blades blur in photos.
People and pets out of the way. For the 3D tour, the camera captures the whole room from each spot, so anyone home needs to stay out of its line of sight. Usually the easiest move is for owners to step out for the shoot.
Plan for the time. We book two hours for a standard shoot with photos and a 3D tour. Larger homes take longer.
What editing can and can't do
Editing fixes exposure, color and the small stuff a camera exaggerates. It can't clean a counter or move a couch, and anything beyond light touch-ups should stay true to how the property actually looks. The more you handle before we arrive, the more natural the final photos look and the faster you get them back.
Got a listing coming up?
Send this checklist to your sellers a few days before the shoot and you'll see the difference in the photos. When you're ready, let's connect: Book Your Shoot.
