How to Take Real Estate Photography to Sell Your Home

 How to Take Professional Property Photographs to Sell Your Home?

There’s arguably nothing more vital than the images of your property when obtaining a valuation and when eventually listing it. 

It’s true what they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Selling your property is competitive and the photographs you take of your house are vital to its sale success. Prospective buyers will be scrolling through hundreds if not thousands of different properties online, so you need to use your photographs to catch their attention.

You can prepare your house for sale and turn a viewing in to an offer, but you may not even get to this stage without great photographs.

A good selection of well-lit, high-quality images that showcase your home will help to catch the eye of buyers instantly. Don’t forget to include images of standout features such as beams, brickwork, a large garden or panoramic views.

So, below we will discuss methods of how to ensure you get the very best photographs to put your property in the best light, quite literally.

Here are our 5 top tips to help you take picture-perfect photos of your home and get those viewing requests rolling in.

1. Use a proper camera or HDR setting at the very least.

Although the quality of the photographs you can take with smartphones these days is incredible, it’s still no substitute for a high-quality digital or DSLR camera. Even if you don’t own one yourself, consider borrowing one from family or friends. Also, if they happen to have one, using a tripod will give you the stability to take clearer, sharper shots. If, however, you are using a smartphone, try using the high dynamic range (HDR) setting to capture greater detail.

Are you already working with an estate agent to market your property? 

If so, they will be able to take the best photos of your property on your behalf. After all, they’re the experts in selling homes and the behaviour of buyers, so find out what they can offer, and don’t be afraid to speak up if you’re unsure about the photos they produce.

Some Estate agents now even use drones to capture shots of your property from above. This can give your listing the edge it needs and could make the all the difference when it comes to booking viewings. So be sure to ask your agent if this is something available to you.

2. Curb appeal

The best thumbnail image to use on online property portals like Zeus ( at the valuation stage), will typically be a photograph of the outside of your home. First impressions count, so make sure you do everything you can to ensure your property maximises its curb appeal. Simple things like cutting the grass, washing the windows, and tidying the garden can help your property stand out from hundreds of others who have made less effort.

3. Light

Using natural light in the right way can make a massive difference to the visual appeal of your property. Opening all blinds and curtains to let natural light fill your rooms at the brightest time of the day, will help to create a light airy space.

If it still feels a bit dark, then you can always try turning on lights or even using the flash setting on your camera. However, be careful to avoid backlighting in rooms with large windows. Always, choose your angle carefully so you don’t produce images that are too bright or washed out.

4. The Angle

You always want to showcase as much of your house as possible, but that shouldn’t mean taking loads of shots of each room from every possible angle. Ensure you get the right angle to begin with and you can capture the money shot quicker.

To add depth to your image, you should try to include three walls in each photograph. This often means the best place to take your photos is from doorway or corner of a room.

The best position to take your photographs from is chest height, so as not to distort the images and consider the features you want to highlight, such as a large window or a fireplace. Then make sure these features are prominently positioned centrally in the shot.

5. Minimalism

This final point is relevant to both the number of photos which you decide to share and their context. You should aim to keep all settings simple, and remove any unnecessary clutter; the property should look clean not lived-in. Less is certainly more, and ensure that this approach follows when you come to upload your photos – you want to highlight each room/area with one or two key photos, no more.

Great photos help with every aspect of selling your property, from valuation all the way through to completion. Start today, by uploading your newly improved photos to Zeus for a free virtual valuation and get the ball rolling!