So you’ve booked a property photographer and now you are wondering how you prepare your property for the appointment. We have compiled a list of things to do in order to have a successful photoshoot; and will make your photographer’s job a pleasant one. The pleasant the experience of shooting, the better the outcome of the photographs.

Bedroom.
Ensure your bedsheets are clean and stain-free. Remove that box of tissue from the bedside. Plain bedding looks great in photographs. Stay away from busy patterns, florals or bright colours. Neutral colours work best – extra points for complimenting-coloured cushions and pillows. Keep it simple if in doubt.

Kitchen countertops.
This is often the place where people justify leaving things. Your kitchen will look bigger, tidier if you put everything inside the cupboard and out of sight. Yes, even the kettle and toaster! And definitely that washing liquid and sponge needs to go!

Bathrooms.
Just like the kitchen, hide everything that’s moveable. Toothpaste, toothbrush, sponge, towels, hide all of them… maybe the last thing, towels, you can fold em beautifully and lay them or hang them on the bathtub – only if you have clean white luxurious towels. We are not kidding.

Put it away!
You may be a master at strategically organising everything that is visible; but in photos any object in the frame attracts focus – also, the space looks a lot smaller when there are objects in the shot. The best thing to do here is to put it all away. If there is a cupboard that can be closed, put anything that doesn’t need to be in shot in there- if there is an unused room, put any unnecessary items in there. Sometimes you can put things in the corridor to allow the rooms to be photographed. But ensure that there’s easy access for the photographer to move from room to room. Put the items back as the photographer moves from a finished room to the next so that they can shoot the corridor when ready.

Doors.
Ensure that all doors can be fully opened. The reason for this is that it allows ample light into the interior of the property; plus, it makes the property look bigger and captures the fluidity of movement throughout the house.

Blinds.
They are called blinds for a reason. They stop you from seeing. So open them! It’s very suspicious when you look at property photographs and windows are shut and curtains are drawn. It makes one wonder “ What are they hiding?” Or if you’re like me, you’ll dismiss the property to be a basement apartment/flat. The following assumptions will be made: The property overlooks

a. Parking lot,
b.council flats,
c. an office block with direct overlooking windows.

Neither of the above is a good thing.

TV.
Turn them off! That’s if you can’t hide em. Those things aren’t pretty. Bookshelves, however, are great and they make you look educated.

Animals.
They are adorable, but they can also be a nuisance for the photographer who has other appointments during the day. So do keep an eye on them. Also, keep them away from areas being photographs.

Cars.
Ensure that the driveway is clear of litter or debris caused by wind. Remove any cars parked in front of the property. This will ensure that the view of the property isn’t obstructed. This will also ensure that the photographer doesn’t have to airbrush out number plates from the photos which can be awfully distracting.

Bins.
Remove them. Ensure that they won’t be in the shot on the day of your photography appointment.

Garden.
Tidy, Tidy, Tidy!

Skips.
Naturally, after renovating your property, you may decide to book a property photographer. Sometimes, there will be skips that are due to be collected but haven’t yet. Our advice here is to wait until the skip has been collected before booking a photographer or book the photographer for the date when the skip would have been removed.

Finally, feel free to move things around the property that will make the property look nice. It doesn’t have to be conveniently placed or how it is going to be used. The appointment is only for an hour or so and you can move the things back. Be creative. Feel free to buy fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit.