The six most important rules
Most buyers live abroad and decide from the photos whether to get in touch and whether to make the trip for a viewing. Good photos bring more interest straight away.
- In daylight, in the sun: Take photos in good daylight, ideally in sunny weather, and switch on every light.
- Tidy up first: Tidy up and put personal belongings away. Buyers should see the house, not your things.
- Curtains open: Draw the curtains back and raise the shutters. Every bit of light counts.
- The whole room: Stand in a corner of the room and shoot at chest height, so the whole room is in the frame.
- Phone on its side, clean lens: Hold the phone horizontally (landscape) and wipe the lens first.
- No people: Make sure nobody is in the photo: not you either, not even in a mirror.
Preparation
- Tidy up and switch on every light before you start.
- Remove personal belongings from view.
- Mow the lawn before photographing the garden.
- Turn off the date stamp on your camera.
- Wipe your phone’s lens. A greasy lens is the most common cause of hazy photos.
Light
- Shoot in sunny weather, inside and out.
- Avoid overcast skies, dusk and evening.
- Switch on the lights in every room.
- Draw the curtains back and raise the blinds and shutters.
- Never use the flash.
Framing and composition
- Always hold the phone horizontally (landscape). Do not take portrait photos.
- Stand in a corner of the room and shoot at chest height, so the whole room is in the frame.
- Line up horizontal surfaces with the top edge of the screen.
- If the room will not fit, take a step back.
- For a detached house, also take a photo from above.
- For the facade, show the whole building.
- Avoid shots dominated by asphalt, ceiling or fence.
- Make sure nobody is in the photos, not even in a mirror or a window.
Image quality
- Use current photos, not old ones.
- Upload the original files: at least 3 megapixels and 1,500 pixels wide.
- Do not upload versions compressed by email.
- Breathe in and hold your breath for a second as you press the button; it prevents motion blur.
- Check every photo for sharpness afterwards.
The most common mistakes
- Gloomy photos taken in overcast weather
- Interior shots that are too dark
- Crooked framing
- Blurred, shaky or hazy photos
- Low-resolution or portrait-format photos
- People in the picture
- Repetitive, unnecessary shots