How to Prepare Your Property for Professional Photography

When it comes to marketing a property, first impressions matter. For many potential buyers or tenants, their first introduction to a home will be through photographs on a property portal or estate agent's website.

At 241Photography, we've photographed properties of all shapes and sizes throughout Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall. One thing we've learned is that a little preparation before a photography appointment can make a noticeable difference to the finished images.

You don't need to spend a fortune on home staging or make every room look like a show home. Often, it's the simplest changes that help us showcase a property at its best.

Start with the Basics

Before concentrating on individual rooms, there are a few things worth checking throughout the property.

A general clean and tidy is a great starting point. Pay particular attention to windows, mirrors and reflective surfaces, where fingerprints and smears can become surprisingly noticeable in photographs.

Check that light fittings have working bulbs, remove unnecessary clutter from visible surfaces and put away anything you'd rather not have appearing in publicly advertised images.

If you have pets, it's worth arranging somewhere comfortable and secure for them during the shoot.

First Impressions: Gardens & Exteriors

The front exterior is often one of the most important photographs in a property listing. It's the image that encourages someone to stop scrolling and discover more about the home.

Before we arrive, consider moving vehicles away from the driveway, hiding wheelie bins and recycling containers, sweeping paths and tidying the entrance.

In the garden, mowing the lawn, clearing toys and equipment, and arranging outdoor furniture can make a considerable difference.

If you have an attractive patio or seating area, neatly arranged furniture can help viewers imagine enjoying the space.

Garages, sheds and workshops don't need to be immaculate. Their main purpose is often to demonstrate useful storage or working space.

Kitchens: Create a Sense of Space

Kitchens are frequently one of the most important rooms for property marketing.

Clear as much unnecessary clutter from worktops as possible. Everyday appliances such as kettles and coffee machines can remain where they complement the kitchen, but washing-up liquid, cleaning cloths, overflowing draining boards and miscellaneous packaging are best put away.

A bowl of fruit or a simple arrangement of flowers can add a welcoming touch to a kitchen island.

The aim isn't to make the kitchen look unused. It's to show its layout, worktop space and features without unnecessary distractions.

Living Rooms: Make Them Inviting

Living rooms should feel comfortable, welcoming and spacious.

Straighten sofa cushions, arrange throws neatly and remove loose cables, remote controls and other unnecessary items.

Check that rugs are straight and that coffee tables aren't covered with magazines or paperwork.

If the room has a fireplace or wood burner, make sure the surrounding area is clean and tidy. Where it's safe and appropriate, a lit fire can create a particularly inviting photograph.

Try not to overfill the room with decorative accessories. Sometimes a simple vase of flowers is all that's needed.

Dining Rooms & Open-Plan Spaces

Dining rooms and open-plan living spaces are often places where families spend time together. Photographs should demonstrate how these areas work and how people can move comfortably between them.

Keep dining tables clear or arrange a simple centrepiece. If you'd like to set the table, attractive place settings can work well, but avoid making it look overcrowded.

Make sure chairs are neatly positioned and remove unnecessary items from beneath or around the table.

In open-plan rooms, pay attention to the whole space. Something that seems insignificant in one corner can still become distracting in a wide-angle photograph.

Bedrooms: Calm & Uncluttered

A neatly made bed is one of the most effective ways to improve a bedroom photograph.

Straighten bedding, arrange pillows and put away clothes, shoes and personal belongings.

Clear dressing tables and bedside cabinets of everyday clutter, leaving a small number of attractive items if desired.

Children's bedrooms can sometimes be more challenging, but there's no need to remove every toy. A little organisation goes a long way towards showing the room's size and possibilities.

Bathrooms: The Little Details Matter

Bathrooms often photograph best when they're clean, simple and uncluttered.

Remove bath mats, unnecessary towels, cleaning products and collections of toiletries.

Clean mirrors, shower screens, taps and other reflective surfaces. Close toilet lids and consider removing toilet brushes and spare rolls from view.

A couple of attractive bottles or neatly folded towels can work well, but less is usually more.

Offices, Hallways & Additional Spaces

For home offices, organise paperwork, tidy cables and clear unnecessary equipment so the available workspace can be appreciated.

Hallways, utility rooms, porches and dressing rooms also benefit from removing coats, shoes, laundry and everyday clutter.

Even smaller spaces deserve some attention, particularly if they offer a useful feature of the property.

Don't Worry if Everything Isn't Perfect

We appreciate that preparing a property for photography takes time, especially when you're living in it.

If you can't complete every suggestion, concentrate on the rooms that will feature most prominently in the marketing photographs.

The aim is to present your property naturally, clearly and attractively — not to make it look like somewhere nobody lives.