Photoshoot Checklist
Everything you need to do before your shoot so your listing photos look their absolute best.
Before your shoot — quick reads
These short reads cover the most common scheduling questions. Browse the rest before your appointment for the smoothest session.
Photographers and stagers have the same objective, to make the home look its absolute best. Great staging makes a world of a difference in both photography and live showings, and there’s about a 90% overlap on effective marketing techniques. The other 10% is where photography requires a completely different strategy.
Stagers make the home look attractive to the human eye during live showings, but the decorative add-ons that feel warm and inviting in person can read as clutter in a photograph. The human eye sees different things in person than a camera does.
Professional photography attracts more viewers through the door, but the focus needs to stay on the property itself, not on your brand-name appliances, plants, or personal decor, none of which come with the house. Complete the checklist items below before your appointment begins (in addition to thoroughly cleaning your home) and your property will look spacious and its absolute best.
Prefer a printable version? Download the checklist as a PDF:
💡 Lights, Camera, Action!
The camera reveals every lighting mistake. Get these three things right and the rest of the shoot starts on the right foot.
Turn on all lights in the house
Every overhead, every lamp, every under-cabinet light. Mixed natural and artificial light warms interiors on camera.
Raise blinds to let natural light in
Raise or tilt open blinds/shutters, unless you don't want items outside seen (if they are distracting or not flattering).
Replace broken or mismatched bulbs
Avoid a mix of cool-blue and warm-yellow bulbs in the same room, the camera sees it, even when your eye doesn’t.
Turn off all TVs, screens, and projectors
Black screens photograph far better than a mid-frame of whatever was playing. Same goes for computer monitors and projectors.
📷 Camera Shutters Don’t Like Clutter
Less is more. Way less is way more. Anything on a flat surface that isn’t part of the house should disappear before the shoot.
Clear kitchen countertops and islands
Small appliances, utensils, towels, trash cans, dog bowls, fridge magnets, hide them all. Bare counters read as spacious and clean.
Put away personal
Photo frames, faux plants, clocks, and small decor from tables, mantles, dressers, and desks. Buyers want to picture their own life here.
Put away toiletries
Bathroom counters, tubs, and showers should be completely clear of products, appliances, and tissue boxes.
Clear throw rugs and mats
Remove small throw rugs, doormats, and bathroom mats. Rooms read more spacious without them breaking up the floor.
🛋️ Still Life Photography
Anything that moves causes blur or distraction. Two quick items handle most of it.
Send pets away
As cute as they are, keep pets in the garage, a kennel, or offsite during the shoot. Wagging tails and moving bodies blur the frame.
Turn off ceiling fans
Some fans take 5 minutes to fully stop. Turn them off well before the photographer arrives so the blades are still in every shot.
🏎️ Keep the Curb Appeal Focused
The exterior shot is usually the first photo a buyer sees. Don’t let a car, a yard sign, or a pile of leaves steal the frame.
Move vehicles out of sight
Into the garage, onto a side street, or around the block, anywhere but the driveway or in front of the house.
Maintain the lawn and landscaping
Mow, edge, and confirm beds look tidy. A fresh cut dramatically changes how the exterior reads on camera.
Clear leaves and debris
Sweep patios, walkways, and driveways in addition to raking the lawn. Nothing ages a photo like a pile of autumn leaves.
Remove yard signs
For Sale, home security, school spirit, decorative, all of them. Signs date a photo and add visual clutter the eye can’t ignore.
☀️ Backyard Bliss
The backyard is where buyers imagine their next weekend. Stage it like you’re about to entertain.
Clean the pool and remove toys
Vacuum, skim, and pull every float, toy, and cleaning pole off the water. A clean pool is a calm, aspirational photo.
Arrange outdoor furniture
Stage it how you’d want it photographed. Open patio umbrellas so they’re usable in the shot rather than collapsed.
Clear miscellaneous outdoor items
Garden hoses, cleaning supplies, recycle bins, kids’ toys, all out of frame. If you’d put it away for a dinner party, put it away for the shoot.
🥜 In a nutshell
If you can only remember a few things:
- Make your home look like the in-laws are coming to visit.
- Don’t just tidy up. Thoroughly clean.
- Hide miscellaneous items in places that won’t be photographed (closets, cabinets, drawers, garage, powder room).
- Less = more. Way less = way more.
- Kitchen and master bathroom are the biggest focus, get those two to absolute perfection.
- Clear miscellaneous outdoor items.
Ready to book your shoot?
Once the checklist is done, let’s capture your listing at its best.